How to Style Bangs While Growing Them Out

Using Accessories

Use bobby pins to sweep your bangs away from your face. While your bangs are still too short to tuck behind your ear or pull into a ponytail with the rest of your hair, pin them back. Brush up your bangs and secure them with 1 or 2 bobby pins. For a stylish look, keep some volume underneath your bangs when you pin them back. Lock in your style by misting it with hairspray. Alternatively, you can use a little gel to help slick your bangs back into a ponytail or other updo.

Use a decorative barrette to pin your bangs to the side of your face. Part your hair to 1 side and brush it out. Apply a styling product like gel or styling clay to your hair to keep your bangs in place. Clip a stylish barrette just above the ends of your bangs to hold them in place. For short, difficult-to-control bangs, try parting your hair on an angle.

Wear headbands to push back your bangs stylishly. Headbands are available in a range of styles, materials, and colors to suit any outfit. Gently brush back your bangs and pull a headband over them to hold them back. Use hairspray to hold down any small, flyaway hairs.

Cover your bangs with a head scarf. Use a stylish scarf made out of a light material like silk to cover your bangs. Fold the scarf length-wise until it is thin enough to wear like a headband. Place the just above your hairline and wrap it around your hair, trying it at the back of your neck or behind 1 ear. Tuck in any loose ends of your bangs that might be sticking out. Add bobby pins to the sides of the scarf to make sure it stays in place.

Creating Camouflaging Hairstyles

Wrap your bangs into a side twist. Part your hair to one side. Grab a small section of your bangs starting near your part and twist it around away from your face 2-3 times. Wrap another tiny section of your bangs around that part and continue twisting. Continue until all of your bangs are in a side twist and attach them with a bobby pin. For a variation on this style, part your hair in the middle and make 2 side twists, one toward each ear.

Gather your bangs into a side braid. Part your hair to the side and gather 3 strands near the part. Braid them together, then add more hair to the left and right strands and braid once more. Continue this French braid style until all of your bangs are in the braid. Attach the ends with a bobby pin. Do a split version of this style by parting your hair in the middle and braiding each side of your bangs.

Slick back your bangs with hair gel. Wet your bangs and apply hair gel to them. Comb your bangs upwards, away from your face, and towards the back of your crown. The gel should set this way, slicking your bangs back to meet the back of your hair. Leave the rest of your hair gel-free so that it falls naturally. Spray your hair with hairspray for extra hold.

Tuck your bangs under big curls. Part your hair to the side and wrap small sections of your hair around a curling iron, twisting it away from your face. Depending on how wide you've cut your bangs, you may need to do a deeper side part. Hold each section for 20-30 seconds to let the curls set. Comb your bangs to the side and tuck them under a curl, then pin them in place with a bobby pin. Gently pull on each curl to make them look more natural. Mist your hair with hairspray to hold the style. Use a curling iron with a 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) barrel to make large curls.

Mask your bangs with a side-swept blowout if your hair has layers. Wash your hair and blow dry it in sections. Use a large round brush to curl the ends under. Part your hair on the side so that your bangs blend into the shortest layers of your hair. Use a volumizing product like mousse or thickening spray to boost this look. This look works best with shorter hair. If you have longer hair, you may have a more difficult time camouflaging it, especially if you have longer layers.

Keeping Your Bangs Healthy-Looking

Trim your bangs every 6 weeks to help them grow. Trimming your bangs will keep the hair healthy, especially if you want to grow them out. Make an appointment with your stylist or trim your own bangs every 6 weeks. This will also make the ends of your bangs blend in more smoothly with the rest of your hair. For the first trim, cut only the hair that falls between your eyes. This will help you grow out your bangs without obscuring your vision. As your bangs grow, sweep them to either side and trim them to blend in accordingly.

Moisturize your bangs with hydrating masks to prevent breakage. Split ends and dry hair will make it difficult to grow out your bangs successfully. Keep your hair smooth, healthy, and hydrated with deep conditioning masks. Apply these masks every other week for natural hair, or once a week for dyed or chemically-treated hair. Look for hair masks containing moisturizing ingredients like honey, coconut oil, avocado, aloe vera and shea butter. To add daily moisture to your bangs, look for a moisturizing leave-in conditioner or a moisturizing cream.

Add balayage coloring to your bangs to make them look longer. Fresh color can revitalize your hair while it's going through an awkward growth phase. Ask your stylist if they can apply a subtle balayage to your bangs by adding a color a few shades lighter than your base color to the ends. This effect should make your bangs look longer and less awkward. You can also attempt balayage on your own, which will be relatively low-risk since you are trimming your bangs every 6 weeks anyway.

Limit heat styling to prevent damage to your bangs. To keep your bangs healthy-looking, avoid blow-drying, straightening, or curling them as much as possible. Heat removes surface moisture and causes hair cuticles to become dry and brittle, causing breakage. Air-dry your bangs or use the lowest setting on your blow dryer if necessary. If you must heat style your hair, use a heat-protector spray to minimize damage.

Remove tangles from wet hair with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Avoid brushing wet hair, which is more susceptible to damage than dry hair. Gently remove mats or knot with your fingers. Use a wide-tooth comb designed for wet hair to smooth your bangs before drying them.