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Also known as the “princess cut,” the hime cut is a bold and eye-catching haircut that first appeared during the Heian period of Japanese history (794-1185 CE). It’s characterized by pin-straight strands, a full set of fringe, and face-framing side pieces, and thanks to TikTok, it’s become one the trendiest haircuts in the world. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the hime cut, including how to style, maintain, and get the look at home.
Things You Should Know
- The hime cut consists of blunt bangs and face-framing side pieces, with the rest of the hair worn long and straight in the back.
- Get the hime cut at home by parting your hair in the middle, trimming bangs straight below your eyebrow, then cutting angled side pieces in the direction of your jawline.
- Since the hime cut is angular, it’s especially flattering on round face shapes, but the bangs and side pieces can be altered to suit any face shape.
Steps
How to Get the Hime Cut at Home
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Create a center part and section off a triangle of hair at the roots. Brush your hair so it is tangle free, then part your hair in the middle using the tip of a rattail comb. Place the tip of the comb about 2 inches (5.08 cm) behind your hairline, in the center of your head, and draw a downward diagonal line from the center point of your head to the tail of your eyebrow. Repeat this step on the other side to form a triangular section of hair.[5]
- This section of hair will become your bangs, so be sure the sides of the triangle align with the edges of your eyebrow (while looking straight ahead).[6] If it doesn't, re-part your hair in the center and try again. Then, pin the rest of your hair back with creaseless hair clips to keep it out of your face.
- Skip this step if you already have bangs, or trim your existing bangs with sharp hair-cutting scissors. If you decide to trim your hair, spritz some water onto your bangs so they lie flat on your forehead.
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Hold the section of hair between 2 fingers and pick your bang length. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the section of hair taut between your fingers, then fold your hair over to see how your bangs look at different lengths. Most people like their bangs to hit right below their eyebrow for the classic hime look, while others prefer a shorter length that still exposes their eyebrows.[7]
- If you want to shorten the look of your face, opt for longer bangs that extend past the bottom of your eyebrow.
- If you want to lengthen the look of your face, opt for shorter bangs that hit the top of your eyebrow or barely graze the bottom of your eyebrow.
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Make a horizontal cut across the section of hair to create blunt bangs. While holding your hair taut between your fingers, snip straight across with a pair of hair-cutting scissors, following the line of your fingers to ensure both sides are even. Snip below your fingers so you don’t cut off too much hair by accident, and leave your bangs at least 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) longer than you want them to be.[8] Continue cutting in 0.25 inch (0.64 cm) increments until you reach your desired length.
- Once you achieve your desired length, make small snips at the tips of your bangs if you want a more natural look.
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Section off hair on both sides of your bangs to form the side pieces. Remove the creaseless clips holding your hair back, and place the tip of a rattail comb at the starting point of your bangs. Draw a downward diagonal line from that point to your temple, then pull the new section of hair forward to separate it from the rest of your hair. Repeat this step on the other side, and pin the remaining hair away from your face.[9]
- If you have thick hair, section off less hair on each side of your bangs so your side pieces don't look too heavy. If you have thin hair, section off more hair so they look more proportional to your face and bangs.[10]
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Cut each side piece at a downward angle, following your jawline. Brush through your newly sectioned hair with a rattail comb, then stop the comb right below your jawline. Use short, quick snips to cut your hair (below the comb) in a downward direction, making sure the hair closer to your chin is longer than the hair closer to your ear. Continue cutting in 0.25 (0.64 cm) increments until you’re satisfied with the length, then repeat on the other side to finish your hime cut![11]
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
References
- ↑ https://cooljp.co/article/hime-cut-hair-trend-history-8817
- ↑ https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/fringe-trends-summer-2023
- ↑ https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/hime-hair-cut-tiktok-japanese-gen-z
- ↑ https://www.japanesewiki.com/culture/Osuberakashi.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/-ax_Axj3Xj8?t=72
- ↑ https://youtu.be/-ax_Axj3Xj8?t=111
- ↑ https://youtu.be/-ax_Axj3Xj8?t=66
- ↑ https://youtu.be/-ax_Axj3Xj8?t=90
- ↑ https://youtu.be/-ax_Axj3Xj8?t=129