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, they both star in HBO’s chaotic comedy i love los angeles..but that’s not what I’m talking about. Last night at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, both stars sported a ring of curls called “kissing curls” on their foreheads as part of their beauty looks. Now, that’s all I can think about.

“Kiss curls are named after the way a mother kisses her child’s forehead,” Paris-New York hairstylist David Mallet told me. I sat in a chair at his WSA beauty station while he shaped a piece of my chin-length bob into a circle on my forehead. As if by magic, a pair of scissors appeared in his hand, and then—shear!-I now have side bangs and my own kissy curls.

The trend began with singers Josephine Baker in the 1920s (the most popular black female star of the 1920s) and Betty Boop in the 1930s, both of whom Mallet dubbed the queens of kissing curls. The look has been in and out of fashion for 100 years and is a favorite of Met Gala attendees like Dua Lipa, A$AP Rocky and Kylie Jenner.

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Curls can make a difference, as seen on the Golden Globes red carpet. Edebiri’s look, styled by hairstylist Jacob Aaron, was oversized but not completely sealed. A’zion’s hair, on the other hand, has become part of her signature look — all of which she maintains herself (no, it’s not a wig!). For the night, Ginnifer Goodwin also wore a pixie style by Clayton Hawkins that perfectly matched her short hair.

“It’s so easy to do at home,” Mallette said, guiding me through the curls as she placed them against my forehead. “Simply spray hairspray into your hair, smooth it out with your fingers, then twist it into a circular motion and secure with bobby pins. Blow-dry your hair with a diffuser and wait until your hair is completely dry to remove the bobby pins. This will ensure your curls stay perfectly in place.”

This is a fun, DIY-friendly way to give your hair a vintage look without going completely wet. “It always frames the face beautifully,” Mallette adds. Bissus!