If you’re like me, chances are, at one point in your life you had the best intentions when you decided to skip a trip to the salon and cut your bangs yourself. The few times I’ve done this, I have always ended up with shorter-than-short bangs that I prayed would grow back over night, but hope is not a strategy.
Bangs aren’t for me, but there are plenty of women who absolutely love them. And now, the shorter the bang, the better.
For those who like the look of bangs, microbangs (also known as baby bangs) are the style du jour, and celebrities like Bella Hadid, Ariana Grande and Emma Watson are already sporting them.
The biggest difference between regular bangs and baby bangs, according to stylist Holly Mills, is that baby bangs usually sit in the middle of your forehead or shorter. “Any longer than mid-forehead and they’re considered a different style.” She adds that the overall cut of your hair is important with baby bangs, too. “It’s really important when cutting these bangs to understand what look you're going for. You don’t want to start cutting into your hairline if you want a look that’s easy and natural.
If you’re going off an inspiration photo, Mills says to make sure you have the same face shape as what’s in the photo, and most importantly, the same forehead size. “For example, Audrey Tautou has amazing baby bangs, but her forehead is small. If you’re going for a similar look, you need to have a small forehead.”
Even though the look is trending right now, if you decide to grow them out, the best way to do so is stop cutting your bangs cold turkey. “As they grow, it’s important to continue to style them differently until they’re grown out instead of cutting them into different styles. If you truly want to grow them out, stop cutting.”