Boys and girls, especially young ones, are very particular with their hairstyles. And one of the most popular hairstyle that drives young people crazy is the emo hairstyles.
What is emo hair?
An emo hairstyle is the term for hair that has bangs, cut jaggedly, and intentionally covers the eyes. The hair is usually dyed black, though other colors like blonde will work. You can see red streaks or highlights in the hair. Emo hairstyles typically have medium length hair, and they are usually longer at the back area or at the sides of the head.
Association with music
This kind of hairstyle is mostly associated with the subculture of emo music, and it is primarily patronized among the white people. In the early 2000s, the suburban young people started to wear emo hairstyles to the fullest, and this haircut goes more popular in the 2010s.
Emo actually is short for “emotional”, or in music “emotional hardcore”. The emo hairstyle is often coupled with dark shirts, dark makeup, black hoodies, and fashion involving skulls, musical band logos, and hearts. And people who are crazy with the emo world are usually introverts who posts emotional and cryptic messages on their social media accounts. Emo people also love to quote lyrics of dark music in order to convey what they feel inside. This group of people is easily spotted due to their emo hairstyle, emo clothing, and emo dark eyeliner.
Emo hair in dictionary
The term “emo hair” was first established in 2005 on Urban Dictionary. And by 2009 the phrase already made it into the slang dictionaries. In fact, in 2007, there was a GIF involving Spiderman Peter Parker, played by Tobey Maguire where he is seen tossing his long bangs. This happened after Spider Man 3, and this emo hair of Spiderman turned into a meme. The flipping of Peter Parker is eventually called the “emo hair flip”.
Because of the rising popularity of emo hair way back in the early 2000s, many YouTubers created videos regarding emo hair styling. In a subculture sense, achieving the most suitable emo hairstyle is a significant aspect of expressing the self. And it is always associated with the love of emo music.
Who cuts their hair emo style?
Generally, there is really no age or gender that limits the use of emo hairstyle. It is a trendy hairstyle that can be sported by young people and adults, from all walks of life. However, emo hairstyle is not appropriate with formal parties, office, or even in school. But, most kids ignore the rules and wear an emo hairstyle to school.
And because emo hair isn’t socially acceptable in formal events or in the corporate world, this hairstyle’s popularity is curtailed. But, if you truly love the emo hairstyle, you can sport the emo hair without the extremities of the hairstyle.
Subtle emo hair
Emo hair does not always have to be extremely “emo”. You don’t have to put on dark eyeliner to complete the look. You can simply have an emo haircut and wear normal school or work clothes, with subtle makeup.
Small hair alterations
By making small alterations to your hair, you can sport the emo hairstyle without actually going deep into the hairstyle. You don’t even have to love the emo music to like emo hair.
To create a subtle emo hairstyle, you should:
- Grow your bangs long until you can easily flip them on the side of your face.
- If you do not have bangs but do have long hair, simply cut your hair at the front. Make sure that your bangs are long enough to be swept to the side.
- Emo hair is typically straight, so us a flattening iron to style your hair. Or you can strengthen it using chemicals for a temporary straight hair for weeks.
- The emo hairstyle is mainly about long bangs and straight hair. And so you should use styling hair products lightly in order to maintain the emo look
- It is best to use organically formulated hair products to keep your emo hairstyle. Use a bit of natural hairspray to ensure that your bangs stay on the side of your face all day.
Asymmetric hair partition
Emo hair is known to have an asymmetric pattern. To achieve this kind of hairstyle, you should visit your favorite hair salon and have your hair layered. Your hair will fall at one side, and this style can be sustained by an uneven hair cut to create an emo hairstyle. However, if you simply want to create an emo hair without committing fulltime to the hairstyle, you can do so.
When you have no time to visit a hairstylist, you can simply fake your asymmetric layers. Here are ways to do this:
- Comb every single hair over the left or right side of your face. As you transfer your hair to the other side, your hair will look shorter at one area and longer at the opposite side. Once you are satisfied with the effect, you should apply a little hairspray to preserve the look.
- Another way to fake an emo hairstyle is to part your hair strategically. Create a partition of your hair from the farthest side of your head. Then turn the hair over to the other side, ensuring that part of your face is covered.
Short hair tussling
Typically, emo hair involves long and straight hair. However, if you have short hair, you can still pull off a subtle emo hairstyle. Simply tussle your hair a bit, making it appear messy with uneven layers. Push your hair to one side of your face, which results in a spiky look. And for you to maintain this tussled emo hair appearance, you should apply an organic hairspray.
Changes to make for emo hairstyle
When you make the decision to sport an emo hairstyle,there are changes that you need to make.
Black hair dye
Typically, emo fanatics associate black with emo hairstyle, and so you should dry your hair black. This is a sacrifice you have to make if you want the emo hair. But, you can still create an emo style even with your blonde hair. In fact, you can color your hair any shade you like, and still have the emo haircut you desire. However, black is still the best hair color for an emo cut. And having a black emo hair is acceptable in many social events, even at work. This is as long as you avoid very dark eyeliners and inappropriate clothing.
In dying your hair, you can visit your favorite hair salon, or you can color your hair on your own. It is ideal to let your hairstylist create an emo haircut and dye your hair black at the same time. But if a hair salon is not on your budget, you can buy a black dye product. You must follow the package instruction on how to dye your hair. Or you can ask assistance from someone if you’re having a difficult time dying your hair.
Brighter colors
If black hair is not your thing, keep your current hair color, or you can go for brighter shades. Dramatic colors can also look good on an emo hairstyle, like red, blue, and purple. But if you are still in school or already working, make sure to check the policies regarding appropriate hairstyle. You would need to abide by the rules, but if you really like emo, choose black hair dye. And minimize the emo appearance in makeup and clothing.
Emo hair highlights
Emo hairstyle is often mixed with hair highlights in bright colors. But if your school or office forbids colorful hair, you can be naughty about it. Add highlights to an area where your highlights can be hidden. And you can simply use a hair clip to show off your bright colors once outside.
Layered hair
Always remember that the layering of hair is the most important aspect of an emo hair. Let your hairstylist create the layers for you, or you can ask a friend to cut your hair if money is tight. Most importantly, layering is usually good with school or work, so sporting an emo hairstyle is not a problem.
How to create emo bangs
Emo bangs are definitely what you need to complete your emo hairstyle. They are not difficult to create, and you can even do it yourself.
Let us look at some ways at how you can create emo bangs.
Rule of emo bangs
Emo bangs are normally long and straight, so you should grow your hair long and then cut them. The rule of thumb in emo bangs is to cut the bangs at the length of your jawline but no more. And you bangs must be lengthier than your own nose.
Dry your hair
In cutting emo bangs, you need to make sure that your hair is completely dry. Remember that when your hair is wet, it looks longer. And so to avoid cutting your hair too short, dry your hair first.
Straight hair
Wavy or curly hair has no place in the emo hairstyle. So if you don’t have straight hair, you must strengthen your hair prior to sporting the emo hair. If you only want to sport the emo hairstyle temporarily, you can use a flat iron to have straight hair.
Hair training
If you are used to parting your hair at the center, it is a good idea to train your hair. Prior to cutting your bangs into emo style, part your hair from farther down. Use hair pins to keep your hair swept to the side, and do this for weeks. Training your hair is best since the result is beneficial for the emo hairstyle. After long weeks of training, your hair will begin to naturally gear to the side.
Cut before dyeing
If you wish to dye your hair to get the complete emo look, you should cut your bangs first prior to coloring your hair. This will allow you to save on dye, as well as work on less hair.
Ready your cutting tools
In order to cut your bangs, you need necessary items to complete the task. You need to prepare:
- Hair shears
- Rat-tail comb
- More than 2 hair clips
- Spray bottle for water
- Razor (optional)
Splitting the bangs
When you are ready to cut your emo bangs, gather the front portion of your hair. Split your soon-to-bangs hair into a bottom layer and a top layer. This is especially helpful if you have thin hair, but no need to separate if your hair is thick. And when partitioning is the way to go, use a hair clip to pin the top layer way back. Start cutting your hair from the bottom layer. Make sure that the length is longer than your nose, but not lengthier than your jawline. Once you are done cutting the bottom layer, do the same with the top layer. Remember to create jagged or asymmetric shape to get the emo look perfectly.
1 inch to the side
In cutting your bangs, you must first separate 25 cm or 1 inch of hair in the area where your bangs begin. Most likely, this section is right above your left or right eyebrow. Cut your front hair in a sloping direction, leaning to the other side. So if you prefer to sweep your bangs to the left, you should start cutting from your right side, going downwards to the left. Take note to make your bangs longer as you cut through from right to left.
Hold stray hairs
Do not let stray hairs get away by smoothing your hair using a comb, and sandwiching the hair between your fingers. Run your comb from the roots down, making sure that the hair is flat.
Cut bottom hair segment
Use a pair of shears to cut your bangs in an upward movement. But be very careful not to hurt your fingers. Intentionally create jagged cuttings, since emo hairstyle is all about uneven bangs.
Cut top layer
Once you’re done with the bottom layer of your bangs, you can now let go of the clipped top layer. This time, cut the hair longer at 1.15 inch compared to the bottom layer. Do the same upward cutting movement.
Work inspection
When you’re done cutting your bangs, inspect your craftsmanship. If you want to create a feathered look on your emo nags, use a razor to achieve this style. In using the razor, start from the roots, and slowly move down to the tips. Just be very careful not to cut through so much hair in order to provide a slightly feathered look only, and not ruin your bangs.
Applying color to your emo hair
You need to understand that if you want to dye your emo hair, you need to re-apply the dye later. Your hair will not stop growing, and your natural hair color starts showing on your roots. However, the emergence of the root can actually add to the emo or punkish hairstyle. But it is still ideal to re-apply color, or change the color of your hair completely.
Dyeing materials
If you don’t have the budget for a hairstylist to color your hair, you can do the application at home. You need the following materials to achieve your goal:
- Hair dye (color of your choice)
- Hair bleach (optional)
- Plastic gloves
- Plastic shower cap
- Old towel
- Old t-shirt
- Tint brush
- Tin foil (for highlights)
- Plastic hair clips
Tips on dyeing your emo hair
- Go to a hair salon if you are not highly confident that you can accomplish the dyeing process.
- When dyeing at home, wear your old t-shirt so your new one will not get ruined with hair color.
- Do the dyeing inside your bathroom so you can easily clean up after.
- Never forget to use plastic gloved to protect your hands from the chemical.
- Bleach your hair first before applying a lighter color if you have naturally dark hair. Your new blonde or light dye will not take effect if you do not apply bleach to your hair first.
- You don’t have to bleach your emo hair if you are going from light hair to dark.
- If you want, you can do a strand test on your hair to ensure that you love your new color choice.
- Choose a hair dye color that suits your personality.
- If bleaching is needed, make sure to purchase an organic bleaching product to minimize the damage.
- In applying the bleach, measure 0.25-0.5 inch from your scalp before you apply the chemical.
Emo hair bleaching recommended waiting time
When you need to apply bleach on your emo hair to color it light, you need to be time conscious. Always follow the instruction in bleaching, especially the recommended waiting time. Leaving the bleach on your hair for longer than needed could damage your hair and scalp. And if the bleaching does not work, you can repeat the process after 24 hours, and not less.
Here are the typical waiting periods before you wash away the bleach from your hair:
- For blonde hair: 15 to 30 minutes waiting time
- If hair is light brown: 25 to 35 minutes waiting time
- Medium brown hair: 30 to 45 minutes waiting time
- For black or dark brown hair: 45 to 60 minutes waiting time
Bleach rinsing
Once you are ready to rinse the bleach, don’t forget to use cool water only. Avoid getting the bleach into your eyes at all times. And it is best to wear plastic gloves when getting rid of the traces of bleach formula on your emo hair.
The different emo hair names
The emo hairstyle is the most telling aspect of an emo style. And in case you don’t know, there are actually various names for emo haircuts. Let us explore each of these names.
Emo Swoop
The emo swoop is also called the emo shag, and it is typically sported by the male species. But, it can lso be worn by the female population with short hair. This emo hairstyle consists of long fringe bangs that are meticulously brushed towards the other side in order to cover one eye. This distinctive appearance is more alluring with short spikes at the back for men, as well as longer back hair for both genders.
Emo Bob
The emo bob haircut is designed for girls and women, and the length varies. However, it is best to cut the hair not longer than shoulder-length. This emo hair has a concave style with a wispy tip texture. The emo bob bangs are typically layered with asymmetrical formation, or the hair is shaped inwards. The bangs are flipped to the side to give more focus on the eyes. This emo hair is perfect for females who have long faces, since this hairstyle can make the face look oval. Individuals sporting this emo hairstyle usually wear hair accessories for added charm.
Emo Long
The emo long hairstyle is usually below the shoulders in length. It is distinctive in its design due to the numerous sharp layers of the hair that provides rich texture to the emo hair. The bangs in this haircut are typically thick and rounded, which certainly attracts a lot of attention to the eyes. The tips of the emo hair are wispy and asymmetrical like the emo bob. The emo long is intended to appear messy, with a “just got out of bed” look. This kind of hairstyle is best with various thick sections of different bold colors. It does not look good on small streaks or highlights. You will have a perfect emo long hair if you have straight hair.
Skullet
The skullet emo hairstyle is definitely an extreme design that is for men. It is a daring haircut that is inspired by the mullet, and it exposes the skull of the wearer. Men with skullet hairstyle shave their head and allow the side hair to grow long. And these men add more drama to their hairstyle by coloring their remaining hair with bold colors that are extremely funky.
Emo hairstyle ideas
There are hundreds of emo hairstyle ideas in the internet. Let us explore a couple of emo hair ideas that you can choose from.
Conclusion
The emo hairstyle is a beautiful style that you can sport in a daily basis. However, be responsible in wearing this haircut, since it is not appropriate for formal parties, school, and work. Choose to be subtle about your emo hair, and avoid other things associated with an emo lifestyle. You can always have an emo hair without the need to put on dark makeup and clothes. You can simply create an emo haircut and relish the beauty of it.
