How to Fake Bangs

Co-authored by Ashley Adams

Last Updated: July 28, 2022 References

Beanie

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Bun

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Bobby Pins

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Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

Knowing how to fake bangs is a great way to try out a new style without a lot of commitment. You don't need a lot of supplies or accessories to create them! A hair tie and a couple of bobby pins will be enough to give you convincing bangs. Most of these styles will be easier for those with longer hair, but if you have shorter hair, you can attempt the bobby pin method.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Beanie

1
Start with hair that's long enough to pull over your eyes. You will be pulling your hair into a half-up, half-down ponytail, then flipping it over your forehead. It needs to be long enough to reach past your eyebrows.
- If you have curly or wavy hair, straighten it first. This will help make it look longer.
2
Pull your hair up into a half-up, half-down ponytail. Slide your thumbs back through your hair at about eyebrow level. Lift the upper layer of hair into a half-up, half-down ponytail and secure it with a hair tie.^{[1]
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3
Drape the ponytail over the top of your head. Adjust the ponytail so that the ends fall over your forehead and eyebrows. If you need to, pull the ponytail back slightly. Leave the rest of your hair hanging loose.^{[2]
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- Don't worry if your half-up, half-down ponytail looks like a messy bun. The hat will hide it.
4
Adjust and pin the bangs close to the base of the ponytail. Spread the bangs so that they drape over your head and forehead in a triangular shape. You want them to be wider across your eyebrows and narrower at the top of your head/ponytail. Slide a bobby pin through each side of the fake bangs, close to the ponytail, to secure them.^{[3]
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- Wrap a second hair tie around the ponytail, if needed.
5
Run a comb under the bangs and style them as desired. Use your fingers to pull the strands across your forehead so that they lay nicely.^{[4]
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Research source} If you want to, you could even curl them under slightly with a curling iron or a flat iron.
6
Put on a loose-fitting hat. Find a loose-fitting hat, like a beanie or a slouchy, and pull it over your head. Make sure that it covers the top part of your head, just behind your hairline, as well as the nape of your head. This will ensure that your half-up, half-down ponytail is completely hidden. The rest of your hair will hang loose from under the hat.^{[5]
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- Don't use a tight-fitting hat like a sun hat or baseball cap. They will develop a bump where the half-up, half-down ponytail is and look fake.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Bun

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Assess your hair length. In order to fake bangs using a bun, your hair needs to be long enough to be put up into a high ponytail, to be draped over the top of your head, and to cover your forehead. Put your hair up into a ponytail and try to pull the ponytail over your eyes to see if it’s long enough. Ideally, the end of your hair should reach past your eyebrows so that you can style the bangs.
- If your hair is curly or wavy, straighten it first. This will help add length to it.
- To assess the length of your hair when it’s down, check to see if it reaches your underarm. To create fake bangs this way, your hair may need to be at least this long.
2
Pull your hair up into a high ponytail. Slip a hair tie over your wrist, then use your hands to gather your hair into a high ponytail. Hold your hair with the hand that has the hair tie on it, then use your free hand to slip the hair tie off and wrap it two or three times around the ponytail.^{[6]
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3
Gather some hair from your ponytail and pull it over the top of your head. Use your thumb to gather a thin section from the top of your ponytail. Pull it over the top of your head so that the ends fall over your forehead.^{[7]
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4
Pin your fake bangs down. Slide a bobby pin through either side of your ponytail bangs, securing them to the top of your head. If you need to, wrap a second hair tie around the base of your ponytail. This will help keep the fake bangs down and in place.^{[8]
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5
Twist the rest of your ponytail into a bun. If you want to get fancy, split the ponytail in half, then cross and wrap each half around the base of your ponytail. Secure the bun with bobby pins as you go.^{[9]
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- For a simple bun, twist the ponytail into a rope, wrap it around the base of your ponytail, then secure it with bobby pins.
6
Curl the fake bangs for a natural look. Use a flat iron or a large curling iron to curl the bangs under themselves. Keep the side edges of the bangs straight. This will give you a more natural look as well as help hide any short strands of hair that may stick out.^{[10]
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- Be sure to apply a heat protection spray to your hair before curling it.
- Comb through the bangs to help loosen the strands and make them look even more natural.
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Set your style with hairspray. Once the hairspray dries, you are good to go! For a chic look, you could even wrap a scarf or headband around your head. This will help conceal the fact that your bangs are coming from your bun.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Bobby Pins

1
Start with a center part and neatly-brushed hair. This style works with most lengths of hair. It will be even more convincing if your hair is long enough to tuck behind your ears, however.^{[12]
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- If you want the illusion of side bangs, part your hair on the side.
2
Separate the front-left section of your hair from the rest. Create a part that extends from your center part down to your left temple. Make the part start about two to three finger widths behind your hairline. Tuck the rest of your hair behind your ear.^{[13]
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- Use the handle of a rat-tail comb to make your part clean and neat.
3
Hold the front section of hair where you want the bangs to end. Grab the front section of hair you gathered from the previous step and pull it in front of your face. This should help your fake bangs lay directly on the center of your forehead. Make a V shape with your index and middle fingers, then close them across your hair where you want the bangs to end.^{[14]
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Research source} Replace your fingers with a duckbill clip to mark this spot.
- Shorter bangs work better for this method than longer ones. Something around eyebrow level would look the best.
4
Twist the hair below the clip into a thin rope. Grab everything below the duckbill clip, and twist it under and towards your face. Keep the hair above the clip vertical, and the twisted part horizontal.^{[15]
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Pin the twisted rope behind your ear. Remove the clip and pull the rope back towards your ear. Drape it behind your ear, and secure it with a bobby pin.^{[16]
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Repeat the process on the other side of your head. Section off the front part of your hair and tuck the rest behind your ear. Twist the sectioned-off part where you want the bangs to end, then tuck it behind your ear. Secure it with a bobby pin and cover it with the rest of your hair.^{[17]
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Adjust your hair and bangs to make them look more convincing. Un-tuck the rest of your hair and let it fall naturally over the pinned rope. Use your fingers to spread apart the fake bangs as needed so that they look more realistic.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

Question

I want bangs, but my hair is curly. What do I do?

GeGeGeLL

Community Answer

You can still get bangs, but you might need to straighten them quite often. I suggest maybe doing a longer side bang.
Question

I want them to cover one of my eyes up, how do I do that?

GeGeGeLL

Community Answer

You could part your hair to one side and then pull your hair a little more in front of your face to cover your eye. You could also pull your hair over your eye and clip/pin the middle of the hair that is in front of your face to the rest of you hair. This will make it look like you have side bangs.
Question

My hair is short and curly. My mom won't let me straighten it. What do I do?

Community Answer

She probably won't stop you from doing a natural mask. Take a quarter cup of milk and two tablespoons of honey. Mix them until they're well combined and apply it to your hair. For best results, leave it on for two hours, then wash it off well with a sulfate-free shampoo. If you are Afro-American, this probably won't work.