the big bang theory

In my quest to change my hair again (I get bored), I decided to do something I swore I never would - I cut bangs.

As you can see, these are full-on, blunt, thick bangs (I've done the wispy thing and the sideswept thing before, so I wanted something different), In my years of witnessing bad bangs and self-hair-cutting catastrophes, I've realized that all you need to know is what to do and what not to do, and it's really hard to screw up.

1. Don't cut WET hair. Wet hair (or even damp), as you know, appears longer than it really is. When you cut hair wet, you're bound to cut more than you want to. Snip while your hair is dry and you'll get the exact length you want.

2. Don't PULL your bangs while cutting. Same principle as the wet-hair thing. Let hair lie flat and normal while you snip so you know exactly where your bangs will fall on your face.

3. Don't listen to people who say to cut bangs holding a scissor vertically. If you're after blunt, straight across bangs like mine, you'll need to hold the scissor horizontally and cut that way (that's what I did). Makes sense.

Now, for the DOs:

1. Do make sure your hair hits at a comfortable spot on your face. You don't want your new bangs to stab you in the eyes. A good length, I think, is right under the browbone.

2. Do train your hair to lie FLAT on your face. After cutting, wet your bangs, then blow-dry them side-to-side (like a back and forth windshield wiper motion with your brush) aiming the dryer DOWNWARD. This will get rid of your natural part (mine was a stubborn middle one) and eliminate curled-under 90s bang syndrome which we've all had.

3. Do shampoo your bangs every single day, even if you don't wash the rest of your hair daily. Greasy bangs are not pretty Another perk to doing this? Your forehead will be less likely to break out.

So there you have it. If you're still nervous to cut them yourself, get thee to a salon and enjoy your new fringe benefits :)

xoxo