There will have come a time in most women’s lives where they have asked themselves one question: to fringe or not to fringe.
Whether it’s the result of a long-thought-out consideration, a spark of inspiration or a moment of madness, cutting in a fringe can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to transform your look.
The fringe reigned supreme last year. From Zendaya’s long blunt bangs to Dua Lipa’s wispy 1990s-inspired look, the A-list made it clear that the hairstyle was the look of the moment.
And that is only set to continue this year. Fans of the Netflix series Emily in Paris winced in episode one of the latest season, released in late December, when Lily Collins’s character cut “trauma bangs” herself using kitchen scissors.
Naturally, her trauma bangs worked out pretty well for her, and elevated Emily’s Parisan-chic style throughout the rest of the season.
For most people who try to recreate a DIY-fringe at home, the results are less chic and the advice from hairdressers is universal: don’t do it.
But that doesn’t seem to stop the urge.
So, before you take the scissors to your fringe yourself, here’s some advice from the experts.
Kim Kardashian’s hairdresser Chris Appleton shared a helpful how-to video with his three million Instagram followers. He starts with a disclaimer. "It's always best to go to a salon to get this done, but if you’re forced to, this is how.”
His main tips include keeping the hair flat to the face, and not to pull down with too much tension when cutting.
You can watch his step-by-step guide below.
Dubai hairstylist Maria Dowling shares her step-by-step guide with The National, as well as her list of things to consider before making the chop.
“Lots of factors need to be taken into consideration when it comes to cutting your own fringe,” she says. “How wide, deep, heavy or light is your fringe? How much hair do you have around your temples? Do you have any kinks in your hairline? All of these questions will impact the way it will be cut.”
Still reaching for the scissors? Here are Dowling's five key steps.
Step 1
“Before you begin, wash and blow-dry your fringe into place. Make sure it is lying exactly how you like it, either super-straight, with volume, or slightly off-centre.”
Step 2
“Separate the fringe and leave it out, clipping the rest of the hair back, including the sides, which you can leave longer.”
Step 3
“Take the centre section between the middle and index fingers, slide your fingers down to the eyebrows and hold the fringe loosely in place.”
Step 4
“With some small scissors, trim the hair in two to three snips. Cut less than you think you should, as the hair will bounce up [higher on the forehead] automatically.”
Step 5
“Once you have the length right, turn the scissors vertically and nip into the ends of the hair, cutting tiny V-shapes into the fringe to soften the line and give texture.”
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