Bangs Can Slim Your Face or Shorten It: A Hairdresser Explains Which of Four Types Suits Which Face

Bangs come back every season, and every season someone walks out of a salon with a regret that will last three months - the time it takes them to grow out. Hairdresser Luciano Cañete, founder of the Corta Cabeza salon, says something you rarely hear in conversations about trends: bangs aren't fashion, they're an optical trick. They can slim the face, visually shorten it, highlight the cheekbones or draw attention to the eyes. They can also do the opposite, if they're cut without thinking.

That's why, he says, bangs are designed for each person: their facial features, their hairline, the density and texture of their hair. A trend is a starting point, not a recipe. Here are the four types most in demand this season.

Micro bangs. They don't fall below the eyebrows. The length has to be adapted to the shape of the face, and the rule is brutal: the shorter they are, the less room there is for error. Their unofficial ambassador is Dakota Johnson.

"Butterfly" bangs. They start short in the middle and lengthen towards the cheekbones, blending into the rest of the hair. Jennifer Lawrence wears them, and they're considered the easiest to personalise - a good choice for the undecided.

Thin, wispy bangs. A softer option than thick, blunt-cut bangs. The forehead stays partly visible, the hair gains movement, and stylists recommend them for round faces.

French "curtain" bangs. Made famous by Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin. They should look natural, move, and merge into the hair rather than sit there like a frame. They suit oval and long faces best.

Cañete's conclusion is almost anti-fashion: the best bangs aren't the ones worn by the season's most famous face, but the ones that suit yours. Sounds obvious. But how many times have you walked into a salon with a photo of a Hollywood star instead of a question?