Listen, I’m all for experimenting with beauty trends in the name of ~isolation~, but some things are best left to the pros. Case in point: convincing yourself you need bangs after drinking all your quarantine wine and scrolling through TikTok for five hours. For real, though, if you’re considering cutting your own bangs and you have zero experience, you should probs take a second to think things over. Like, do you actually want bangs, or are you just really effing bored? If it’s the former, and you really, truly can’t wait to see a hairstylist, then you better pay attention. Because, yes, you can learn how to cut your own bangs—you just need the right tools, tons of patience, and an easy-to-follow tutorial. And that’s where I come in.
Step 1: Gather your supplies
First thing’s first: You can’t cut your own bangs without a pair of shears. Nope, sry, no exceptions (even if your kitchen scissors are reaaaallly good). If you want an even, sharp cut (and why wouldn’t you?), hold off on your DIY project until you can order a good pair. Classic Barber Shears and Conair Shears are both solid—and affordable—options. Oh, and while you’re at it, you’ll also want to order some alligator clips (to help you section off your bangs before you cut) and a fine-tooth comb (to help you get a super-precise part).
Step 2: Prep your hair
PSA: Always cut your bangs 100 percent dry. “When hair is wet, it stretches, so if you’re cutting your bangs when they’re wet, you’ll probably end up cutting them too short—and you won’t realize it until they’re dry,” says Meri Kate O’Connor, a colorist. You heard her! Cutting your hair while it’s completely dry is the easiest way to set yourself up for success. Better yet, go ahead and style your hair exactly how you usually wear it before you grab your shears—that way you have an accurate idea of how your bangs will hang if your hair is naturally wavy or curly. For the record, Meri Kate suggests you always see a professional if you’re cutting bangs for the first time, k?
Step 3: Practice your technique
You know when your hairstylist finishes off your cut by snipping your ends vertically? Yeah, that’s called a point cut—and it’s the best technique for cutting bangs with tons of texture. “It helps create texture and softens the line, so if you do cut an uneven line, you won’t be able to see it as much as you would with a straight-across cut,” says Meri Kate.
Step 4: Watch these tutorials
Alright—you’re ready to cut your bangs. Ish. Now comes the fun part. Ahead, five easy-to-follow tutorials for curly bangs, curtain bangs, wavy bangs, and more. Prepare to memorize them.
How to Trim Bangs
Soooo you’ve already got bangs and you need a little trim. YouTuber Mallory Cornelison breaks down her go-to steps for quick maintenance and touchups in this seamless tutorial on trimming your bangs. Psst: Notice her dry hair and point cutting technique? Did I tell ya, or did I tell ya?
How to Cut Curtain Bangs
Alright, so you’ve officially ignored my advice to wait for a hairstylist to cut your bangs for the first time. Fiiiiine. Vlogger Stella Cini has a few hacks for making it fairly easy, like starting with longer layers and trimming as necessary. Remember: It’s always easy to go shorter if you need to—so stay on the safe side with a longer cut.
How to Cut Curly Bangs
The key to cutting curly bangs? Prepping with a deep conditioner, says YouTuber MissCharmsie. She suggests leaving an ultra-hydrating treatment in your curls for 20 minutes, rinsing, and air drying with zero leave-in product. That way you can get an idea of how your curly bangs will rest and fall naturally before you cut.
How to Cut Wavy Bangs
My favorite part about vlogger Vivi König’s wavy bang tutorial is that she leaves a few nice, long layers on either side of her face. Again, totally dry hair is a nonnegotiable—and avoid any straight-across cutting.
How to Style Faux Bangs
Don’t feel like you’re up to the task? Don’t worry—you can still get your bangs fix with this faux bangs DIY. You’ll definitely need long hair to recreate YouTuber Lana Summer’s tutorial, but, hey, if all goes well, you might not even need to invest in shears after all.