Though any new set of bangs should definitely be cut by a professional, we understand the pain of not having time for a touch-up trim, especially when your fringe gets so long it starts reaching for your cheekbones. After catching up with hairstylist John Barrett on the right bangs to fit every face shape, we just had to ask—how can you keep your fringe in check when you can’t make it to the salon?
The answer: faith, trust, and a steady hand holding a pair of scissors, of course. “Take hair from the very center of your bang, pull it [downward between] two fingers, rest your fingers on your eyebrow or tip of your nose, then cut whatever is going out over the top,” Barrett advises. “That will keep you going until you can get to the salon.”RELATED: The Best Bangs for Every Face Shape
Because you’re gathering your strands between two of your fingers, you’ll prevent the length from being too short, which Barrett says is one of the most common things people hate about getting bangs. “When people cut their own bangs, they tend to cut them too short, but the two fingers add an extra quarter of an inch,” he adds. Of course, this trick should only be used if you already have bangs. A brand-new set should be tailored for you specifically. Aim lower if you’re in doubt—or unexpected Bettie Page fringe might be what you end up with. “After you pull the hair through your two fingers, rest them a bit low on your eyebrows or top of your nose, and don’t cut above them,” says Barrett. “Because it’s bent over your fingers, your bangs will also fall in a soft, sexy way.”
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