Get Emo Bangs

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Maybe you already have the rest of the hair nice and "emo", or maybe you don't want to go all the way yet. Either way, emo bangs are gorgeous and relatively simple to obtain. This article will give you some basic tips on how to go about cutting them.

Steps

Getting Started

  1. Make sure that your hair is long enough. Emo bangs are usually pretty long to begin with, but you want your hair to be a few inches longer than you want it to be. This will make it easier for you to cut your bangs. Remember, you can always cut your bangs shorter, but you can't add hair back if they are too short.
    • As a general rule, your bangs should be longer than your nose, but no longer than your jawline.
  2. Make sure your hair is dry. It is okay if you just washed it, but your hair needs to be perfectly dry when you cut it. This is because hair is longer while it is wet, and you don't want to cut too much off by accident.
  3. Straighten your hair. Emo bangs are straight, so if you have curly or wavy hair, you will have to straighten it to get the right look. This will ensure that you cut the right length. Curly hair, after all, becomes longer when you straighten it.[1]
  4. Consider training your hair for a few weeks before cutting them. Emo bangs are usually swept either to the left or the right side of the face. If your hair has a center part, you will need part your hair in the direction you want your emo bangs to go, and secure it with some bobby pins. Keep this up for a few weeks until your hair starts naturally falling to the left or right.
  5. If you want to color your hair, cut it first, then dye it. Cutting your hair changes the way it falls, so the strands catch the light differently. You will also end up using less dye if you cut your hair first, because you will have less hair to work with.[2]

Cutting Emo Bangs

  1. Make sure that you have everything you need close by. This way, you won't have to reach far in order to get what you need. Here's a list of what you should have ready:
    • Rat-tail comb
    • Hair shears
    • 2 or more hair clips
    • Spray bottle filled with water
    • Razor (optional)
  2. Separate your bangs from the rest of your hair, and tie the rest of your hair back. If you have short hair, you can use bobby pins or hair clips. May sure that you do not have too much hair in your bang area; emo bangs look better when they are thinner.
    • Most emo hair does not have a part. All the hair, including the bangs, tend to come from one point on the hair, either on the far left or the far right. Keep this in mind when pulling your bangs forward.
  3. Consider separating your bangs into a top layer and a bottom layer. If you have very thick hair, you probably don't need to do this. If you have thinner hair, you might want to consider this. If you choose to separate your hair, clip the top layer back. Follow the rest of the steps for bottom layer, then repeat them for the top.
  4. Take a 1 inch wide segment of hair close towards where you want the bangs to begin.[3] This will likely be above your right or left eyebrow. You will be cutting your bangs at an angle towards the other side of your face.
  5. Smooth down any stray hairs using a comb and hold the segment taut between your fingers. Start at the roots and slowly bring the comb down towards your fingers. You want all of the hairs from that segment to lay smoothly.
  6. Cut the hair under your fingers using a pair of hair shears. Try to cut in an upwards motion, but be careful not to nick your own fingers. Don't worry if the cut looks jagged. Emo style bangs are supposed to have a jagged, feathery look to them.
  7. Drop another segment of hair and cut it 1/8 inch longer than the first one. Be sure to measure this new segment against the one you just cut. Cut the hair on the new segment just below your fingers, using that same upward motion.
  8. Continue dropping and cutting the hair. Do this until you each the other end of your bangs. Be sure to work in small sections.
  9. Inspect your work and make any corrections. If you want, you can use a razor to thin our your hair, or to give it a feathered look. Simply run the razor down your hair, starting close to the roots and working your way down towards the end. You can use a razor comb or a fresh, clean shaving razor.
  10. Repeat the process with the upper layer of your bangs, if you divided them earlier. Unclip the upper layer of your bangs. Measure them against the bottom layer, and cut them in small segments using that same, upward cutting motion. Make the upper layer about 1/8 inch shorter than the bottom layer.

Dying Emo Bangs

  1. Understand that you will need to re-color your hair regularly. As your hair continues to grow, your natural roots will begin to show. This can actually make your bangs look more punkish or emo. If you don't want your roots to show, you will need to re-touch your dye job. This can be a big commitment.
  2. Consider getting your hair dyed at a salon, especially if you are going to bleach it. Dyeing hair by yourself can be tricky, especially if you have never done it before. Bleaching your hair can be even trickier, and you will need to do it if you have very dark hair and want a lighter or brighter color in it.
  3. Consider doing a strand test when bleaching and/or dyeing your hair at home. This will allow you to determine how much time your hair will need to get the look you want. Everyone's hair is different after all. Simply snip off about an inch of hair from an out of sight area (like the back of your neck) and coat the hair with about a teaspoon of bleach of dye. Leave it on for the time specified, then rinse it off.[4]
  4. Know what to expect if you have blond hair. If you want to dye your hair something bright, like pink or purple, you probably won't need to bleach your hair. However, you might still want to do a test strand first. Blond hair has yellow undertones. This means that some colors might end up different after you put them in your hair. For example, bright pink might end up looking more orange, and bright blue might look a little greenish.[5]
    • If you have light hair and want to dye it black, go for a soft black or a natural black. A blue black will appear too dark against your naturally fair skin tone.
  5. Know what to expect if you have dark hair. If you have very dark hair and want to go with a lighter or brighter color (such as blond, blue, or purple), you will need to bleach your hair first. If you don't, the colors may appear dull or not show up at all. If you want to go darker, however, you should have no problems.
  6. Plan to work in the bathroom. Dyeing bangs can get messy. Working in a bathroom will make cleaning up a lot easier.
  7. Make sure that you have everything on hand. Once you start dyeing your hair, it will be difficult to move about. Make sure that everything you need is on the bathroom counter and within reach. Here's a list of what you will need:
    • Old t-shirt
    • Old towel
    • Plastic gloves
    • Shower cap (optional)
    • Tint brush
    • Tin foil (optional, for streaking)
    • Hair bleach (optional)
    • Hair dye
  8. Wear appropriate clothes while dyeing or bleaching your bangs. Even if you are careful, there's still a chance that a drop of dye might land some place it shouldn't. Put on an old t-shirt and drape an old towel across your chest and shoulders. Put on a pair of plastic gloves; they usually come with hair dye kits.
  9. Purchase a hair bleaching kit and prepare the bleach according to the instructions if you are going to bleach your hair. If you are not going to clean your hair, the skip down to here. Here are some guidelines as to what volume you should used based on your natural hair color:[6]
    • If you have blonde, dry, or very damaged hair, use a 20 volume.
    • If you have a medium brown to a blond hair, or somewhat damaged hair, use a 30 volume.
    • If you have dark brown to black hair, use a 40 volume.
  10. Use a tint brush to apply the bleach to the areas you want bleached. You can bleach all of your bangs or just the tips. Start applying the bleach ¼ to ½ inch away from your scalp; if you apply it any closer, you might burn your scalp.[7] If you want to do streaks, pick up a segment that you want streaked and apply the bleach to it with a brush. Wrap some tinfoil around the segment, then move on to the next.
  11. Wait for the time recommended on the package. Check back on your hair every 10 minutes. 10 minutes. Over mixing a solution that is too strong for your hair, and never leave it in longer than the time specified. Doing so can burn your scalp or fry your hair. If you bleached your hair, and it is not light enough, wait at least one day before bleaching it again.[8]
    • If you have blond hair, wait 15 to 30 minutes. The darker it is, the longer you will have to wait.
    • If you have light brown hair, wait 25 to 35 minutes.
    • If you have medium brown hair, wait 30 to 45 minutes.
    • If you have dark brown or black hair, wait 45 to 60 minutes.
  12. Rinse the bleach out. Carefully lean over the sink and rinse all the bleach out using cool water. If you want to do this in the shower, then tilt your head back. Be careful not to get any of the bleach water into your eyes. You may also want to wear some plastic gloves while doing this.
  13. Choose your color. Most emo bangs will be black, but you can color it another color (such as red, blond, or brown) or leave your hair its natural color. You can even add brightly-colored streaks to it.
  14. Put some Vaseline around your hairline. Even if you are very careful, there is still a chance that you might get some hair dye on your skin. The Vaseline will help keep your skin from getting stained.
  15. Prepare the dye.Most punk dyes already come pre-mixed, but some hair dyes need to be mixed together. Usually, you will need to mix the color into the activated cream.
  16. Apply the dye to the areas you want colored using a tint brush. You can color all of your bangs, or just the tips. If you want to do streaks, pick up a segment that you want streaked and brush the dye onto it. Wrap tinfoil around the segment, and move onto the next.
  17. Consider placing your hair and bangs under a shower cap. You don't have to do this, but it will help keep the dye moist. It will also help trap the heat from your head, and make the dye more effective.
  18. Rinse the dye off after the specified time. For most dyes, this will be about 20 minutes. Carefully lean over the sink and rinse the dye out using cool water. If you want to do this in the shower, then tilt your head back. You may want to leave the gloves on for this step, just in case any of the dye stains your hands.

Styling and Maintaining Emo Bangs

  1. Understand that emo hair doesn't have rules, but rather guidelines. You can style your hair however you want, but the traditional emo style has a specific look to it. This section will give you a few tips on how to get that look. You don't have to use all of the ideas in this section.[9]
  2. Straighten your bangs. If your hair is not already straight, you might want to straighten it, especially your bangs. Be sure to spray your hair with a heat protective spray before you take a flat iron to it. If you don't, the heat will damage your hair and make it look frizzy.
    • If you have curly or wavy hair, consider straightening just your bangs and leaving the rest of your hair natural.
  3. Add volume to your bangs. Even though they are straight, emo bangs also have volume. Use a round brush to blow dry your bangs upwards, or use a styling mousse to give it some extra fluff. Take a 1 to 2 inch wide segment of hair from the top layer, and pull it upwards. Mist it with some hairspray, and then backcomb it. Keep doing this until you have teased all the hair in the top layer. Gently smooth the upper layer down and mist it with some more hairspray.[10]
  4. Use styling products such as gels, waxes, or mousse to get the look you want. If you want to keep your bangs in place or give them some texture, use a little bit of hair gel or styling wax towards the ends. If you want to give your bangs some volume, as a little bit of mousse at the roots. Avoid applying too much styling product all at once. You will either weigh your hair down or keep it from moving naturally.[11]
  5. Wear your bangs so that they cover half of your face. It should be covering at least of one eye as well. The idea behind this is that your bangs are shielding you from the world around you.
  6. Take good care of your hair. Even though emo hair has a jagged cut to it, it is not messy. Use heat protecting sprays when your straighten it. If it gets dull, add a tiny amount of oil (such as hair oil, argan oil, or coconut oil) to make it smooth and glossy again.
  7. Trim your hair regularly. Use a razor to trim it when it gets too long; this will help keep that feathery, textured look.

Video

Tips

  • If this is your first time cutting hair, consider cutting your hair longer than you actually want it. You can always cut hair shorter, but you can't make it longer (without waiting a few weeks for it to grow back out).
  • Emo bangs alone with a regular haircut can be very cute if styled the right way.
  • Consider having a professional hair stylist cut your hair. Be sure to bring reference pictures. and to ask for a choppy, asymmetric cut with texturing/razor thinning.[12]

Warnings

  • Emo styled bangs take a lot of commitment. They need to be kept straight. If you dye them, you will need to do touchups every so often (although dark roots showing can work with the emo style).
  • Be aware that some people can make fun of you. There is nothing wrong with you, or your sense of style. People can be mean, and they tend to attack anything that they think is different.
  • Punky colors (blue, pink, purple, etc) do not last as long as natural colors (black, brown, blond, etc). Consider mixing about a tablespoon of your hair dye into a full bottle of shampoo. Shake it up, and use it whenever you wash your hair.[13] Make sure that this is your personal shampoo, or your family members might end up with colored hair too.
  • When bleaching or dyeing your hair, consider shampooing your hair beforehand, but skipping the conditioner.[14]

Things You'll Need

Cutting Emo Bangs

  • Rat-tail comb
  • Hair shears
  • 2 or more hair clips
  • Spray bottle filled with water
  • Razor (optional)

Dyeing Emo Bangs

  • Old t-shirt
  • Old towel
  • Plastic gloves
  • Shower cap (optional)
  • Tint brush
  • Tin foil (optional, for streaking)
  • Hair bleach (optional)
  • Hair dye

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Sources and Citations

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