So, you’ve been gazing longingly at pictures of Dakota Johnson’s hair lately. We’ve all been there.
I had bangs for the majority of my childhood. When I went off to university, I wanted a big change. And what better way to make a change than by chopping off your hair? I mulled over the pros and cons about getting bangs for what seemed like ages before I actually did it.
I started playing around with the idea way back in 2014 but I didn’t make the cut until 2016. I actually didn’t grow them out until 2021. There were a few concerns I had going into it, namely that bangs wouldn’t suit me—this is likely the chief concern on anyone’s mind when it comes to getting bangs.
Of course, there are many things I never anticipated that I realized after I cut my hair that I wish I knew before. Keep reading to find out what five major things you should consider before getting bangs for yourself!
1. You'll need to get regular trims
Maintaining bangs is possibly the most frustrating part about getting them. You likely won’t realize how often you’ll need to get a bang trim until you actually get bangs!
If you aren’t willing or don’t have the time to get regular bang trims, you may want to reconsider. Hair grows but bangs grow even faster… Okay, maybe that’s not a fact. But I swear, it seems like it!
Depending on the size of your forehead, your desired bang length, and the speed at which your hair grows, you’ll find yourself at the salon pretty often. While you can buy a decent pair of scissors for yourself and go to town, I wouldn’t suggest this unless you absolutely know what you’re doing.
2. It's a long-term commitment
Bangs do not grow out nicely. They will take their good sweet time to fall into place and they will inevitably cause you stress, embarrassment, and a dozen-pack of bobby pins in the interim. Once you cut your hair in front of your face, that is the direction in which they want to grow. And bangs are not easily persuaded.
Once you decide to say “goodbye” to your beloved bangs, you’ll need to grow them out and push them to the side. While there are so many cute accessories you can use to make the transition a bit cuter, it will still be awkward.
3. Your skin will probably breakout
If you are like me and you think, “My skin is pretty clear, so I won’t have any problems with getting bangs”, you’re probably in for a surprise. Having hair plastered to your forehead 24/7 is bound to end in disaster, especially during the sweaty summer months. Moist, covered hair is the BFF to breakouts.
It might not be the type of acne breakout that you’re thinking. In fact, your forehead will likely break out into tiny colourless bumps. Of course, there are ways to manage the skin fiasco and even prevent them sometimes, but it’s definitely a past!
4. Air-drying is essentially impossible
If you’re a fan of air-drying your hair, or if you’re a fan of heatless styling, bangs might be a hassle for you. Letting your bangs air-dry can be a hot mess, depending on your hair type. Or maybe you’re God’s favourite and your bangs fall effortlessly in the right way, in which case I am entirely jealous.
For me, my bangs would always sit wonky when I didn’t style them right after a wash. They would dry in whichever direction they pleased. In the end, bangs usually look best when blow-dried or straightened, or at the very least, put into rollers.
5. They get greasy AF
No one—and I mean, no one—can prepare you for how quickly your bangs get greasy. It’s unreal. In the morning, they are fresh and beautiful. But by mid-day, I always looked like I hadn’t showered in over a week. This is particularly an issue for the greasy gals, like myself, or anyone who has a habit of playing with or touching your hair.
The one hack I found for this issue was the infamous sink wash. This is where you pull back your hair and just wash your bangs under the running tap water. Hey, I never said that the #banglife was glamorous. Sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do.
So, are bangs worth it?
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. If you’ve read all of the points above and you can’t help but think that this sounds like your own personal hell, it might be best to try out another style! These bad boys are super high maintenance and once you make the chop, there’s no going back. Well, at least, not for a while. For me personally, the growing out process took about seven months to be able to tuck my bangs behind my ears.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a classic ‘do and you’re up for trying something risky, then I would definitely recommend taking the plunge. One thing I would recommend is asking your hairstylist for advice. They will know your face shape and maintenance need best.
In the end, hair is hair. It will grow back, so why not try out something different for a while?
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