All I Want in 2026 Is a Forehead Curl

What do Ayo Edebiri and Odessa A’Zion have in common? Yes, actually, you’re right that they’re both starred in HBO’s chaotic comedy I Love L.A., but that’s not what I’m talking about. Last night, for the 2026 Golden Globes, both stars rocked a single forehead curl, known as a “kiss curl,” as part of their beauty look. Now, it’s all I can think about.

“A kiss curl is named after the way a mother kisses her children on the forehead,” Paris-New York hairstylist David Mallet tells me. I’m seated in a chair at his WSA beauty outpost while he shapes a piece of my chin-length bob into a circle on my forehead. As if by magic, a pair of shears appear in his hand and—snip!—I now have side bangs and the start of a kiss curl of my very own.

The trend began in the 1920s with singer Josephine Baker (the most popular Black female star of the 1920s) and 1930’s Betty Boop, both of whom Mallet declares the queens of the kiss curl. In the 100 years since, the look has come in and out of fashion, as well as been a favorite of Met Gala attendees like Dua Lipa, A$AP Rocky, and Kylie Jenner.

As seen on the Golden Globes red carpet, there can be variations in the curl. Edebiri’s, shaped by hairstylist Jacob Aaron, was oversized but not fully closed. A’zion’s, on the other hand, has become a part of her signature look—all of which she maintains herself (and no, it’s not a wig!). Ginnifer Goodwin also wore a pixie-sized version of the trend for the night by Clayton Hawkins, a perfect accompaniment to her short hair.

“It is extremely easy to do at home,” Mallet says, walking me through the curl-shaping as he affixes it to my forehead. “Simply spray gel onto the hair, smooth it out with your fingers, then twist it into a circular motion and secure it with a pin. Dry the hair using a diffuser, and do not remove the pin until the hair is completely dry—this ensures the curl stays perfectly in place.”

It’s a fun, DIY-friendly way to vintage-ify your hair without having to go full wet-set. “It always beautifully frames the face,” Mallet adds. Bisous!

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