When I was in eighth grade, I decided I wanted—no, needed—bangs. Full, blunt bangs were all the rage in 2003, and after spending days flipping through magazines looking for inspo, I was sure I could cut them myself. It wasn’t like I was trying to create layers, I told myself. It was just a three-inch section of hair—what could go wrong?
Armed with kitchen shears and a comb, I cut the lush, full bangs of my dreams—at least, that’s what I thought until I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The only word to describe the crooked bangs I gave myself is tragic (seriously, my mom literally screamed when she saw what I’d done), but I learned a good lesson—it’s best to leave the hair cutting to the professionals.
As social distancing continues and with your favorite salons and stylists out of commission for the time being, you may begin to feel your inner eighth-grader wanting to reach for a pair of scissors—don’t do it. Whether your bangs have officially reached the tip of your nose, or you were planning on cutting bangs this spring, now is not the time to take matters into your own hands. Continue reading to find out why Pepper Pastor, Kérastase lead artist and stylist, says you should never cut your own bangs.
Photo credit: @darebeautycenter.
Is cutting your own bangs a good idea?
If my eighth-grade testimony wasn’t enough to convince you, I’ll put it plainly: It’s never a good idea to cut your own bangs. Unless you’re an actual stylist (in which case, do you boo), chances are good you don’t have the proper training or tools to cut your own hair successfully. Without the years of practice that comes with being an actual hairstylist, you could be setting yourself up for major disappointment.
“A lot of clients tend to create really hard blunt lines in the hair, a lot of this is a result of the scissors they are using,” Pastor explains. “A quick fix to make you feel better is never accomplished by cutting your own hair!”
While overgrown bangs can be a nuisance, they’re nothing compared to the sadness you’ll feel if you botch your fringe.
“If you think you feel sad, now imagine how you’re going feel if you mess up your hair! The greatest advantage that a hairstylist has other than the deep knowledge of what they’re doing is the angle in which they are doing it,” Pastor says. “Haircutting is mathematics, and if you are holding the hair in the wrong place it’s going to fall the wrong way.”
Photo credit: @emmalouiseconnolly.
Can a stylist fix botched bangs?
So you just couldn’t resist, and now your fringe looks more frightful then full—what now? You’ll have to wait it out for at least a few weeks until your stylist can come to the rescue, but the good thing about hair is that it grows back. So all hope is not lost, you’ll just have to practice a bit of patience.
“It’s not so much as the expense or the challenge. Fixing a bad haircut takes time,” Pastor explains. “In order to create solutions sometimes, you need to go shorter than what you initially wanted. But ultimately it will just take time for hair to grow.”
Photo credit: @lisamdesir.
How should you care for your bangs until the salon opens?
Okay, you can’t trim your bangs, so what can you do? Pastor says now is the perfect time to indulge your mane in a bit of extra TLC.
“Now is a great time to be doing treatments. I love the variety of masks that Kérastase has. There’s one for all hair types,” she says. “You apply and leave on your hair for 20 minutes. If you want a quick fix, try eight-hour magical night serum. You leave this on the ends of your hair three times a week. It nourishes hair and feels amazing.”
Photo credit: @minabirakou.
How can you fake bangs?
While you shouldn’t cut your own bangs, that doesn’t mean you can’t play around with a fringe look. Pastor has a few quick and easy tips to help you fake bangs in a pinch.
“There are some fun techniques where you can pull hair from the middle forward and smooth it across your forehead, securing it with bobby pins,” she says. “Another method I’ve seen is: Do a braid, starting from the nape and have it end at your front hairline. You can take that hair and spread it across your forehead to give the illusion of a fringe.”
So slather on a hair mask and hold tight, it won’t be too long (hopefully) before you can see your stylist again.
Initialiste Advanced Scalp & Hair Serum
A specialized scalp and hair treatment that will leave hair looking shinier and feeling thicker.
Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil
Nourishing treatment and anti-frizz oil that blends Argan Oil and Marula Oil to add shine, hydration, and strength to all hair types and textures.
Couture Styling L'incroyable Blowdry Hair Lotion
A heat-activated styling lotion for maximum reshapability and thermal protection.
