You’re standing in front of the bathroom mirror at 11:00 PM. We've all been there. You have a pair of kitchen shears in one hand and a sudden, inexplicable urge to change your entire life. Stop. Put the poultry shears down. Seriously. If you want to know how to cut long bangs and actually like the result tomorrow morning, you need a plan that doesn't involve hacking away at your forehead in a fit of impulsive energy.
Long bangs—often called "curtain bangs" or "bottleneck fringe"—are basically the gateway drug of haircuts. They’re forgiving. They grow out fast. But they are surprisingly easy to mess up if you don’t understand how hair tension works. Most people pull their hair tight and snip, only to watch the hair boing up three inches higher than they intended. It’s a tragedy. I’ve seen it happen to the best of us.
Why your kitchen scissors are the enemy
Let's talk tools for a second because this is where 90% of DIY disasters start. Your household scissors are designed to cut paper or plastic. They’re blunt. When you use them on hair, they don't actually slice the follicle; they crush it. This leads to split ends before you’ve even finished the cut. You need shears. Real ones. You can find decent stainless steel hair shears for twenty bucks at most drugstores or beauty supply shops.
It makes a difference.
You also need a fine-tooth comb and two clips. If you have curly hair, the rules change completely. Never, ever cut curly hair while it's wet. You'll end up with "baby bangs" by accident once the curls dry and shrink. For straight or wavy hair, cutting dry is usually safer for beginners because what you see is what you get.
Finding your "Triangle"
Before you even think about the blades, you have to find your section. Professional stylists like Chris Appleton or Jen Atkin always talk about the "triangle." This is the section of hair that starts at your natural part and extends to the outer corners of your eyebrows.
If you go too wide, you’re basically giving yourself a bowl cut. If you go too deep toward the crown of your head, the bangs will be too thick and heavy. Look at your profile in the mirror. Find where your head starts to curve down toward your forehead. That’s your apex. That’s where the point of your triangle should live.
📖 Related: Finding the Perfect Color Door for Yellow House Styles That Actually Work
- Use your comb to create a clean triangle section.
- Pull the rest of your hair back into a tight ponytail.
- Seriously, clip it back. You don’t want a stray long piece getting caught in the crossfire.
Now, look at the hair you've cordoned off. It should look like a small slice of pizza. This is your canvas.
How to cut long bangs the "Slide" way
Most people think you cut straight across. Do not do that. Unless you want to look like a Victorian doll, you want a soft, feathered edge. The secret to how to cut long bangs that look expensive is the "slide cut" or "point cutting" technique.
Hold the section between your index and middle fingers. Do not pull it tight. Keep the tension loose. If you pull it hard, the hair will jump up once you release it. Slide your fingers down to where you want the length to end—usually around the tip of your nose for long, face-framing bangs.
Instead of cutting horizontally, hold your scissors vertically. Snip into the ends of the hair. This is called point cutting. It removes weight and creates a soft, blurry line rather than a harsh shelf.
The "Twist" trick for curtain bangs
If you want those effortless, swoopy curtain bangs that everyone on TikTok is obsessed with, try the twist method.
Take your triangle section. Comb it perfectly smooth. Bring it together in the center of your face, right between your eyes. Now, twist the entire section once. Hold it firmly and snip straight across just below your nose.
👉 See also: Finding Real Counts Kustoms Cars for Sale Without Getting Scammed
Why twist?
When you release the hair, the twist naturally creates a shorter length in the middle and a longer, tapered length on the sides. It’s physics. It creates that "V" shape that frames the cheekbones perfectly without you having to manually angle the scissors on both sides, which is where most people get asymmetrical and start chasing the "evenness" until their bangs are an inch long.
Common mistakes that will make you cry
Mistake number one: Cutting too short too fast.
Hair is like salt in a soup; you can always add more (or cut more), but you can’t take it back once it’s in there. Start at your chin if you're nervous. You can always go shorter.
Mistake number two: Cutting with your head tilted.
Keep your chin level. If you tuck your chin to look at what you’re doing, you’re changing the elevation of the hair. When you stand up straight again, the bangs will be uneven. Use a mirror, keep your posture straight, and take small, tiny snips.
Mistake number three: Forgetting the cowlick.
Almost everyone has a "growth pattern" at their hairline. If your hair likes to split in the middle or jump to the left, you have to account for that. Let the hair sit naturally. If you force it into a position it hates, it will just pop back out of place the moment you wash it.
Finishing the look
Once you’ve made the big cuts, it’s time for the "dusting." Shake your head. Let the hair fall. You’ll probably see a few stray long hairs or a corner that looks a bit too heavy.
✨ Don't miss: Finding Obituaries in Kalamazoo MI: Where to Look When the News Moves Online
Use your scissors to gently "slide" down the edges. This connects the bangs to the rest of your hair so they don't look like an island on your face. You want them to melt into the rest of your layers.
Styling is half the battle
Even a mediocre haircut can look incredible with the right styling. For long bangs, a round brush is your best friend. Blow-dry the bangs forward over your forehead, then wrap them around the brush and dry them away from your face. This creates that classic 70s volume.
If they look too "done," use a tiny bit of texture spray or dry shampoo. You want them to look lived-in. Nobody wants stiff bangs.
Dealing with "Oh No" moments
So, you messed up. It's okay. If they’re a little uneven, don't keep cutting. Stop. Step away from the mirror. Sometimes a little bit of product or a different part can hide a mistake while it grows out for two weeks.
If you cut them too short, the only real solution is patience and maybe some cute headbands. Hair grows about half an inch a month. In six weeks, they'll be back to a manageable length.
Actionable Next Steps
- Buy the right tools: Get a pair of 5.5-inch or 6-inch hair shears. Avoid the big ones; they’re harder to control near your eyes.
- Wash and dry your hair: Don't cut dirty, oily hair. You need to see how it naturally moves and bounces.
- The "Nose Test": Always aim for the tip of the nose for your first cut. It’s the safest "long bang" length that can still be tucked behind your ears if you hate it.
- Section twice, cut once: Use a tail comb to make sure your triangle is perfectly symmetrical before the scissors even touch the hair.
Learning how to cut long bangs is a skill that saves you $80 at the salon every six weeks, but it requires restraint. Treat it like a slow craft, not a quick fix. If you're feeling overwhelmed halfway through, just stop and call a professional. There's no shame in a "save me" appointment. But if you follow the twist and the point-cut method, you’ll probably find that doing it yourself is actually kind of empowering.
Keep your snips shallow, your tension light, and your mirror well-lit. You've got this.