How to Cut Curly Bangs

Tatyana Ali shows off her curls with some flirty bangs.
... Mark Davis/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Don't be discouraged by the naysayers who say that bangs aren't meant for curly, voluminous hair. Curly bangs can be flattering, strong and flirtatious if they are cut slightly longer and swept to the side of your face to highlight your eyes and cheekbones. Enhance the natural curl of your hair, or blow-dry them straight when you feel like changing up your look.

Ensure that your hair is completely dry before beginning to cut bangs. Avoid blow-drying or straightening your hair, because you want to keep the curly texture in mind.

Place the tip of the fine-tooth comb just above your right temple and about an inch back from your hairline.

Draw a part about an inch back from your hairline that starts just above your right temple, goes over the top of your head, and ends just above your left temple. Aim for a part that runs parallel to your hairline. For thicker bangs, draw the part about 2 inches back from the hairline.

Pull the hair in front of this part forward -- this hair will become your bangs. Clip the rest of your hair back with a few large alligator clips.

Comb the front section of hair forward with a wide-tooth comb. Comb through the curls a second time and pull this section to the opposite side of your face to where you want your bangs to sit. For example, if you want bangs that hug the right side of your face, pull the bangs over to the left side of your face.

Keep the comb inserted into the bangs about an inch below your cheekbone as you pull them across your face. Avoid pulling the curls taut but use the comb to train the curls to the correct side and keep them in line. Keep the comb slightly below the length you want to ensure that you don't cut your bangs too short.

Hold the comb at a slight angle on the opposite side of your face to keep you from cutting the bangs too short. Trim into the bangs using small, gentle snips with a pair of sharp haircutting scissors. Cut the hair toward the comb, also known as point cutting, to achieve a natural, free-flowing cut. Point-cutting works well with curly textures to create a playful, textured finish.

Release the bangs and pull them over to the side of your face they naturally gravitate toward.

Check the length of the bangs. If you want to trim them a bit more, comb through the hair again and pull them over to the other side of your face. Trim off hair in small increments to avoid making your bangs too short. Ideally, they will hit just below your cheekbone and hug the side of your face in a gentle side sweep. Check the length after each round of trimming.

Style your bangs as you normally would, then trim away any errant hairs with your scissors.

  • Because wet hair shrinks as it dries, always work with dry hair to make sure that you are cutting bangs to the desired length.
  • Avoid over-combing extremely curly hair, so that you can cut with specific curls in mind.
  • Shoot for longer bangs with curly hair to avoid short, awkward, choppy pieces.

Sarah Vrba has been a writer and editor since 2006. She has contributed to "Seed," "AND Magazine," Care2 Causes and "202 Magazine," among other outlets, focusing on fashion, pop culture, style and identity. Vrba holds an M.A. in history with an emphasis on gender and fashion in the 19th century.

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