How to Cut Your Own Bangs

Tired of making trips to the salon just to trim your bangs? Save both time and money by cutting your own bangs at home! Whether you prefer straight-across or side-swept bangs, this simple task is something you can easily do on your own without any fear.

Part your hair to create a triangle shape at the base of your bangs. Since you’re cutting straight-across bangs, there’s no need to angle your hair to one side. Take a long, pointed comb and position the point at the center of your head, about 2.5 cm to 5 cm above your hairline. You may need to step back a little or adjust the comb at a higher, balanced position on your head. Then, create a diagonal part from the center of your head down to the outer edge of your eyebrow. Ensure this section is in front of the natural indentation of your hairline, where the hair on both sides of your head tends to fall. Repeat the same on the other side. Pull the bangs into the middle, separating them from the rest of your hair.

• After parting your hair, you’ll have a triangular shape with the pointed top a few centimeters above your hairline, and the sides of the triangle running along your temples.
• Once the part is done, comb your bangs forward and pin the rest of your hair back, or secure it with a ponytail to keep the hair out of your face.

Moisten your hair if necessary. If this is your first time cutting bangs, it's better to keep your hair dry to ensure precise cutting for the desired length. However, if you're just trimming your bangs, lightly spray some water to help the hair settle neatly along your forehead for better results.

• You can also try using a straightening iron to flatten your bangs. Keeping your bangs smooth without waves is important so that you can cut them evenly across your forehead.
• Note that cutting dry hair will be more accurate, but it can be trickier. Therefore, spraying a little water on your hair will help achieve the best result.

Determine the length and angle of your bangs. There are various styles for straight-across bangs, so you need to decide how you want them to look before cutting. Some people prefer bangs that are straight across the forehead, right above the eyebrows, to create a sharp, bold look, while others opt for bangs that are slightly longer and gradually angle down at the sides to blend more smoothly with the rest of the hair.

Start cutting your bangs. Hold the section of hair between your index and middle fingers, forming a straight line with the tip of your nose. Your bangs may not be as long as this, perhaps only reaching your eyes, but this is a good starting point to avoid cutting everything at once. Cut the hair below your fingers, ensuring that only the hair being held is cut.

• You can also use tape to create a straight cutting guide. Place a piece of tape across your bangs and cut straight below it at the length you want. This technique helps ensure a clean, even cut. Cutting by hand without support requires precision and a sharp pair of scissors to avoid a jagged edge.
• Trim your bangs a little at a time, about 0.6 cm each time, until you are happy with the length. If your bangs are wet, leave them 1.2 cm longer than the desired length as they will shrink when they dry.
• If you want your bangs to taper down at the sides, cut straight across from the middle of one eye to the middle of the other. Once you reach the center, start cutting at an angle. Repeat this process on the other side, gradually tapering the bangs until you meet the remaining hair. You can go for a sharp angle or a slight one, depending on how dramatic you want the taper to be.
• Sometimes, twisting the bangs once with your fingers before cutting can be more effective. This will gather the hair together, allowing you to make just one or two cuts. This method creates a slight curve in the bangs, making them shorter at the front and longer on the sides.
• Be sure to check the length on both sides before finishing. Use a mirror to compare the sections of hair to ensure they are even.

Make the edges look natural. Once your bangs have reached the desired length, you'll need to soften the edges for a more natural look (unless you're going for perfectly straight-across bangs, which require a clean, horizontal cut). Use thinning shears to snip small sections at the edges of your bangs, ensuring that the shears are held parallel to the hair strands.

Style your bangs. Straight-across bangs often need more styling, so you may need to straighten or blow-dry them each time you style. When blow-drying, use a round brush to lift the bangs from underneath, then pull the brush upward to straighten them. Next, rotate the round brush one or two times underneath the bangs, brushing from the roots outwards in a curve to add volume. You can do the same with a flat iron if preferred.

Part your hair. Use a regular comb to smooth out your hair and detangle any knots. For side-swept bangs, you'll need to part your hair to one side, following the natural direction in which your hair falls.

Brush the hair forward. Take the pointed end of a long-handled comb and create a part about 2.5 to 5 cm away from the hairline, perpendicular to your parting line. (This means parting from your usual parting towards the other side, instead of parting straight from front to back). If you want thicker bangs, you can part deeper to include more hair. This step will help separate your bangs from the rest of your hair.

Locate the highest point of your eyebrow. Typically, this is the center or the most prominent point of your eyebrow, which will help you estimate the width of your bangs. If you're cutting new bangs, measure a line from the highest point of the eyebrow upwards to the hairline. Part your hair from the end of that line. Move the hair on one side of the part to the center of your forehead and pin the remaining hair back to separate your bangs.

• Once this step is complete, you will have a section of hair at the front of your face, separated from the rest of your hair.
• If you already have side-swept bangs, you know the width of your bangs; simply pull the existing bangs to the center and separate them from the rest of your hair.

Lift your bangs and check from both sides. At this point, your bangs will be around 2.5 to 5 cm thick. If you want thicker bangs, you can gather more hair horizontally from behind the hairline; if you want thinner bangs, take less hair from the front, starting from the hairline.

Pin the remaining hair back. Gather the rest of your hair and secure it with clips or bobby pins, keeping it separate from the bangs section. This makes it easier to cut your bangs without worrying about accidentally cutting the rest of your hair.

Ensure the bangs are straight. To do this, you may need to use a water spray bottle to dampen your hair if you have natural curls or if your bangs have waves. Lightly spray some water on your bangs and comb them flat. If your hair is naturally wavy or straight, cutting your bangs when dry is ideal to avoid cutting them too short.

• Never dip your bangs in water or fully wet them. Wet hair is usually longer, so cutting wet hair will result in it being shorter when it dries. To avoid cutting too short, only cut your bangs when they are slightly damp or dry.
• If your bangs are very wet before cutting, blow-dry them until they are about 80% dry. When drying, be sure to comb the bangs straight down or in the opposite direction of your parting. Don’t blow-dry them following their natural direction. This will prevent creating a “rainbow effect,” where the bangs have a high arch, making them difficult to cut. Instead, create volume by drying them against the natural direction.

Determine the length of your bangs. Before cutting, decide how long you want your bangs to be. You can have bangs that cover one eye or bangs starting just above the eyebrows. If you're unsure, it's always better to start by cutting them longer than you want and then trim them shorter gradually.

Cut your bangs at an angle. Part your hair diagonally and comb the hair perpendicular to that parting. This means the hair will be pulled from one side of your head to the front, creating a 45-degree angle. Then, move the section of hair you want to cut to this position before cutting. Hold the bangs with your index and middle fingers and cut the hair below them.

• If you're unsure about the length to cut, start at the tip of your nose and angle down towards the lower part of your ear. This will create long side-swept bangs.
• Make sure to use scissors specifically designed for cutting hair, as only these scissors can provide you with the cleanest cut.
• If you want your bangs to be shorter, start above the nose, level with the eyes, and cut at an angle towards the middle of your ear.
• Always cut your bangs longer than you intend at first. You can always trim them shorter later, but once you cut them too short, there’s no going back. Try trimming small sections, around 0.6 cm at a time, to prevent cutting them too short.

Make your bangs look natural. After cutting your bangs, you may notice a straight line across the front, which often looks unnatural. To fix this, lift the hair at a 45-degree angle and trim along the hair's natural line, snipping the edges slightly.

• If your hair is thick or you want to make your bangs look even more natural, you can use a razor or thinning shears to trim the edges of your bangs.

Style your bangs. Use a blow dryer and a round brush to style your bangs by lifting them from the roots and directing them either straight up or back. Avoid blow-drying your bangs by brushing them straight down, as this will reduce volume. You can also straighten your bangs by pulling the flat iron upwards at the roots to add volume.

• Alternatively, you can blow-dry your bangs in the opposite direction of your natural part to make them lie flat with a slight curl at the ends. Once your hair is nearly dry, return it to the original position and finish drying as usual.

• If you have naturally curly hair, you should cut your bangs longer than usual. (For example, someone with very curly hair shouldn’t cut more than half the length they intend to cut). After each snip, let the curls return to their natural shape so you can reassess the length before continuing to cut.
• Ask someone to assist you; this will help prevent mistakes.
• Take your time and cut carefully, especially if it’s your first time cutting bangs.
• Choose a location with a solid surface, such as a bathroom or outdoors, for easy cleanup. You might also want to wear an old shirt or drape a towel over yourself to protect your clothing.
• Make small snips with the tips of the scissors (the sharpest part). Keep your fingers straight while holding the hair with one hand and use the other hand to cut the hair.
• If you have curly hair: When cutting each section, tilt the scissors at a 45-degree angle. This will make the outer edge of each curl longer than the inner part, creating a more textured, sharp-looking curl.
• If your hair is curly, consider straightening the section you want to cut first, as it will give you a better idea of the true length of the hair.

• Hair cutting scissors or sharp shears
• A fine-toothed styling comb
• A few clips to hold the hair in place
• A mirror – preferably one that doesn't need to be held
• Masking tape