What I Gave Up to Save Money…Bang Cuts

I had writer’s block last night when I was thinking about what to write about for today and my hair kept getting in my eyes. For several weeks now, my mom has been badgering me to get my bangs cut, and honestly, she was right. I needed it. I looked like a shaggy dog!

But I just couldn’t bring myself to go to a barber or hair cuttery. Reason number one? Pay day is getting close but the bills are due before that. Reason number two? The last time I set foot in a hair salon, the girl who had a license probably from some bogus school of beauty gave me a beast of a bang cut that cost me $15. I have to cut my bangs once every two months…that ends up being almost $100 a year! And for bad haircuts! No thanks.

My mother brought me up to live on a shoe string. She used to cut my bangs for me in between visits to our “hair lady” Jennifer to save some money. She would sit me down on the back porch, with a pair of scissors and snip straight across, sometimes unevenly and would give me the bargain bowlcut…Man, I wish I had pictures. Now, don’t get me wrong…my mom loves her visits to her own hair stylist, who colors, cuts, and coos over her beautiful head of thick hair. She also happens to be one of my mom’s best friends and gives her a discount SHHHHH!!!!

But with my own faithful hairstylist back in Lancaster and my budget running low, over the past few months I have been taking matters into my own hands. See, I am very observant when I am in the chair at the salon. I will watch and see how the ladies cut my bangs…the good and the bad. That way I could figure out what and what not to do.

This isn’t for the faint of heart or overtly vain. The first couple of times you try this, it may not turn out looking so hot. And I am not trying to take anyone from their already set hair stylists. If a woman or man knows your hair and how to treat it…stay with them. They are good people. I just haven’t been able to find one as good as Vicky at Judy’s Hair Biz in Lancaster up here in Rock Hill.

Step One: Brush out your hair and pin it up so only the bangs you want cut are hanging down in front of your face.

Step Two: Make sure you have a pair of sharp scissors and a towel to catch the clippings that fall IN FRONT of you…not on your shoulders. I wish I didn’t have to add that but covering all my bases here.

Step Three: Start at the center and cut with the tip of the scissors UP and Under where your fingers are holding your hair. If you cut over your fingers, chances are you will get the bowl, straight across look and not a nice, natural looking fringe.

Step Four: Slowly work your way out to the sides, taking the uncut hair and holding it with some of the already cut hair so everything stays even for the most part.

Step Five: When you get to the ends of your bangs, make sure that the bangs are lengthened just enough that they blend in with the rest of your hair. You will not have to cut as high for the ends.