Straight bangs can become all sorts of unforgiving when they get too long.
They fall into your eyes.
Split down the middle.
Or they become unwilling to lay like they’re supposed to or worse curl up like crazy.
Ugh!
Which is why life with bangs is a constant battle to keep things looking fresh, crisp and on purpose.
Now, is your choice of fringe somewhat on the heavy side but not quite blunt? If so the trimming bangs tutorial video below is for you.
Think of it as another take on the dos and don’ts of how to keep things in trim. All good to know. Especially if what is supposed to be brow grazing has morphed into something more nostril-skimming.
Oh and if you’re more of a fan of something kinda see through and wispy then you might want to check out our take on how to avoid mistakes those trimming wispy bangs at home make.
Anyway before we get to the tutorial let’s first talk dos and don’ts. Or the perfect place to start if you’re feeling the need for a dose of bang restoration know-how.
Top 11 Dos and Don’ts of Trimming Blunt Bangs At Home
Okay, so we’re looking at the top 11 of these going from least to most important. Or the nitty gritty you must pay attention to if you’re going to have success with DIY fringe trimming.
There’s a lot of good stuff here so let’s get into it. Ready?
#11 Do style your bangs before cutting. To speed drying set the dryer on – medium heat low air. In no time you’ll be done.
For those wanting more answers to the “What is the best way to blow dry bangs?” question, well, you probably should read our popular article that shares the 411 on doing that and then some
#10 Do fine tooth comb your hair to get rid of tangles and get it super straight and primed to be snipped.
#9 Don’t go crazy with the cutting to start. Even if unintentional just like that you can cut too short. Then you risk living with bangs popping up on you. Making you wait until they grow out to approach just looking decent much less sexy. You’ve been warned! 🙂
#8 Do establish a length guide on your face. Like your eyebrows (bottom, middle, or top) or the bridge of your nose. You know? Something that remains constant from trim to trim.
#9 Don’t make any first cut shorter than the bridge of your nose. Good rule of thumb for those wanting to do this without regret. Or tears.
#6 Do quit while you’re ahead. That means to stop with things are longer than you want. You can always take another whack at it tomorrow after the dust has settled.
#5 Don’t forget to check if both sides are even. Stylists trimming bangs seem to do this instinctively. Others not so much.
#4 Do cut the shortest length first usually a narrow section in the middle. Go from there using that as your length guide.
#3 Don’t trim a blunt fringe by cutting horizontally across the hair. Non-pros have next to no chance of getting a straight across cut. Instead do this. Point cut vertically into the hair. That creates feathered ends which can help hide any scissor boo-boos.
#2 Do cut bangs dry – especially if you’re a beginner. With wet hair there’s too much risk of cutting too short as wet hair shrinks when it dries.
And finally the most important …
#1 Don’t use any scissors other than those meant to cut hair. Yeah. For best results you want super sharp hair scissors. Failing to follow this advice will make your Hairy Godmother cringe.
Beyond that we get into the best hair cutting shears for home use and then some in another article of ours. Answering seven common questions in the process.
Honestly, the info is invaluable to those looking to get their first pair of hair scissors and don’t have a clue what they’re looking for. Is that you?
Trimming Thicker Straight Bangs
Essential Step by Step by Timestamp
- 3:12 Section out the center of your fringe going for a one inch wide section
- 4:34 Determine how short to trim
- 5:50 Point cut the middle to slightly longer than the desired length
- 9:12 Trim the hair on the sides just out from the middle
- 12:21 Comb out, evaluate the length and trim as needed
Isolate Your Bangs
Your first move is to separate out the hair that makes up your fringe by pulling it forward. Tie the rest of your hair out of the way.
Tip: Never ever ever cut your bangs when wet.
As mentioned earlier this is a critical tip DIY bang trimmers ignore at their peril.
Thought it was worth bringing up again in case you missed it.
Next
Break Out The Very Middle
Using the center of your part as a guide break out the middle of your bangs. Here again you’re shooting for a small triangle section that peaks at your part and borders the middle bit of your fringe on both sides.
In essence you’re going for about a one inch wide section that’s dead center.
Tip: Working with smaller sections just makes it easier.
This is a key to this approach. So you may want to rewatch to make sure you’ve got it.
Determine How Short To Trim
Tip: As before you might want to use your eyebrows as length guide. Going for a length slightly longer, as long, or slightly shorter than they are.
Begin Point Cutting The Ends
Comb this first section out well. Then point cut off a little at a time. (Go easy with the scissors. Think in terms of removing eighth of an inch increments until you gain confidence in what you’re doing.).
Regardless it’s ALWAYS better to start slow and error on the side of caution to avoid being mad at yourself. Which means to point cut to slightly longer than the desired length.
Look. Bang trimming isn’t a race.
Don’t expect this to go fast. Especially at first.
It’s more of a slow, steady and cautious wins kind of thing. 🙂
Tip: Rather than straight in you can slightly angle the scissors. Then snip away alternating the angle to the right and then the left. Just be aware this will remove more hair than going with the blades straight into the hair.
As you know point cutting avoids being left with a harsh cut line. Leaving you with a more feathered effect.
After each round of trimming fluff and access. This can save just a ton of trouble later. So constantly evaluate the length to see how things are going as you cut.
Work On The Longer Sides That Remain
Next bring in the entire bang.
Work on the section on each side using some of the freshly cut middle section as a length guide. You should be able to see an obvious difference between what’s been trimmed and what is yet to be trimmed.
You don’t necessarily want to trim to the length of the middle section.
Instead you want more to blend so the length cascades seamlessly from the middle to the edges. Gradually getting slightly longer. Especially if you like them to swoop some. But for sure you don’t want to cut any shorter.
Tip: Some parts of your fringe seem thicker? You can remove excess bulk by point cutting vertically and deep, maybe as much as an inch deep, to remove the weight.
This approach lets you manage those parts of your fringe that seem to naturally be thicker than others. (And pretty much everyone has that.) Helping them to lay smooth.
Comb Out, Evaluate the Length and Trim More As Needed
Comb the bangs down and look for areas that might be a bit long. Or where the length doesn’t quite flow like you might want it to. Typically that might be where the center section meets the side sections.
Tip: Running your comb UNDER the fringe makes it easier to see where a little more touch up might be needed.
Happy with the results? Even if you’re just close quit while you’re ahead.
Congrats. Your bang transformation is complete. Go ahead and breathe!
With guidance like this no one will suspect you didn’t have your bangs trimmed at a salon. To keep the dos and don’ts coming please be sure to follow our hair tricks and tips Pinterest Board.
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