Keke Palmer Casually Debuted New Side Bangs

Blink and you'll miss the reveal.

Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer stands in front of a step and repeat wearing a black dress with a ponytail.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Keke Palmer has some new fringe—and she shared the hairstyle not with a bang, but with an Instagram Story. Instead of debuting the change at an event, as she did with her recent honey blonde locks, the actress teased the new look oh-so casually via social media.

Palmer nonchalantly debuted her fresh cut in a photo with a close crew of friends, including her makeup artist, Kenya Alexis, and hairstylist, Keshaun Williamson (also known as The Lace Assassin), in honor of her entertainment network, KeyTV.

Lucky for us, Alexis knows how important glam close-ups are, even when you're busy celebrating. The beauty professional shared an adorable photo to her own Instagram Story so we could see Palmer's bangs in actual lighting (and not a bouncy video set to the tune of "Rich Baby Daddy" by Drake, like the actress provided).

Keke Palmer and Kenya Alexis standing in front of a step and repeat

Kenya Alexis and Keke Palmer pose together to celebrate Palmer's entertainment network—and quietly reveal the actress's new cut.

(Image credit: @basedkenken on Instagram)

Palmer's perfectly wispy bangs are perfectly wispy reach well past her eyes and sway to the right, thanks to her deep side part. Colored her signature dark hue, they blend nicely with a sleek layered haircut that hits just above the Nope star's collarbone. While not entirely there, the look is closely approaching side bang territory—one of 2024's biggest hair trends as predicted by Marie Claire.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer showed off similar bangs at a SiriusXM Studios visit in October 2017.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

“This is a look that is flattering on so many face shapes and we’ll see it come back in the Spring,” hairstylist Adir Abergel shared last month.

Sweeping her bangs slightly to the side isn't the only way Palmer is ahead of the trends. Remember that blue eyeshadow she wore the other day? It's poised to be everywhere soon.

Sophia Vilensky
Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.