💇‍♀️ Bangs: far beyond hiding the forehead — a visagism perspective

For a long time, bangs were seen as an aesthetic resource used to “hide the forehead” or soften certain facial features. However, within visagism, this view is limited.A bang is not a disguise — it is a visual language element capable of balancing shapes, directing attention, and even modifying the emotional perception that a face conveys.

🧠 The face and its three horizontal thirds: rational, emotional, and instinctive

According to the visagistic reading of horizontal thirds —one of the foundations of facial analysis—, the face can be divided into three zones that reflect different dimensions of personality and expression:

First third (rational) — from the hairline to the arch of the eyebrows.It represents the realm of reason, logic, and conscious thought. When this third predominates, a person tends to convey control and rationality.

Second third (emotional) — from the arch of the eyebrows to the tip of the nose.It is connected to emotional and empathic expression, serving as the bridge between mind and heart — the realm of human and affective relationships.

Third third (instinctive) — from the tip of the nose to the chin.It is associated with action, impulse, and determination, representing how a person brings their intentions into the world.

These three areas communicate visually, and when one of them predominates, the image may convey a specific type of energy — more rational, more emotional, or more instinctive.

🎯 The role of bangs in visagism

In visagism —as taught by Philip Hallawell and Fernand Aubry— no element of the face should be hidden, but rather harmonized.In this context, bangs are not meant to conceal but to create proportion and balance between the thirds.

For faces with a broad or very exposed forehead, bangs can visually reduce the first third, balancing it with the others.But more interestingly, they can also be used on angular faces — not to hide, but to introduce curved or diagonal lines that break the rigidity of the forms.

According to Hallawell (2009), straight lines convey firmness and rationality, while curved and diagonal lines communicate movement, empathy, and softness.Therefore, a strategically chosen bang — rounded, layered, or side-swept — acts as a compensating element, bringing emotional softness to faces with strong bone structures.

💫 Balancing reason and emotion

By emphasizing the second third of the face (the emotional zone), bangs soften the rational energy of the first third and balance the overall visual communication.This is why square, rectangular, or diamond-shaped faces benefit greatly from bangs: the curve of the hair creates a counterpoint to rigid lines and projects a more empathetic and approachable impression.

Thus, bangs are a tool of visual language, not a disguise.When applied with intention, they enhance facial harmony and coherence, visually translating the identity of the person who wears them.

✨ Conclusion

Choosing a bang should go beyond trends or “tricks to conceal.”In visagism, it is a tool of conscious expression, capable of modulating the face’s visual energy, creating harmonious proportions, and balancing reason and emotion.

“True beauty lies in the harmony between what is seen and what is.” — Philip Hallawell