Best Ways to Grow Out Your Bangs

Andrea Arterbery, Shine Staff

Bangs are always a great way to change up your look, but they can be a real drag when they start to grow out. Just ask Michelle Obama. The First Lady debuted her buzzed-about bangs in January.

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"It's fun," she told Entertainment Tonight in April. "They're starting to grow out, getting a little irritating, but it's OK. We'll be good." Fast forward to August. The 49-year-old has decided to banish her bangs for good. "You know, it's hard to make speeches with hair in your face!," she told Parade magazine this week.




Back in June, her bangs even generated some Twitter backlash (#bangsfail) after they repeatedly got in her face as she was making a G8 Summit speech.

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The first lady has decided to start wearing her bangs to the side (which is a great style!), but there are some other ways to style your 'do during this in-between phase. Here are a few ideas:

1. Slick them back. One of the easiest ways to disguise those bangs is by pulling them all back. While hair is still damp, add in a little bit of hair gel and slick 'em on back. Tame flyways by spraying a bit of hair spray on to an old blush brush and then sweeping over the top and edges.

2. Sweep them to the side. Figure out which side you want to wear your hair on and then comb your hair over to it. Go over the bangs with a flat iron (try the One Legacy Flat Iron, $200, onestyling.com) and then set with hairspray to lock the look in place.

3. Add some volume. Get funky with it by creating a mini pompadour. Add in a bit of hair gel (TRESemme Tres Gel Extra Firm Control, $1.49, drugstore.com) and, using a fine-tooth comb, back comb them to add volume at the roots of your bangs. Then, twist up and secure with bobby pins.



4. Create a braid. Just pick a side, sweep your bangs over, start braiding, and - voila! - you've got a cute way to keep bangs out of your face. If braiding isn't one of your top skills, do a two-strand twist instead. Be sure to apply a little bit of hair gel first so that the braid (or twist) stays frizz-free.

5. Throw some accessories in it. Trendy hair accessories will never go out of style, so be sure to take advantage. If you don't own any chic barrettes, try using a vintage brooch or clip-on earrings to pull the bangs back. Bejeweled bobby pins (Elle Gold Stone Bobby ins, $9, drugstore.com) can also add some flair to your hair while the bangs are growing out.

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