Style Hair Hair Care How to Cut Your Bangs at Home Like a Pro There's no need to visit the salon between cuts. These expert tips will make it easy to learn how to cut bangs at home—without messing up. By Gina Way Gina Way Gina is a beauty and fashion writer with nearly two decades of experience in print and digital publications. Highlights: * Former beauty director at Family Circle * Has written beauty and health content for Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, O The Oprah Magazine, Oprah Daily, Allure, Shape, Parents, Redbook, Real Simple, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Martha Stewart Living, Health, Self, Elle, Women's Health, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Glamour, Cookie, and Everyday With Rachael Ray * Currently a content strategist for MM Skincare, SkinFix, Matter of Fact, Allergan, Strivectin, P&G (Olay, Head & Shoulders), Unilever (Dove), and MyKirei by KAO Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 26, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email You've heard this before: Don't try this at home—especially when it comes to cutting your hair. But when brow-skimming bangs turn into a full-on curtain over your eyes, something must be done. Now, we're not advocating cutting bangs for the first time if you don't already have some—that is a job for a professional. "Once you have bangs initially cut by a pro, then you can maintain them yourself because the shape is there," says Mylo Carrion, a hairstylist at the Rita Hazan Salon in NYC. "I recommend coming in for a bang trim every three weeks, but because many of my clients live outside Manhattan, I show them how to cut bangs at home." So if you can't make it into the salon every few weeks for a trim, we give you permission to DIY. Before starting to cut your bangs, gather your supplies: You're going to need a comb, a couple of large hair clips, and a pair of sharp, pointed stainless steel scissors that are about 6.5 inches long. "The craft scissors that your kids cut paper with aren't going to cut it, literally, and neither are tiny cuticles scissors," says Carrion. (You can get a good, inexpensive pair online or at a drugstore.) Give yourself 30 minutes for your mini haircut, so you can work calmly and carefully. "It's never a good idea to trim your bangs in a rush right before you need to race out of the house," Carrion says. 01 of 04 First, Dry and Style Your Bangs. SanneBerg/Getty Images Since wet hair shrinks up when it dries, if you cut your bangs when wet, you could end up with bangs that are way too short. Blow-dry and style your fringe the way that you usually wear it, whether that's swept off to one side or straight down. "The shape of your bangs and the lines that were initially cut will be a strong guideline to follow as you trim," explains Carrion. Now, separate the bang section and clip the rest of your hair away from your face and out of the way of your scissors. "Because most bangs are a little longer on each side, and since these edges aren't covering your eyes, just clip them out of the way too," he adds. 02 of 04 Get Your Bangs Ready. Smooth the fringe in place with your comb, positioned the way you usually style it. Put the comb down, and place the bang section between the middle and index fingers of your non-dominant hand. Slide your fingers down to your eyebrows and rest them there to hold the bangs in place. (Don't pull the hair down tight, since that could result in too-short bangs.) "I always use my fingers as a visual guide when I cut hair, and they're a lot easier to work with than juggling a comb in one hand and scissors in the other. The width of your fingers also protects your face from the pointy scissors," says Carrion. 03 of 04 Cut the Length. Hold the scissors horizontally in the opposite hand and trim the hairs hanging underneath your fingers. Cut these as if you were cutting a piece of paper, in two or three snips. "To be on the safe side, always trim less than you think," Carrion advises, "usually no more than a quarter of an inch, keeping the bangs just below the brow." If your bangs are angled slightly to one side, then hold your fingers at that angle, resting them at brow level. "Again, use your fingers as a guide and cut the hairs beneath that line at that angle." 04 of 04 Chip Into the Ends to Soften the Line. Now that you've got the length where you want it, grasp the fringe section again with your two fingers and, holding the scissors vertically, cut tiny V-shapes into the ends all the way across. (Don't go overboard, just nip those tips the tiniest bit!) "This gives bangs a little bit of texture," explains Carrion, "and it softens the line if bangs aren't trimmed perfectly straight." Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit