Well, well, well. We appear to have arrived at that phase of lockdown. You’ve had one too many glasses of wine, you’re running out of shows to binge and you find yourself stopping abruptly to examine your hair every time you walk past a mirror, asking yourself the age-old question: “Should I get bangs?”
Let’s stop right there. If you currently don’t have bangs and are contemplating getting them for the first time, maybe…don’t. Or at least think about it for a while. Though it may be tempting to indulge in a major hair makeover right now, you might end up regretting it. So sleep it off, text your hairstylist in the morning and bake another loaf of banana bread to distract yourself.
For those of you who already had bangs before going into self-isolation for the third time, by now you’re probably having a hard time seeing through that overgrown wispy curtain of hair. If you need to trim your bangs for reasons directly related to your vision, we went straight to the pros to help you do it at home (without messing up!) until you can get back to a salon.
Other than a sharp pair of shears (not kitchen scissors), you’ll need a few clips and a comb, says celebrity hairstylist Bridget Brager, whose client list includes Lucy Hale, Diane Kruger and January Jones.
“Kitchen scissors can be dull and make the ends of your bangs appear shredded,” says Toronto-based hairstylist and owner of Jason Lee Salon, Jason Lee. “They can also take off more than you expect because they tend to be bulky.”
“Wash and style your hair first,” suggests Brager. “I call this prep work. Remember: hair shrinks [when], especially if you have curly hair. Start by washing with a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner duo and then style hair like you would normally, whether you blow it out or let it air dry naturally.”Lee concurs: “I would suggest trimming bangs on dry hair that’s styled the way you anticipate to wear them, because wet hair tends to jump up once dried. You won’t have an accurate portrayal of how short the length will be if you trim on wet hair.”
If you’re going for curly bangs, “be sure to cut the curls individually,” says Lee. “Sculpt out individual curls downwards, and wet hair (just a little!) to start, so that you can bring out the curl. Then, cut individual curls a little longer than your desired bang and allow them to dry. If they’re still too long, you can go back in and trim them once they’ve dried.” Lee notes that the tighter the wave pattern, the longer you should leave your bangs. “Once you cut 4B or 4C curl type, the hair will jump up, so what initially appears to be long bangs can end up being quite short.”
“Don’t hold the bangs up and away from your face [when],” says Brager. You’ll be tempted to, because you’ll want to see where you’re cutting—but don’t do it. This will create layers within your bangs (*shudder*). As intimidating as it may be, “the goal is to cut your bangs as close to your face as possible.” You got this!
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