If you were to text your best friend and ask if they have a cowlick, there is a high likelihood they would reply “Oh, let me tell you about it.”
Even though most of us have learned how to hide them with a straightener or styling gel, cowlicks are everywhere — over 98 percent of the population has one. But for anyone unfamiliar, a cowlick is a small section of hair that grows differently than your other hairs, often taking on a swirl-like shape. “It can stick straight up or just lay in a completely different angle,” explains Nick Latham, one half of the London-based salon team The Hair Bros.
Latham sees a lot of cowlicks in his line of work. His salon requests that clients come in with their natural hair (air-dried, not heat-styled), making it easier to identify those delightfully swirled or against-the-grain hairs. “Often, we can identify them visually, or a client will mention their cowlick,” Latham explains. Most will assume that their hairline cowlick prohibits certain hairstyles. For example, “There is a common myth that bangs and cowlicks cannot work,” says Latham.
This assumption hinges on a narrow view of what a bang is and who it’s for. “In the past, where bangs were perfect — straight and very blunt — it is true, a cowlick would cause chaos,” says Latham. “But these days, where everything is softer, hair moves more, and a cowlick can work beautifully with your bangs.”
According to Latham, the aspects of a cowlick that we often rage against — the texture or angling — can reinforce a bang and create a nice lift to the hair. For example, Latham references a recent client with a cowlick that “opened slightly” around her face. “We thought, why not really lean into the nuances and bends? In came this bang!”
What are cowlick bangs?
Every cowlick is different, thus a cowlick bang is personal. “A bang with a cowlick is actually more individual than any other,” explains Latham. What differentiates cowlick bangs from other styles — baby bangs, curtain bangs, ’70s bangs — is its movement and shape. “They are different in the sense that they will not lie flat,” adds Latham. “Instead, they have more volume and more of a bend, which can really open up an individual’s eyes and compliment features like cheekbones.”
“They have more volume and more of a bend — which can really open up an individual’s eyes and compliment features like cheekbones.”
To compare the cowlick bang to other bang styles, Latham says, “It is shorter, more the vibe of an actual bang as opposed to a longer, swoopier shape.” Whatever its length, a cowlick bang will often have a natural openness, exposing the forehead. “A cowlick bang can still part like a curtain bang,” Latham adds. “With a cowlick bang, we encourage embracing the nuances as opposed to wanting the hair to sit too perfectly.”
How to ask for cowlick bangs
The length of a cowlick bang can be tailored. But Latham’s pro tip: “Start a little longer and judge how your bang is behaving before going shorter.”
As for specifics of the cowlick bangs, “We like to keep the middle of the bangs slightly blunter than normal,” explains Latham. “This adds extra weight, which will help control the bangs, and help with the day-to-day styling. Often we will keep a little more length past the corners of the eyebrows, which adds an element of versatility, especially if you want to brush the bangs back into a more 80’s-vibe blow-dry.”
But what if you have curly hair? Textured hair specialist Luke Castillo says the same rules apply. “Due to the nature of the way the curly hair grows out of the scalp, curly and coily hair clients can be prone to cowlicks,” Castillo explains. “More so in curly hair, this acts as a huge advantage as it creates a natural root lift to the hair which, in turn, enhances the volume of hair.”
For the cut, he uses a razor to “soften through the bangs so that the hair blends in with the cowlick,” he explains. “Another way to work with the cowlick, especially on curly hair, is to create a heavier bang or take the bang on the shorter side and make it a point of view rather than working against the cowlick.”
How to style cowlick bangs
This depends on your hair texture. But whatever you do, don’t be too precious with your styling. Latham recommends using a no-dent hair clip to flatten the middle of the bangs and then “bevel the edges” into a ’60s shape using a round brush. “Bear in mind that the cowlick may rise throughout the day, so don’t be too scared to go a little flatter,” he explains. “Remember also that bangs do not need to be parted in the middle, and that the beauty of a cowlick bang lays in some strands bending in slightly different directions.”
“The beauty of a cowlick bang lays in some strands bending in slightly different directions.”
Another great option for a fuller effect is to use a hair dryer and round brush (or a heated round brush, if you have one) and set the bangs forward and under “in three, fairly small sections,” Latham recommends. “After doing this you can brush the bangs back into an up-and-over type of movement (think Claudia Schiffer).”
Before your appointment, Latham recommends looking up a few references. “Do your research with references, explain yourself and your hair thoroughly,” he advises. “But also don’t obsess too much when styling. Remember your bangs shouldn’t look the same every day.” Cowlicks are cute, let them do their thing.
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