How to Professionally Trim Girls' Bangs

Trimming a child's bangs doesn't have to be a choice between paying too much in a hair salon or ending up with a choppy looking mess at home. This simple technique is easy to learn to do yourself, and results in smooth, tapered bangs which look as good as any professional job.

Wash your child's hair. It's best not to use conditioner before trimming the bangs, as this can make them a bit slippery to work with.

Comb the bangs down flat against the child's forehead. If the rest of the child's hair is long, fasten it back into a ponytail to keep it out of the way while you trim the bangs. Use your non-cutting hand to hold the hair flat against the child's forehead as you trim. If the bangs are drying by this point, moisten them again with a spray bottle or wet comb.

Start trimming at one side and cut all the way across on a rounded angle, like a rainbow, starting a bit low on one side, gradually moving up to an even level across the forehead, then lowering the angle down slightly when you get to the other side. Trim the bangs to a length about ¼ inch longer than you want them to be, because they will shorten up after they are dry.

Blow the bangs dry with a hairdryer, or simply wait for them to air-dry.

Grasp a small section of bangs vertically between your forefinger and middle finger, with your fingertips pointing downward. Slide your fingers down the section of hair until they are about ¼ inch from the ends, with your fingers angled slightly so that your fingertips are a bit farther out from the child's head than your palm.

Hold the scissors vertically with the tips pointing upward. Angle the scissors at the same angle as your fingers, so that the handles are slightly farther away from the child's head than the tips. Make short snips, trimming off the very tips of the exposed ends of the bangs.

Continue in this manner, trimming the ends of each segment until you have worked all the way across the bangs. This method is what prevents blunt, choppy bangs, instead producing a professional looking trim job which lays smooth.