Cutting your own bangs? Surely not. Unless you're an aspiring viral sensation, you might want to take a step back from the scissors and chill for a minute.
Don't get us wrong, we're all for a spot of hair experimentation, but there are some things that really ought to be handled by the pros, especially if it's your first fringe rodeo.
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© Launchmetrics SpotlightBut life is short, and if you're seriously considering going for the curtain bangs look sans a hair professional who are we to judge?
Before a surge of impulsiveness overtakes, brush up on our top tips to prevent your sweepy bangs fantasy from turning into a real-life hair nightmare.
1. Sectioning
Firstly, think about what you want your fringe to look like. Full and glossy, or wispy and nonchalant? Start by sectioning the hair into the parting using clips in front of a mirror. Tweak the thickness until you're happy that it suits you. "The final section should be triangular from the top of the head to around the temples," advises Brixton Cowie, hairstylist at leading London salon Neil Moodie Studio.
"Never cut shorter than the bottom of the eyebrows."
2. Length
© Launchmetrics SpotlightShorter fringe lengths can draw attention to the eyes and cheekbones, whereas if the hair is a little longer, it can create a romantic framing effect. It's also worth considering maintenance - shorter bangs require more upkeep. "The hair should be cut in sections, so starting with the underneath nearest the forehead, flip the centre sections upwards and cut the length that you desire," Brixton explains. "Never cut shorter than the bottom of the eyebrows."
3. Cutting
And now for the chop. Working outwards on each side, cut the hair at an angle, "towards the chin so it becomes longer than the middle section". Brixton recommends point-cutting (a technique where the scissors are perpendicular to the hair shaft) over blunt cutting "as this leaves the edges softer and not too hard".
"Now bring down the next section and use the underneath section as a guideline to cut to. Repeat until you've finished cutting all the hair in the triangular section that you first created. Before this process, it's a good idea to have a think about how you'll style your hair and any products/tools you might want to prepare to make your new look work."
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