So, you're staring at the bathroom mirror with a pair of kitchen shears. Stop. Put them back in the drawer. Seriously. I’ve seen enough "quarantine bang" disasters to know that impulse is a dangerous thing. But look, I get it. Your hair is flat, you’re bored, and a soft, face-framing fringe seems like the easiest way to feel like a new person. Learning how to cut side sweeping bangs is actually a bit of a craft, and if you do it right, you look like a French film star. If you do it wrong, you look like you had a very public breakdown.
Most people fail because they try to cut straight across. They think "side sweeping" means you just brush straight bangs to the side. Nope. That’s how you get gaps. Real side bangs are architectural. They are cut on a diagonal. It’s all about the tension—or rather, the lack of it.
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The gear you actually need (Don't skip this)
You cannot use paper scissors. Just don't. Paper scissors are blunt; they crush the hair shaft instead of slicing it, leading to immediate split ends. You need professional shears. You can grab a pair of decent stainless steel hair scissors for twenty bucks online. It’s an investment in not looking crazy.
You also need a fine-tooth comb and two sectioning clips. If you don't have clips, bobby pins work in a pinch, but they're annoying. And please, for the love of everything, work with dry hair. Hair stretches when it's wet. If you cut it while it's damp, it’s going to bounce up an inch or two once it dries, and suddenly you have "micro-bangs" that you didn't ask for. Dry cutting allows you to see the natural fall and cowlicks in real-time. It's much safer.
Identifying your triangle
The "triangle" is the holy grail of bangs. It’s the section of hair that starts at the top of your head and widens down toward your temples. If you go too wide, your face looks wider. If you go too narrow, they just look like a lonely strand of hair.
Find the high point of your head by resting a comb flat on top; where the comb lifts off the curve of your skull is your "apex." This is where the point of your triangle should start. From that point, draw two diagonal lines down to the outer corners of your eyebrows. This section is your canvas. Clip the rest of your hair back. You want it out of the way so you don't accidentally snip into your long layers.
The "Twist and Snip" method for side sweeping bangs
This is the secret. It feels counterintuitive, but it works every time. Once you have your triangle sectioned out, comb it forward so it’s hanging over your face.
Now, decide which way you want your bangs to sweep. If you want them to sweep to the right, you are actually going to pull the hair to the left to cut it. This is called over-direction. By pulling the hair across your face to the opposite side, you’re creating a natural slope. When the hair travels back to its original side, the bits furthest away have more distance to cover, making them longer. It's basic geometry, honestly.
Hold the section between your index and middle finger. Don't pull too hard! Keep the tension light. If you pull it tight like a guitar string, it will jump up when you let go.
- Gather the section.
- Pinch it between your fingers at the bridge of your nose.
- Slide your fingers down to about lip level. (Always start longer than you think).
- Rotate your fingers so they are pointing at a diagonal.
- Snip.
Don't cut in one big "crunch." Use the tips of the scissors to "point cut." This means you angle the scissors upward into the hair ends, making tiny little vertical snips. This creates a soft, feathered edge rather than a blunt, heavy line that looks like a bowl cut.
Dealing with the dreaded cowlick
We all have them. That one spot at the hairline where the hair wants to grow straight up or do a weird loop-de-loop. If you have a strong cowlick, how to cut side sweeping bangs becomes a game of strategy.
Professional stylist Chris Appleton, who works with celebrities like Kim Kardashian, often emphasizes that you have to "train" the hair before you even think about cutting. If your hair has a mind of its own, blow-dry the fringe section back and forth—left to right, right to left—using a flat brush. This "neutralizes" the root. If you cut into a cowlick without doing this, the hair will split open right in the middle of your forehead the second you let go. It's not cute.
The "Slide" technique for extra blending
Maybe you don't want a "block" of bangs. Maybe you want those wispy, "cool girl" bangs that blend seamlessly into your side layers. For this, you use the slide cutting technique.
Take the very edge of your bang section—the part closest to your cheekbone. Hold the scissors slightly open. Don't close them. Slowly slide the open blades down the length of the hair. You aren't "chopping"; you're shaving off tiny amounts of bulk. This thins out the ends and makes the transition from bang to layer look intentional rather than accidental.
Common mistakes that will make you cry
I’ve seen people try to cut their bangs while wearing a ponytail. Don't. It distorts how the hair sits on the scalp. Another classic error is cutting the "stationary guide" too short. Your first cut should always be longer than you want the finished result to be. You can always take more off. You cannot, however, glue hair back on. Well, you can, but extensions are expensive and a hassle.
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- Cutting too far back: If your triangle goes past the mid-point of your head, you're going to have very thick, heavy bangs that look like a 2005 emo kid's dream.
- Too much tension: Pulling the hair taut makes you cut more than you intend. Keep it floppy.
- Using the wrong mirror: Avoid magnifying mirrors. They warp your sense of scale. Use a standard bathroom mirror and step back every few snips to check the overall balance.
Check the symmetry. Shake your head. Run your fingers through it. Does it move? It should move. If it looks like a solid shelf of hair, you need to go back in with your point cutting to break up the weight.
Maintenance and styling
Once you’ve successfully mastered how to cut side sweeping bangs, you have to live with them. They require more work than long hair. You’ll probably need to wash just your bangs in the sink on day two or three because forehead oils turn them into sad, greasy strings pretty quickly.
A small round brush is your best friend. Blow-dry them away from the face to get that "sweep." If they're too bouncy, use a flat iron but curve it at the very end.
What to do if you mess up
If you went too short, don't panic. Seriously. It grows back. On average, hair grows about half an inch per month. In the meantime, accessories are your savior. Headbands, cute barrettes, or even braiding the short bits into a side braid can hide a multitude of sins.
And if it’s truly tragic? Go to a pro. A stylist can usually blend a "home job" into something stylish, even if it means changing the shape of your fringe entirely to save the length. They've seen worse. I promise.
Step-by-Step Action Plan
First, go buy a pair of professional hair shears and a fine-tooth comb. Avoid any cutting if you are feeling impulsive or emotional; wait for a calm morning with good natural light.
Second, prep the hair by washing and drying it completely. Do not use heavy products that might weigh the hair down or make it stick together.
Third, section the triangle starting from the apex of your head to the corners of your brows. Pin everything else back securely.
Fourth, over-direct the hair to the opposite side of where you want it to lay. Use the point-cutting technique to snip on a diagonal, starting at the nose and angling down toward the ear.
Finally, evaluate and refine. Shake out the hair, see how it falls naturally, and use the tips of your scissors to remove any heavy spots.
Once finished, use a light-hold hairspray or a tiny bit of dry shampoo to give the bangs some "grip" and volume so they don't just flat-track against your forehead all day.