New Bangs: The Survival Guide
Cutting bangs seems like a good idea at the time. Then, the inevitable happens: you absolutely hate them.
This predicament happens time and time again when girls decide to take the plunge and cut their bangs. Whether you’re trying to repair a recent haircut or have decided to say goodbye to your bangs, growing your hair out can be one of the most irritating experiences you’ll go through.
I’ll spare you the drama. If you haven’t already gathered, I’m one of those girls who recently cut their bangs. It started out slow—I got frustrated with my haircut and trimmed the layers myself. After messing up I went into a salon in sheer panic. They were unable to fix my hair that day, so I made an appointment for the following week. I had a few days to decide how I was going to get my hair cut. Friends have told me I’d look good with bangs, so for the past year I had been entertaining the idea. I went into the salon with a “oh, what the hell” mentality. Hair grows. How bad could it be?
So I got the bangs. I loved them for the first 3 days. Then, as I continued to look in the mirror, I had a hard time recognizing who I was. I felt like I was looking at 5-year old me, only inappropriately wearing makeup.
The truth of the matter is, unwanted bangs do not need to be the tragedy we make them out to be. It has been almost two weeks since I’ve had them cut and I’ve already played around with multiple styles to hide them, flaunt them and give them a whole new look. So without further ado, here are some of my survival tips.
Rock It
Unfortunately my hair didn’t look this way. You win some, you lose some. Nevertheless, if you rock your new bangs and use some product to help avoid the straight-across, awkward forth grader style, you’re well on your way to looking (almost) as chic as Reese. Even though you might hate your bangs, try to enjoy them while they’re around. Take comfort in knowing there are ways to pretend they don’t even exist!
Spray It
I learned to put some de-frizzing product in my hair and brush them to the side as I blow dry. Train those unruly bangs! My cut is still awkward and choppy but looks better once it’s dried, sprayed, and blended with the rest of my hair. The key is in the side part! Bobby pins will also hide the bangs with your regular ‘do and can add some sparkle to your shiny mane. Check out the different types of bobby pins at a nearby drug store. Cheap, quick and cute.
Poof It
Poof, pull back and spray! Tease that hair and blend in your new bangs with a stylish poof. I love this look. Blow dry your hair upside down and add some volumizing spray if you have fine, super thin hair like me. If you’re one of the lucky ones with a thick, full mane, poofing won’t be such a chore. Putting up a poof the day after you wash your hair always works best for me. Tease like you live in Texas.
Style It
Once they grow out a bit, rock the side bang! Mine aren’t long enough yet… when I try they just look like a choppy mess. Wait until your bangs are long enough before you cut them once again… if you cut them prematurely you’ll probably end up with a mullet. Don’t do it. Right now mine are just cut all sorts of wrong for that.
Band It
I adore headbands and have more than I know what to do with. I’ve had the long, side swooping bangs for years so I haven’t taken full advantage of my headbands since the LAST time I made the mistake of cutting bangs. So, here we go, coming full circle. Apparently I didn’t learn that bangs look goofy on me when I attempted it almost 5 years ago. Nevertheless, headbands are chic.
In addition to these styling tips, I’ve grown fond of horsetail vitamins (great for hair AND nails!), leave-in conditioner (keeps my bangs in check) and of course, hairspray. You’ll be okay. Even if you’re not going through the daily struggle of bangs scratching your eyes, maybe you can find some humor in this and avoid the same mistake I made.
Photo Credit: 24.media.tumblr.com, HDofBlog.com, AtHomeWithMaryam.com, FunkyFashionTrend.com, DealOfHair.com, 1.bp.blogspot.com
