How to Do a Feathered Bang

If your bangs are looking a little long, limp and tired, they may need a refresher from your stylist -- or even an entire overhaul -- but you might dream of being free from monthly salon appointments. The truth is, you can. Cutting your own feathered bangs at home doesn't need to end in a catastrophe of lopsided clumps. Feathered bangs create a gentle frame around your face. Because the finish is soft, you don't have to create a perfect, blunt angle to look like you just stepped out of the salon.

Wash and dry your hair as normal. Apply a bit of heat protectant spray to your hair from root to tip.

Flat iron your hair, working in 1-inch sections. Clamp the iron around each section at the roots. Iron the hair down to the tips, keeping the flat iron moving as you work.

Place the tip of the comb at the top center of your head, about 2 inches back from the hairline. Draw two even lines from this center point toward your temples with the tip of the comb. Pull the hair in front of these new parts forward and away from the rest of the hair. This section will become your bangs.

Clip back the rest of your hair using large alligator clips. If you already have bangs, simply separate the bangs from the rest of your hair and clip away the longer section of your hair to keep it out of the way.

Comb the separated bangs to smooth them out completely.

Comb your bangs straight out in front of your face with the fine-tooth comb. Clip the hair between your index and middle fingers so the strands lay flat and even, and about 1 inch of hair extends out from your closed fingers.

Pull the bangs to the opposite side of your face from where you want the feathered bangs to sit. For example, if you want your bangs to hug the right side of your face, pull them over to the left side of your face for trimming.

Hold your closed fingers at a vertical angle at the opposite side of your face. This technique will help you trim at the correct angle so your bangs have a gentle, feathered shape.

Trim the feathered bangs by cutting directly into the hair extending from your fingers using small, quick snips. Cut off about 1/2 inch of hair at a time by snipping into the hair, also called point-cutting, to get the feathered look.

Smooth the feathered bangs into place after each round of trimming to make sure you like the shape and the length of the feathering.

Repeat the combing, finger-clipping and trimming steps until your bangs are the length and shape you desire. Always use small, inward snips to get the soft, feathered look.