I Tested 4 Clip-On Bangs Before Cutting Bangs on My Gray Hair
Back in the 1980s and 90s, I wore bangs constantly. I had dark hair and short bangs, and I loved the way my hair looked.
Fast forward to my gray hair years, and I tried bangs again – ONCE – and hated them.
But I never really figured out why. Was it my gray hair? The style of bangs? Or was it simply that I no longer recognized myself with bangs after years of wearing my hair differently?
Lately, bangs have been calling to me again. And that’s a dangerous thought, the day before a hair appointment!
After all, we all know that bangs can go disastrously wrong!
So instead of making an impulsive decision and hoping for the best, I decided to do something smarter:
I ordered four different sets of clip-on bangs so I could test bangs on my gray hair before cutting them.
And I’m so glad I did!
The Clip-On Bangs I Tested on My Gray Hair
For this little experiment, I chose inexpensive synthetic gray clip-on bangs in styles that I thought might work well on me.
All of these clip-ons can be trimmed, styled, and curled.
SARLA Clip-in Side Bangs
These were the very first gray bangs I ordered.
Unfortunately, I just assumed that they only came in one gray hair shade – which was incorrect. They have several gray hair options, and one of them would’ve matched my shade perfectly.
Even though the shade wasn’t quite right, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable these felt once clipped in, and how well-made they were.
That said, I realized quickly that side-swept bangs were not what I’m in the mood for at this moment.
But I could totally see these working beautifully on someone who loves softer side-swept styles.
Wodelanle Clip In French Bangs
These clip-in French Bangs were the biggest surprise of the entire experiment:
The moment I clipped them in, I immediately realized something super important:
It wasn’t bangs I disliked once my hair turned gray. It was the specific haircut I had paired with them.
Last time I had bangs, I paired them with a bob haircut, and on me, it felt a little too heavy and frumpy.
But these French-style bangs paired with longer hair felt softer, cooler, and much more modern.
I especially liked:
- The shorter length
- The cleaner line across the forehead
- The way they looked with sunglasses
- The way they looked with my longer hair
These were the first bangs that made me think: “Bangs still look good on me!”
Cephermer Wispy Bangs
These bangs came with extra side pieces designed to help blend them into your natural hair.
And those little blending pieces worked surprisingly well!
These gave a much softer and more romantic look compared to the French bangs, but they reminded me that I prefer shorter bangs that stay out of my eyes.
I think these clip-on bangs would be gorgeous on someone who likes a softer, face-framing look.
And they look GREAT with sunglasses!
SARLA Braided Headband with Wispy Bangs
I’ll be honest: I ordered these mostly for fun. But sometimes the “just for fun” purchase can still teach you something.
This set included a few sets of clip-on bangs and a braided headband attachment, which gives a bit of a Renaissance-fair vibe.
And this shade (multi) blended very nicely with my own silver hair.
While I probably wouldn’t wear the full braided headband look in everyday life, this set still helped me confirm something important:
I do prefer shorter bangs with my gray hair.
Why Testing Bangs First Is a Great Idea
One thing I’ve learned about getting older is that hair changes feel “riskier” to me now than they used to.
Do you feel the same way? I hate to assume this is a universal experience, but I feel like it might be.
When I was younger, I experimented constantly with my hair. Bangs, layers, long hair, short hair, color changes… it all felt temporary and fun!
But after 50 (and especially after embracing my gray hair), I became much more cautious. I worried about looking older or frumpy, and I didn’t want to end up stuck with a haircut I regretted.
That’s what made the idea of clip-on bangs so appealing to me.
Instead of walking into my hair appointment blindly hoping for the best, I could actually test different bang styles on my own face, with my own hair, before making a permanent decision.
It turned out to be incredibly helpful!
Testing bangs first lets you:
- See how different bang styles work with your face shape
- Test how bangs look with glasses
- Figure out which lengths feel most flattering
- Decide whether the issue is actually the bangs… or the haircut framing the bangs.
And most importantly? If you hate them, you simply take them off.
There’s no risk!
Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
What I Learned From Testing Bangs on Gray Hair
By the end of this little experiment, I realized something kind of surprising:
My gray hair was never the problem.
Instead, the biggest factors were:
- My hair length (I like bangs better on me when I have long hair)
- The length of the bangs themselves
Testing the bangs first clarified my preferences and made me less anxious.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been curious about pairing bangs with your gray hair but feel nervous about committing, I think clip-on bangs are a really smart no-risk way to test drive them.
And yes… after testing all these bangs, I went ahead and got real bangs afterward. I’ll share what happened (and whether I’d do it again) in my next post.
And now I’d love to know: Have you ever considered getting bangs with your gray hair?
Please let me know in the comments!
