June 19, 2024

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Photo Credit: Rachael Griffiths Rachael’s bangs after Drybar Prime Detangler.

This was published on the Strategist last week, but we think Beauty Brief readers might enjoy it.

I’ve had bangs for years, and the upkeep is constant. Most nights, I have to sleep with a Velcro roller to keep them looking right. If the odds are in my favor, I get two days out of my bangs before I have to reset them. But, still, all it takes is a strong gust of wind, an odd sleeping position, or my particularly tenacious middle part to ruin all my hard work.

My only true solution was to drench my bangs in water and start again. So, a couple of times a week between hair washings, I’d find myself leaning over the sink or spritzing water onto my fringe before blowing it out again. But with just water and no product, my bangs would look dull and be tougher to style than they were freshly washed. To be honest, it was easier just to wash my hair or slick it back every other day.

Then, Drybar sent me a new detangling product. I have short, straight, thin hair, so detangler is not something I usually reach for. However, the directions on the back of the bottle caught my attention. Drybar recommended that you “spray onto dry bangs and re-blow to freshen up your look” — detangler or not, I was curious. The first time I gave it a go, I used a very gentle spritz of detangler. Along with a quick blast of my Dyson Airwarp, it was enough to put some bounce back into my fringe, but my middle-parting persisted, and the bangs split. A few days later, I tried again. On my dry hair, I applied the product until my parting was almost wet and the rest of my bangs lightly damp. Unlike other detanglers, there was no buildup or film feeling where I’d applied the product. Instead, the hair felt soft and freshly washed and was far easier to style than all of the times I’d used just water.

I’ve been using this for two months, and it’s taken my old water mister’s place at my bathroom sink. Instead of leaning over the sink a few times a week, one spritz and a blow-dry between hair washes keeps my bangs looking fresh. Succinctly: Until I find out what witchcraft keeps Sabrina Carpenter’s bangs in place onstage, or pick the brains of the hairstylist responsible for Jess’s fringe on New Girl, this is the best thing I’ve found for bangs upkeep since the Velcro roller.

And while you may be stressed to hear about the amount of heat I use on my fringe, it’s worth mentioning that the spray acts as a heat protectant up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, too. It also contains vitamins B and C and biotin (which is also a vitamin), three strengthening ingredients that promote growth and the three I’m always on the lookout for when finding shampoos and conditioners for our guides. And when I am feeling energized enough for a full hair washing, it doubles up as a nice heat protectant, too.

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