I’m growing out my bangs, which is turning out to be a veeery long process. My hair is quite curly, so it looks completely ridiculous if I wear my half-bangs down. I’m really getting bored of clipping them up! Do you have any alternative ideas? -Eva

Growing out your hair is a nightmare. I firmly believe there should be regional support groups (with lots of snacks and dishes of bobby pins everywhere) where merit badges are passed around when you meet length goals. I’ve been unsuccessfully “growing out” a pixie cut, bangs and all, so I’m very into hair hacks (but only in the figurative sense!) right now. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Depending on how long the rest of your hair is, braid those suckers back! With patience and practice, short bangs can be “braided” into a headband that turns into a milkmaid braid and wraps around your head, keeping the whole thing up and out of the way. Here’s a great video that explains how to do that:

2. Wear it like a pompadour! This one is great because it looks better the messier your hair becomes. Twist, pin, slick or braid the sides back (with pomade if needed—I like Murray’s) and fluff the top down over your forehead. You’ll look like Danny Zuko, somebody from the Who, or ideally, young Morrissey, aka God of All Hair:

illustration by Hattie.

Illustration by Hattie via Rookie.

3. Try out the Lucille Ball! It’s similar to the Moz, but you wrap a scarf around your head like Rosie the Riveter, leaving your bangs out and flufftastic. Here’s a great tutorial on a classic 1950s style. Check out how rad:

Photo v lnto the Woods.

Photo via Into the Woods.

This is SUCH a look. I’ve relied on this once since I was a young pup, and it always gets loads of compliments, especially when paired with a real cute sundress.

And just in case you hate all my suggestions, here’s a stacked blog post called “13 Ways To Wear Your Bangs“!

I hope this helps. And remember: don’t shave your head in desperation! Take lots of Hair, Skin & Nails supplements! It will be over soon! —Meredith

I have a lot of body hair all over. My arms, stomach, boobs, and everything else are covered in a dark layer of the stuff. What are (preferably cheap and discreet) hair-removal possibilities for my face as well as bigger areas? —Mae, 16, Chicago, IL

I empathize with you greatly, little Mae: I’m half Assyrian, so with my pale complexion from my mom’s side, I have an all-over layer of wonderful, thick, dark hairs from my pop. I spent most of my life being embarrassed about my body hair. I realized I had quite a bit of it for the first time in, like…the third grade? I had such a cry over my hairy legs and arms that my mom sat me down and taught me the Way of The Razor.

From that first hair removal experience on, I felt like I constantly had to engage in shaving, and, eventually, also waxing, every square inch of my body. After years of what felt like pointless upkeep that exhausted me both physically and emotionally, one day I looked at myself and thought, What the heck am I doing!!?? It doesn’t take long for my body hair, like yours, to grow back, so a few days later, I did a little experiment and let myself exist as-is. It was unnerving at first! I’ve been majorly insecure about my body hair for my whole life, and memories of being called “little monkey” at age seven started flooding back! It was a bit of a process to exist with my natural fuzz layer, but over time, things started to change. I realized, Whoa! My furry legs are a cute addition to any outfit, my arms are soft like a kitty’s, and, heck, even my sideburns frame my face nicely. I now wear my hair with pride, and honestly, now that time has passed, I kind of don’t even notice that all the hair is there.

If you still choose to get rid of ’em, I would suggest waxing the broader areas of your body, like your legs. It will not only remove the hair, but also make it finer and a bit more manageable when it grows back. If old-fashioned shaving isn’t an option, there’s always classic Nair, which is a chemical that breaks down the follicle and sort of melts it away. It comes in a variety of formulas and applicators, like lotions, creams, and strips. As for facial bits, if you don’t want to totally remove your hair, play with the illusion of light and use a creme hair bleach, like this one. Both of these options are available at most drugstores—just be careful, follow the directions to the letter, and don’t use it near your eyes and orifices.

Do what feels right for you, but know this: Whether ya decide to be a fuzzy QT, a hairless QT, or a little of both QT, it’s your body and your choice! —Allyssa

All of the beauty companies I like test their stuff on animals, and it’s hard to find cruelty-free makeup. Most supermarkets only have stuff from the big companies, so I dont even know where to start when it comes to going cruelty-free. To make it even harder, my mom won’t let me shop online. Any advice on products to start with? —P.V, 13, Toronto, Canada

Switching up your beauty products can be a tedious process, but don’t stress—you can do it. First, I recommend taking it slow, because you don’t want to blow all of your money at one time (sometimes cruelty-free also means more moolah), and you also want to find out what works on your skin/hair (irritation is the worst when it comes to trying a new product). Integrate new makeup slowly but surely: Maybe you can start with a lipstick or eye liner, and, as time goes on, add more things like a face wash, an eye shadow, or whatever else you like.

Now on to getting the damn things!!! I noticed you’re from Toronto, so I poked around and found some brands you might like that are available where you live. First of all, Bite Beauty is a really cool Canadian brand that’s sold in Sephora. They specialize in really pigmented lip colors that are also totally natural! You can DIY your own soap and lotion at Your Feel Good Soap Company—you pick out exactly what you want in your product (and have loads of fun doing it). It also looks like Toronto has a rad store called Province Apothecary at the Kensington Market, which sells products (like makeup remover!) made by this lady, who, like you, cares a lot about cruelty-free stuff. Good luck on your new beauty journey! —Chanel ♦

Do you have questions about how to paint your face, style your hair, or any other beauty routine you’d like to try? Email Amy Rose and her fleet of foxes at [email protected] for ideas! Please include your name/nickname/initials, age, and city.