How Japanese Women Keep Their Bangs Perfect All Day, Even in Wind and Humidity

If you’ve ever stepped out with perfectly styled bangs, only to have them blown apart by the slightest breeze, you’re not alone. Between humidity, wind, and long days, keeping bangs in place often feels like a losing battle.

But in Japan, it’s a different story. Anyone who’s visited might’ve noticed the seemingly immovable bangs that local women sport, staying flawless through everything from dancing to headbanging.

@traavvviiii

i could do a front flip and it WILL STAY lmao #fyp #hairspray #japanesehaircare

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So, what’s their secret? With clever techniques and affordable drugstore products dedicated entirely to bang styling, Japanese beauty has perfected the art of taming fringe. Keep reading to find out how they do it.

Step 1: Wash and Blow-dry

Similar to skincare prep and priming before makeup, your bangs must be primed in the perfect condition and arrangement before styling.

Washing your bangs before styling is crucial to clean up grease and avoid “barcode bangs”, a term referring to the unwanted splitting and uneven appearance that your fringe may fall into.

Using a pea-sized amount of shampoo, wash your bangs from root to end to reset their natural shape. Whilst blow-drying on a low heat setting, use a fine-tooth comb to brush to the right, left, and down. The result should be a set of neat and tamed bangs.

Step 2: Comb and Curl

Using a medium-sized straightener or curling wand set to 160°C to 180°C, curl your bangs to give them body and life.

Start from the mid-length of your fringe, then curl your wrist in a scooping motion where you want the curl to start. The larger the curl, the more dramatic and airy. Many women opt for a small, C-shaped curl at the ends to achieve a cute, everyday look.

Curl any longer side pieces in an out-and-away direction from the face for an elegant, face-framing effect. Then comb into the place and shape you prefer, making sure no strand is overlapping and out of place.

Step 3: Secure in Place

Routines diverge here depending on the amount of “hold” you want, but the three most common products are wax sticks, hair mascara, and eyelash glue. Opt for the product(s) that you’ll need depending on the level of security your bangs require.

Wax Stick

Wax sticks are the original bangs-styling product that are still beloved to this day. Best used on flyaways and stray baby hairs for a neat and smooth look, these quick and travel-friendly stylers are a prime choice to combat humid weather.

Simply brush through your bangs in the desired direction and watch them stay in place.

The Matomage Styling Stick by Utena is by far the hottest pick for wax stylers. Their affordable price tag and variety of scents make them popular amongst schoolgirls on a budget, who can be seen during breaks touching up their hairdos with these colourful sticks.

Utena Matomage Styling Stick retails for S$8.90 (13g) and is available on Shopee.

Hair Mascara

Most Japanese girls carry a hair mascara styling stick in their bags wherever they go, and it’s clear to see why. The sleek and convenient design makes touchups easier than ever, with the innovative mascara-like brush wand combing through and neatening bangs with ease.

Available in a variety of formulas, strengths, and delicious scents, these products are essential for anyone with a fringe. Simply glide the wand over your hair in the desired direction. Once dry, your bangs will have a much better chance at holding up against the breeze.

Cult-status drugstore brand &honey has gone viral over and over again for its nourishing and effective formulas, as well as its scented products that leave your hair soft, shiny, and smelling irresistible.

Thus, it’s no surprise their hair styling stick has found popularity in the bang-having community. Its formula features the brand’s signature royal jelly extract, as well as hydrolysed honey protein, and argan oil.

Available in a variety of delicious scents like Cherry Blossom and Rose, this hair mascara is a classic that’s worth every dollar.

&honey Matomake Stick retails for S$15.18 (9g) and is available on Shopee.

Moist Diane is another famous name for all the right reasons. Their haircare products line the shelves of beauty drugstores worldwide, and are famed for leaving your hair smoother and softer than ever.

The Maegami Stick stands out with its bright yellow packaging and for its styling power. Available in five strength variants, these mascaras are formulated with organic argan oil for increased shine and Beauty Keratin for damage repair, nourishing your hair as it styles.

MOST DIANE Perfect Beauty Maegami Stick Natural retails for S$11.92 (10ml) and is available on Watsons.

Hair/Eyelash Glue

This is final frontier of bangs styling by glueing the ends down to your forehead. The result is an unshakeable fringe that defies gravity, with many showing off the effectiveness of this technique by headbanging or turning upside down.

Using eyelash or hair glue, draw a line above your eyebrows where your bangs should lie. Gently press your fringe into the product to secure it, and allow a few minutes for it to dry.

Utena’s Matomage Glue offers a budge-proof, wind-proof, everything-proof solution to your bangs in a tiny bottle. Loved and used by idols, dancers, and athletes, this product comes with a brush applicator for easy surface coverage and application.

Its innovative formula dries down quickly without leaving a sticky or hard feeling on your skin. The result is a tamed fringe that comfortably stays in place through rain or shine.

Utena Matomage Glue retails for S$19.97 (5ml) and is available on Shopee.

Step 5: Set with Hairspray

The final and most important step is using a quality, long-lasting hairspray with a solid hold. Start at the roots of your bangs to hold the overall shape of the bangs. Shake the bottle and hold it 10-20cm away before spraying liberally. Always cover your face with your other hand while spraying!

Follow up with a few short spritzes along the curled end of your bangs to lock the strands and curl in place. Then, blow-dry your fringe on low heat to set the spray for the ultimate long-lasting, wind-proof bangs.

Liese Kao’s Cape 3D Extra Keep Hairspray is many’s go-to for locking in bangs with zero crunch and maximum hold. Lightweight yet powerful, this cult-favorite spray is trusted by stylists across Japan for its long-lasting, wind-resistant finish.

Formulated to add natural volume and shape, it keeps your fringe perfectly in place without stiffness or stickiness.

Liese Kao Cape 3D Extra Keep Hairspray retails for S$10.10 (180g) and is available on Watsons.

Sunstar’s VO5 Super Keep Hairspray Extra Hard is a popular choice amongst consumers and professional stylists alike for its reliable, all-day hold. Celebrated for its salon-grade strength, this hairspray is a go-to for those who need serious staying power without sacrificing comfort.

Its fine mist applies evenly and dries quickly, locking your fringe in place with an invisible, non-sticky finish. The generous amount of product in each bottle makes it a value-for-money purchase, and it’s clear to see why it’s gained the favour of many bang-havers.

Sunstar VO5 Super Keep Hairspray Extra Hard retails for S$30.33 (330g) and is available on Shopee.