Jennifer Aniston's Hairstylist Shared At-Home Haircut Tips, and We're Taking Notes

By Victoria Messina

Updated on 1/26/2022 at 9:25 PM

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  • As restrictions begin going back into place, many people are turning back to at-home DIY beauty treatments.
  • In 2020, celebrity hairstylist Chris McMillan gave a demonstration on how people can properly cut their own bangs at home.
  • If going to a professional is out of the picture, we've rounded up his tips and the best tools that he suggests.

Before you pick up a pair of scissors and attempt an at-home haircut, we suggest learning Chris McMillan's expert tips first. The celebrity hairstylist responsible for creating The Rachel — Jennifer Aniston's iconic layered haircut on "Friends" — McMillan video-called into "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on in 2020 to share his advice for trimming men's and women's hair at home. Wearing a wig he nicknamed Quarantina, he demonstrated how to properly cut your own bangs with a pair of basic kitchen scissors, seeing as that's likely the type of tool most people have lying around at home.

While we always recommend going to a pro for a haircut, if that's simply not an option for safety reasons, we're here to help. Ahead, we've outlined the pointers McMillan shared during his (virtual) talk-show appearance. Bust out a pencil, and take some notes.

Cut Your Hair While It's Dry

When DeGeneres asked McMillan whether your hair should be wet or dry when you cut it at home, he replied, "When you're doing your own haircut, you should wash it and blow-dry it, and then cut it from there. When you're doing it on your own, you kinda want to see where it's gonna fall." Yep, that checks out.

Don't Pull Your Bangs Down Too Hard Before Cutting

While deciding exactly where to cut your bangs, don't pull the hair down toward your nose too hard. "The less tension you put, the better off you're gonna be. If you pull it too hard, it's gonna bounce up" after you clip them, he said.

Cut Your Bangs in Sections, Not All at Once

McMillan suggested separating your bangs into two different layers and starting with the bottom layer first. Begin by snipping just the tips rather than a large chunk because there's no going back. "If you cut them to where you think you want them, they're gonna bounce up, and they're gonna be like this," McMillan shared, moving Quarantina's bangs up well above his eyebrows.

Next Up, Soften Your Bangs

You can do this with thinning shears, but regular kitchen scissors like the OXO Good Grips Multi-Purpose Scissors ($19) work just fine, too. McMillan softened the ends of the wig's bangs by running the kitchen scissors through them using a downward motion. "We're not trying to make any major changes. We're just softly trimming," he said.

A Tip For Men With Long, Thick Hair

McMillan also removed Quarantina to share a tip for any men with full hair. "Clip the top of your hair up, and then cut the sides first," he said, adding that it's best to use clippers with the biggest guard attached. "I always say use the biggest guard to start with. You could always go shorter. Always start off longer." The Philips Norelco Multigroomer Trimmer ($20) comes with various guards for a customized finish.