Zooey Deschanel explains her beauty signature: bangs. She might even inspire you to go there!
You could say that I'm hooked on bangs. Would I ever give them up? I have, and I might again—for a role, perhaps—but I really don't feel like myself without them. When I first got into acting, I was a bit of a chameleon and just wasn't recognizable. So I used my look to help create an identity. Now people know me as the girl with bangs. They're not for everyone…but they work for me.
It all started at age two, when, at my very first haircut, the stylist lopped off the front of my waves into girly, face-framing fringe. I've had bangs for most of my life since. I was way more into doing my hair and makeup than my older sister, Emily. She was no makeup, all combat boots and dresses (it was the mid-nineties). I, on the other hand, have always been particular about my hair: I love having it long. Cutting it, aside from my bangs, would feel like making a sacrifice. I've tried growing out my bangs a few times, but it's never stuck. They've been styled into all sorts of shapes and lengths. Now I'm very specific about how they look and feel.
There's a ton of bang inspiration out there; me, I've always loved Audrey Hepburn and Linda Ronstadt. The former was the queen of pixie-short bangs; the latter had thick, serious fringe—more my current vibe. I'm constantly taking notes on how women style theirs (the First Lady's—so great!). It's one of the reasons I was excited for the Pantene spokesmodel gig; I loved the idea of inspiring women to try new things with their hair.
My bangs have become such a trademark that I get asked about them all the time. So to officially go on the record with the nitty-gritty of it all:
__1. There seems to be this misconception that I have blunt bangs.__I don't. I actually have heavy bangs that have been thinned with shears or beveled with scissors. I could never wear them blunt—my hair has a lot of volume, and it would be impossible to style.
__2. Styling them is not high-maintenance at all.__The way my hairstylist Shelley Brien (we work together on New Girl) cuts them allows me to either air-dry them flat or blow-dry them with a round brush, then finish with a bit of styler (I like Pantene BB Créme).
3. When I don't have time to get to a pro, I'll cut them myself. But if there's one thing I've learned, doing it on your own takes finesse. You can't just take scissors and run them
straight across. And don't ask about my technique—a lady never tells!
—As told to Simone KitchensFollow New Girl star Zooey Deschanel (and her hair) on Twitter and Instagram: @ZooeyDeschanel.
