On that note, if you’re like us, you’ve A, probably spent 83% of your waking hours asking yourself if you should get bangs (BTW, mostly go for it—unless you’re two bottles of cabernet deep, in which case it’s a hard no and please phone a friend instead for said existential crisis); and B, hey, it’s a great skill to have in your arsenal just in case. Even if most stylists offer a complimentary fringe trim, knowing how to cut your own bangs properly can save you a tedious trek to the salon and also prove valuable in times you just need a quick refresh. So if you must go on this journey, reader, we’re with you and are here to help you do this right. We spoke with one of our resident hair experts, Unilever In-House Stylist Bailey Pope, to take us through the steps and make sure no ~lewks~ are harmed in the process. “If you can no longer hold out for your stylist, there are a couple of ways to maintain your fringe,” she assures. “Whether you have full bangs or a sweeping, short-to-long fringe, we all know how wrong at-home trims can go—as shown by a quick search on YouTube!” Read on for her easy, YouTube-mishap-proof tips:
How to Cut Your Own Bangs, by Bailey Pope as told to All Things Hair
What you need:
A comb Sharp scissors (“Scissors that aren’t sharp will make it nearly impossible to get a clean shape,” Bailey warns) Clips
What to remember:
Clips are important, as they help section hair on each side of your fringe and ensure you don’t alter the amount of hair you want in your fringe Whether you’re going for full bangs or a sweeping fringe, don’t pull hair with much tension; this causes hair to travel further than it would when it lies as normal and you run the risk of cutting it too short! Cut hair after drying and styling as you usually would. Wet hair can shrink up after drying, again increasing the risk of going too short.
How to Cut Your Own Bangs: Full Fringe
Step 1: Wash, dry and style as usual. Ed’s note: We love a volumizing duo, like TIGI Copyright Custom Care Volume Shampoo and Custom Care Volume Conditioner, to help infuse some fullness into strands. Step 2: Section out your pre-existing fringe and use clips on each side to isolate longer hair away from the bang area. Step 3: Comb straight down and pinch with your index and middle finger sitting on the bridge of your nose, leaving ½ to 1 inch of hair to go past your fingers. Step 4: With scissors at a 45-degree angle, create a straight line using uniform small “point cuts,” (Ed’s note: or small vertical cuts “into” hair to texturize and lightly remove bulk from the tips) following your current shape, a.k.a. the last shape your stylist created on you, as your reference. See how Bailey does it in the video above! Step 5: Comb down and use your fingers to loosen up your fringe to assess length. Step 6: If you need to go shorter, move up ¼ to ½ inch and repeat. Note: It’s easier to take a few inches off little by little as you need it than to go all too short at once!
How to Cut Your Own Bangs: Sweeping or Side-Swept Fringe
Step 1: Wash, dry and style as usual. Step 2: Section out your pre-existing fringe and use clips on each side to isolate longer hair away from the bang area. Step 3: Comb hair to where you wear it on a normal day to identify the existing shape of your fringe line. Step 4: Comb hair to get it sitting uniformly. Step 5: Hold your fingers parallel to the shape of the pre-existing line. Step 6: With scissors at a 45-degree angle, create a straight line using uniform small “point cuts,” following your current shape, a.k.a. the last shape your stylist created on you, as your reference. Step 7: Comb down and use your fingers to loosen up your fringe to assess length. Step 8: If you need to go shorter, move up ¼ to ½ inch and repeat. Note: It’s easier to take a few inches off little by little as you need it than to go all too short at once! Ed’s note: Once you have your ideal length, having the right products to keep your fringe looking fresh and full is key. We love the light refresh our bangs get with a midday spritz of TRESemmé Clean Pro Pure Dry Shampoo on the root. Now that you know how to cut your own bangs at home, good luck and get ready to enjoy those fringe benefits!
