So you cut bangs on a whim, and now you’re having second thoughts. Or maybe you loved them at first, but the constant styling is getting old. Whatever your reason, growing out bangs can feel like a special kind of torture—that weird in-between stage where they’re constantly in your eyes but not quite long enough to tuck behind your ears.
Here’s the thing: you’re not stuck looking awkward for months on end. With the right styling tricks and a bit of creativity, you can actually make this transition period work for you. Think of it as an excuse to try out styles you might not have experimented with otherwise. From strategic braids to cleverly placed accessories, there are tons of ways to disguise those growing strands while they make their journey back to full length.
The grow-out process typically takes anywhere from three to six months, depending on where you’re starting from and how fast your hair grows. That might sound like forever, but trust me—time flies when you’re having fun with new hairstyles. And honestly? Some of these transitional looks might end up being your new favorites.
Understanding the Growing-Out Timeline
Let’s be real about what you’re getting into. Baby bangs and blunt, eyebrow-skimming fringe are the toughest to grow out because they start so short. You’ll hit that awkward stage faster and stay there longer. On the flip side, curtain bangs or longer side-swept styles are way more forgiving—they blend into your hair more naturally as they lengthen.
Your hair grows about half an inch per month on average, but this varies from person to person. Factors like your diet, stress levels, and overall hair health all play a role. If your hair tends to grow slowly, you’re looking at closer to six months. Faster growers might get through it in three.
The most frustrating part? That specific length where your bangs are constantly poking you in the eyeballs but aren’t long enough to stay tucked behind your ears. This phase typically hits around week four to eight, and it’s when most people give up and cut them short again. Don’t do it! You’re so close to having more styling options.
Keep Your Hair Healthy During the Process
You might think avoiding the salon will speed things up, but that’s actually backwards. Regular trims every six to eight weeks keep your bangs healthy, which helps them grow faster. Split ends slow down growth because damaged hair breaks off before it can get longer.
Ask your stylist to “dust” your bangs—that means trimming just the tiniest bit to remove damaged ends without losing noticeable length. If you’re growing them into curtain bangs, have them cut a small angle in the center so they naturally part and sweep to the sides. This one small cut makes a huge difference in how your bangs behave as they grow.
Deep conditioning treatments are your friend right now. Use a nourishing hair mask once a week to keep your strands strong and hydrated. Healthy hair grows faster and breaks less, which means you’ll reach your goal length sooner. Look for masks with ingredients like argan oil, keratin, or biotin.
Heat styling shrinks hair length, so try to embrace air-drying when possible. If you must blow-dry, use a heat protectant spray first and keep the dryer moving—don’t hold it in one spot. Wavy, undone bangs are actually super trendy right now anyway.
Side-Swept Bangs for Easy Styling
This is your starting point—the simplest way to begin the grow-out process. Create a deep side part and sweep all your bangs to one side using a strong-hold styling product. Hair wax or pomade works better than gel because it doesn’t get crunchy or flaky throughout the day.
Blow-dry your bangs to the side using a round brush for extra volume and staying power. Point the dryer downward as you brush to smooth the hair cuticle and prevent frizz. The rounder the brush, the more lift you’ll get at the roots—which helps keep those shorter pieces from sticking straight out.
Once your bangs hit cheekbone length, side-swept styling becomes even easier. They’ll naturally want to stay put instead of falling forward into your face. Add a light mist of hairspray to lock everything in place, spraying from underneath for a stronger hold that doesn’t look stiff or overdone.
Fair warning: you’ll need to train your bangs to go to the side if they’re used to lying straight across your forehead. This takes about a week of consistent styling. Stick with it—your hair has memory and will eventually cooperate.
Curtain Bangs: The Easiest Transition Style
If you haven’t already, ask your stylist to cut your bangs into a curtain style. This means they’re longest at the outer edges and slightly shorter in the middle, creating a soft frame around your face. Curtain bangs look intentional at every stage of growth, which is why they’re having such a moment right now.
Style them by parting your hair down the middle and blow-drying each side away from your face with a round brush. Flip your head upside down while drying for extra volume. The key is to dry them up and back, not straight down—this creates that swoopy, face-framing effect.
On day two or three, you won’t need to fully restyle them. Just dampen the roots with a spray bottle, add a bit of mousse, and use your fingers to reshape them while hitting them with the blow-dryer for 30 seconds. Quick and easy.
Curtain bangs work with pretty much any hair texture, too. Straight hair gets that sleek, ’70s vibe. Wavy or curly hair? Even better—the texture helps them blend seamlessly with the rest of your hair as they grow.
Braided Solutions for Stubborn Strands
Braids are absolute lifesavers during the grow-out phase. A Dutch braid or French braid along your hairline incorporates your bangs completely, keeping them secure and out of your face all day. The tighter you braid, the better—loose braids let shorter pieces escape.
Start your braid right where your bangs begin, whether that’s at your part or at your hairline. Keep the braid close to your scalp and add small sections as you go. When you reach your temple or the top of your ear, secure it with a bobby pin or continue braiding into the rest of your hair.
For a softer look, gently pull the braid apart after securing it to create volume and texture. This works especially well on second or third-day hair when you’ve got some natural texture and grit. Clean hair can be too slippery for braids to hold properly.
Double Dutch braids are another solid option—they give off athletic, cool-girl vibes and keep your entire head of hair controlled. Start each braid at your hairline, incorporating your bangs as the first section. These work whether your hair is long or short, and they’re surprisingly easy once you get the hang of them.
A braided crown that goes from one side of your head to the other creates a romantic, bohemian look while completely hiding your bangs. This style shines at weddings, date nights, or anytime you want to look a bit more dressed up.
Accessorize Your Way Through It
When in doubt, reach for accessories. Headbands are the most obvious solution, but they work because they work. Choose from skinny, sleek bands for a minimalist look or wide, padded styles that completely cover your bangs. Velvet and embellished headbands add a fancy touch for evenings out.
The key with headbands is placement. Push them back about an inch from your hairline—not right at the edge—so your bangs sweep back and stay under the band. Add a bit of texturizing spray or dry shampoo at the roots first to give the headband something to grip.
Bobby pins deserve their own shoutout. Cross two pins in an X-shape on each side of your face to hold back your bangs. For a trendier look, use decorative pins—think pearls, colored metal, or fun shapes. The ’90s aesthetic is back, and that includes visible hair hardware.
Barrettes and snap clips offer another easy fix. Part your bangs down the middle or to the side, twist them back, and clip them in place. Stack multiple small clips for added visual interest. Pro tip: place the clips slightly back from where you want them, then slide them forward—this creates better hold.
Scarves and bandanas wrapped around your head vintage-style keep your bangs fully concealed while adding major style points. This look takes practice to nail, but once you’ve got it, you’ll reach for it constantly.
The Slicked-Back Power Move
Sometimes you just want your bangs completely off your face, and that’s where slicked-back styles come in. Use a strong-hold gel or styling cream to smooth your hair straight back into a low bun or sleek ponytail. This works for high-fashion moments or when you’re hitting the gym.
Start with slightly damp hair for the best results. Apply your product from roots to mid-lengths, using a fine-tooth comb or boar bristle brush to distribute it evenly. Brush everything back from your hairline, making sure to catch all the little baby hairs.
For a softer version, slick your hair back into a high ponytail or top knot. Leave a few wispy pieces loose around your face if the super-tight look feels too severe. The high placement helps hold shorter bangs back through gravity alone.
This style works on both wash day and when your hair’s looking a little worse for wear. Actually, slightly dirty hair often holds the slicked-back look better than freshly washed hair, so don’t stress about perfect cleanliness.
Half-Up Styles That Hide the Awkward Length
The half-up, half-down look is having a major moment, and it’s perfect for growing-out bangs. Pull the top section of your hair back into a bun or ponytail at your crown, incorporating your bangs into that front section. This gets them completely off your face while leaving the length down in back.
For extra security, create a small braid with your bangs before pulling them into the half-up section. This keeps shorter pieces from sliding out. You can do a simple three-strand braid along each side, then gather everything into your half-up style.
Double buns sitting closer to your hairline work when your bangs aren’t quite long enough for a single ponytail. Section your hair horizontally across the top, divide that section in half, and twist each side into a small bun. It’s quirky and cute, and totally on trend.
The half-top knot is another winner—it’s basically a tiny man bun situation at the crown of your head. This works best once your bangs reach nose-length or longer. Smooth them back with a bit of oil or cream on the ends (not the roots), twist everything into a coil, and secure with bobby pins.
Pin-Up and Vintage-Inspired Looks
Why not have some fun with this? Victory rolls and pin-up curls turn your growing bangs into a deliberate vintage style instead of an awkward in-between phase. These looks do require some practice, but they’re show-stoppers once you nail them.
For a simple pin-up effect, add volume to your bangs by back-combing them slightly, then roll them back from your face and pin them in place. You’ll create a soft poof or roll that sits above your forehead. Pair this with red lipstick and a cat-eye for the full effect.
A pompadour is essentially an exaggerated version of this—you’re creating major volume and height at your hairline. Use mousse or volumizing powder, tease your bangs and the front section of your hair, then smooth the top layer and pin everything back. Finish with hairspray to hold the volume all day.
These retro styles work surprisingly well with modern outfits, too. You don’t need to go full vintage to rock a victory roll—pair it with jeans and a t-shirt for an unexpectedly cool contrast.
Low-Maintenance Messy Styles
Not every day requires a polished look. On lazy weekends or when you just can’t be bothered, embrace the messy, undone aesthetic where your growing bangs actually add to the vibe. Add some texture spray, scrunch your hair, and let your bangs fall wherever they want.
Tousled waves hide uneven lengths beautifully. Use a curling iron or wand on random sections of hair, including your bangs. Don’t worry about making the curls uniform—the messier, the better. Once everything’s curled, run your fingers through to break them up.
A messy bun with face-framing pieces left out is another low-effort option. Your bangs become those intentional wispy strands that frame your face, making you look effortlessly cool instead of like someone who overslept.
The shaggy, textured look works especially well if you ask your stylist to add some choppy layers throughout your hair. Your growing bangs just become the shortest layer, blending right in. This cut is super forgiving and requires minimal daily styling.
Face-Framing Layers for Seamless Integration
Once your bangs get long enough—usually around three to four months in—ask your stylist for face-framing layers that help your bangs disappear into the rest of your cut. These shorter pieces around your face make it look like you never had bangs at all.
The stylist will graduate the length from your bangs into progressively longer pieces as they move back toward your ears and down your face. This creates a seamless transition instead of an obvious line where your bangs end and your regular hair begins.
Adding texture to the ends of these face-framing pieces makes them blend even better. Your stylist can use thinning shears or point-cut the ends to soften the lines. This technique removes bulk and creates movement, which disguises the fact that some pieces are shorter than others.
If you have naturally curly or wavy hair, these layers will spring up and blend in even more easily. Straight hair might need a bit more styling with a curling iron to create that soft, blended effect.
Products That Make Life Easier
The right products make a huge difference in managing growing bangs. A good styling cream with hold helps keep shorter pieces in place without looking crunchy or stiff. Look for something with a natural finish that you can run through your hair with your fingers.
Dry shampoo isn’t just for cleaning—it adds texture and grip that help styles stay put. Spray it at your roots before attempting braids, buns, or pinned-back looks. The slight grit gives bobby pins and hair ties something to hold onto.
Hair oil or serum smooths flyaways and adds shine, which makes your hair look healthier and more intentional. Apply a tiny amount (we’re talking a few drops) to the ends of your bangs, avoiding the roots. This weighs them down slightly and prevents them from sticking up oddly.
Texture spray or sea salt spray is your secret weapon for piece-y, lived-in looks. Spray it all over your hair, scrunch with your hands, and let it air-dry. Your bangs will blend right into the textured, beachy vibe.
Wrapping Up
Growing out bangs doesn’t have to mean months of awkwardness and baseball caps. With these styling tricks in your back pocket, you can look intentional and put-together through every stage of the process. The key is staying patient and getting creative with your daily routine.
Remember to keep your hair healthy with regular trims and deep conditioning treatments—healthy hair grows faster and looks better at every length. Don’t be afraid to experiment with styles you wouldn’t normally try. You might discover a new go-to look that sticks around even after your bangs have grown out completely.
The most frustrating phases don’t last forever, even though they feel endless when you’re in them. Before you know it, you’ll be tucking your fully grown-out bangs behind your ears, wondering what all the fuss was about. And who knows? By then, you might be ready to cut them all over again.
