The Step-By-Step Guide To The Zig-Zag Bangs Technique

Often known as the poster child for impulsive decisions, bangs are a hit or miss for most people. They're notorious for not always ending up how you envisioned, especially if you attempt to cut your own at home.  Plus, with a variety of styles to choose from, the pressure to trim and style them flawlessly is intense. Still, love them or hate them, one can't deny the impact they've had on the fashion circuit, with many being influenced to find the best bangs for their face shape. Yet, whether or not you believe in the beauty of bangs, consider this: hair styles are constantly evolving, as well as the ways to cut and style them. Thankfully, a new styling trend has emerged to help bang skeptics curate the perfect pair every single time.

Thanks to TikTok, we now have access to countless videos designed to help us find the perfect way to get our bangs fluffed, whimsical, and stationary. Jane Clayton, a Utah based hair stylist, took to her account to post a video demonstrating her very own curated method to styling bangs. The video has taken off in viewership, with many praising her technique as being the best, most consistent method. The trick is also being hailed a miracle for making bangs last for not one day, but a few, without the need for constant tending. Clayton has dubbed her method as, "the zigzag trick." 

The zigzag is a method that works to eliminate the dreaded part line, which often is a top reason most people let their bangs grow out. The hair at one's part line tends to split based on cowlick and weight. Real Simple explains that when your bangs aren't heavy enough in the center, they section off. Because of this, some bang styles can be considered high maintenance, requiring extra supervision like pushing them together to make them look uniform. Still, most bang believers have praised the zigzag method for its ability to turn the tumultuous upkeep of bangs into something more user friendly, especially for styles that fray across the whole forehead, like the straight or fringe cut. The proof is in the pudding, or in this case, the zig zagging, with the viral TikTok video showing the technique amassing a staggering 7 million views, and 800,000 likes, according to Bustle.

It's important to note that while the zigzag technique should work for anyone with bangs, it's best suited for styles that are thick and full. For instance, those with fringe, bottleneck, or straight-across bangs are more likely to benefit from this technique than those with thinner bangs, or curtain bangs (a style that is already parted down the middle).

To achieve the zigzag look, begin by combing your bangs flat against your forehead in a downward motion. Then, move the comb in a left-right pattern through the ends of your hair. 

After this, separate two sections of your bangs with your fingers (one on each side of the forehead) and use a flat iron to curl them upwards in opposite directions. Then, repeat on both sides. You should end up with two subtle crescent-like shapes. Now comes the fun part. You get to play! Scrunch up and fluff out your bangs with your fingers. Pretty soon you'll be left with playfully whimsical, yet structured bangs.

If you're experiencing dull hair and wondering how you can treat it, you might consider cutting a bang style that uses the zig zag method. However, its important to stress that you should not use this method to cut the bangs, only style them. Oprah Daily suggests going to the salon to start your bang journey, and then retraining yourself to use your hair tools (e.g. flat iron, comb, and blowdryer) to keep them lively. Indeed, if you're looking to style your bangs like Clayton, we won't have to worry about boring hair days ever again.