I don’t think I know many people that haven’t considered a fringe at some point in their lives. They have an uncanny way of drastically changing your vibe with a snip of a scissor and I have fallen prey to the urge a few times now. The first one I got cut was a very harsh full fringe that I thought looked chic on me but in hindsight, my relaxed hair was too wispy to pull off. I then moved into the side fringe era thanks to MTV shows leading me astray. I usually capped my hairdo off with a padded hairband a la Blair Waldorf and felt like an upper west sider.
Most recently I got a bang on trend curtain fringe which I adored. I love a fringe– I just hate growing them out; it’s the thing that prevents me from trying out new styles. It inevitably gets to an awkward stage where you can’t style it as a fringe anymore but it’s too short to blend easily with the rest of your hair.
If you’re like me, the tips below from top stylist Andrew Barton will be a life line for your fringe maintenance.
Constantly having a longer fringe fall in your face is beyond annoying. So, Andrew has a trick for keeping it pulled back. “Add a little styling spray to damp hair and style the fringe over to one side,” he advises. “This will give the hair hold and add a little shine too.” Then you need to set it in place. “Either blow-dry over to one side with a round brush for a little lift or blow-dry using fingers to create a flatter effect.”
If you ask most hairdressers what their favourite styling spray is, they’ll likely say this one from L’Oreal Professionnel. It’s a heat-activated spray that keeps your hair set with flexible hold.
The size of this brush is perfect for a lash-skimming fringe to give the hair bounce when blow-drying, plus you can use it to dry you fringe away from your face when you’re ready to grow out.
Use this root volumiser to lift your fringe and fake a trim. Apply to damp freshly-washed hair before blow-drying.
“Hair accessories, especially for summer, like jewelled clips are a great “cheat” as the fringe gets longer, hiding what was once an old fringe and adding instant glamour to the overall style,” says Andrew. It might be called a ‘cheat’ but surely this is one of the most stylish ways to disguise a long fringe? As Andrew notes, hair grows about 1.5 cm on average per month so if you’re planning on getting a fringe trim this is a good in-between option too.
I don’t think accessories get cuter than this. These pastel hair clips are practical and perfect for summer holidays.
Yes, hair clips can be handy and sophisticated. These clips prove that you don’t need to let a grown-out fringe ruin a look.
If you’re sure you want to ditch your fringe, use the above options until about 3 months into your growing out phase. “At around 12 weeks from growing out a fringe ask your stylist to start adjusting the lengths around the front to accommodate the new longer length fringe incorporating it into the overall look,” says Andrew. “Centre-parted curtain bangs are an instant update as the fringe goes from brow length to cheek bone length too.”. Up next, the best haircuts for all face shapes.
