How to Trim Your Bangs at Home Like a Skilled Hairstylist

You’ve likely been warned: Avoid DIY haircuts, especially when it involves trimming your own hair. However, when your once subtle bangs grow into heavy curtain bangs obstructing your vision, action is necessary. With precision and care, you can follow specific steps to trim and upkeep your bangs at home. Here’s a professional hairstylist’s guide to cutting bangs yourself.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Starting

While cutting and styling bangs yourself may sound simple, it’s often more challenging than it seems. For the best results, have your bangs professionally cut initially. After that, you can handle the upkeep at home.

"After a professional shapes your bangs, maintaining them at home becomes much easier," explains Mylo Carrion, a hairstylist at New York City’s Rita Hazan Salon. "I advise clients to visit every three weeks for a trim, but since many live outside Manhattan, I teach them how to manage their bangs at home."

If visiting the salon every few weeks for a trim isn’t feasible, you have our approval to take matters into your own hands. Before diving in, ensure you allocate sufficient time. Dedicate at least 30 minutes to this mini haircut to work with precision and care. "Rushing through a bang trim right before heading out is never advisable," Carrion advises.

Essential Tools for the Job

Supplies You’ll Require

Step-by-Step Guide

Steps to Trim Your Bangs

Achieve salon-quality bangs at home by following these steps to maintain their perfect look without needing another salon visit.

Dry and Style Your Bangs First

Cutting bangs on wet hair can lead to overly short results, as hair shrinks when it dries. Blow-dry and style your fringe as you typically would, whether that means sweeping it to the side or leaving it straight.

Next, isolate the bang section and secure the rest of your hair away from your face to avoid interference. "Since bangs are often slightly longer on the sides and these edges don’t cover your eyes, clip them out of the way as well," he suggests.

Secure Bangs Between Your Fingers

• Use your comb to smooth your fringe into its usual style.
• Set the comb aside and hold the bang section between the middle and index fingers of your non-dominant hand.
• Gently slide your fingers down to your eyebrows, resting them there to keep the bangs steady. (Avoid pulling the hair tightly to prevent cutting it too short.)

"I rely on my fingers as a visual guide when cutting hair—they’re much easier to manage than handling both a comb and scissors. Plus, the width of your fingers adds a layer of safety against the sharp scissors," Carrion notes.

Trim to the Desired Length

Grip the scissors horizontally in your dominant hand and carefully trim the hair extending below your fingers. Make two or three precise cuts, as if slicing through paper.

"To avoid mistakes, always trim less than you initially plan," Carrion suggests. "Typically, remove no more than a quarter of an inch, ensuring the bangs rest just below the brow." For angled bangs, align your fingers at the same angle, positioning them at brow level. "Use your fingers as a guide and trim the hair beneath that line accordingly."

Soften the Edges with Subtle Snips

Once the desired length is achieved, hold the fringe section between your fingers once more. With the scissors held vertically, make small V-shaped cuts along the ends. (Be cautious—only trim the tips slightly!) "This technique adds texture to the bangs," Carrion explains, "and softens the line if the trim isn’t perfectly straight."

Commonly Asked Questions

• Can I fix uneven bangs after trimming?

  Uneven bangs can often be corrected after trimming—just avoid overdoing it. Gradually trim the uneven sections bit by bit, ensuring you don’t cut too much at once, until they align better with the rest. For severely uneven bangs, consulting a stylist is the safest option.

• What type of bangs are easiest to trim at home?

  For DIY bang trimming, curtain bangs or other wispy, non-straight styles are ideal. Straight-across bangs are trickier to cut evenly on your own. It’s always easier to have them professionally shaped first, allowing you to simply maintain the style with occasional trims.

• What can I do if I cut my bangs too short?

  If your bangs end up shorter than intended, don’t panic. Use heating tools to style them or part them slightly to the side for a softer appearance. In the meantime, accessories like clips and headbands can help manage the look as they grow out.