Help me, change plan? Read details please!

[Checkers]

I just joined LHC and have hair about an inch below my chin. I have bangs with face framing and long layers (about 1.5 inch between shortest layer and longest apart from bangs and face framing. My hair is wavy, and loose curls. I get more curls at the ends if it gets long. It's VERY thick to the point of being a detriment and has always affected the style and cut I prefer.

My face is square and I never had any checkbones to speak of. With weight gain and age that is accentuated by slightly jowely look that is just beginning to appear and this is really 'dragging my face downward.

A few years back I took some pics of myself with bangs and then without (blending them back). I was shocked to see the bangs looked much better on me.

So here's the problem, I recently went no-poo and also decided to grow my hair longer. My plan was to keep bangs, keep face framing and long layers. With no-poo my hair is much shinier and curly/wavier. But this also includes my bangs which were a pain to style before no-poo. I needed product and heat just to get them to behave, and with nopoo they are even more determined to do their own thing. So now I'm considering growing out my bangs but I'm worried that my face will look horrible. My hair hair is also heavy and hangs in my face, but with no-poo it the oils do seems to be holding my hair back away from my face a little better. I will keep some face framing and long layers even if I grow my bangs out. I don't look good with hair up or in pony tail.

Any advice, stories, pictures? HELP!

[NurseMama]

I say to go ahead and heat style your bangs! That is what I do at least. Who cares if heat hits those bangs if you are trimming them every few weeks or so? It is the older fragile ends that really need to be protected. Try AVG instead of the product that you have been using if you are interested in going product free.

I have fringe and bangs and do not plan on getting rid of them as it really does look better with my face.

[GlennaGirl]

Can you grow out just some of your bangs, and leave a lighter face-framing fringe than you had before? Keep some "wisps" to soften your look. Wisps are "allowed" to do their thing a bit. :) In fact, they usually look better when they're floating around. It's a very romantic and yet still quite contemporary look.

I have fringe and I intend to keep it. My face isn't square, but it's a very long oval...really too long. The fringe softens it and makes me look more "fun" and "breezy" (I don't know how else to explain it than that).

ETA: And I agree with NurseMama...since you're cutting the fringe regularly, you can use heat on it without worrying as much as you would about using heat on the length. I often blow dry my bangs (shhh).

[longhairedfairy]

You could tie back your length and use shampoo only on the bangs.

[amiaow]

I say either, heat style your bangs (yes, I'm in this club too!) or grow them to a sweep with a side part- then you can tuck them behind an ear but the overall look is still soft and pretty like when you have bangs :)

[Kirin]

There is no detriment to heat styling (even curling irons or straight irons to tame them) bangs, since those will be trimmed quite often to keep them out of your eyes.

[Elainehali]

I have bangs, and I'm a conditioiner only washer.

I heat style my bangs because they dont show damage with always being cut. Really iron away if you're not planing on growing this area out. :p

I've found it's important to dry your bangs as soon as you get out of the shower, so they dont have time to act up.

[crystal_89]

Just grow your bangs for a bit and see how you look... if you don't like it, you can always chop them back in again and look for a new solution from there ;)

[Periwinkle]

If pooing/heat styling your fringe will make it submit, then why not? If you want to keep it, then you won't really see the damage because it'll grow out so fast. No harm done.

[Elenna]

You are in good company. I blow dry my bangs too.

It is better to have bangs when you look better in bangs. It is not a problem blowing them out since they don't show up the effects of heat styling.