I've had a straight cut fringe, or 'bangs', for the most part of my life. I'd consider it my signature style and I feel completely odd on occasions when it must be pinned back or has temporarily grown out. Though I'm not at all in any way, shape or form a hair expert I thought I'd share with you all some of the tips and tricks I've picked up over the years in regards to maintaining a fringe. Some of these may be completely obvious to those of you that too have a fringe but if you are new to them, or thinking about getting one, I hope you find something helpful!
Terry Cloth Bands
I find these to be an utmost necessity for having a fringe. I'm sure all of you who have one have experienced an occasion in which you are trying to wash your face, shower, moisturize or apply your makeup and your fringe just completely gets in the way to suffer the wrath of hot water and oily products. Alice bands can work but if your fringe if quite short tendrils of hair can fall out and prove to be disruptive. I find terry cloth bands work well as they are wide, ensuring greater security, and the material is perfect for absorbing chance splashes of water. I myself use an elasticized cloth band over one with velcro for maximum security of my fringe and the fact that the velcro ones can often cause discomfort by clinging to stray hairs.
Dry Shampoo
Let's face it. Sometimes we are just in too much of a rush to wash our hair and I would never recommend washing your fringe on its own! Dry shampoo is a life saver for hair, especially fringes. Give a quick spritz, fluff up your hair and then brush it out. Voila! I find that a soft bristled brush works best for this. I always keep a can of dry shampoo on my bathroom shelf and take it with me when travelling. Some brands are even available in handy travel sized cans. I find it particularly handy for hot and humid summer days.
Rest
Some days I think it is good to just give your fringe a bit of a break, especially during hot weather. Oils from your forehead can make your fringe quite oily and it's not the best look or feeling. It will also give your forehead a break, espcially if you have problem skin. Alice bands are perfect for this and many cute 'dos can be styled around them. I find that toothed bands work best, with better grip to prevent stray hairs from falling loose. Bobby pins can also work for longer fringes.
Flathead Hairdryer Attachment
On days when my hair is not as tame as I'd like it to be after a wash, when damp and combed, I like to give my fringe a blast with my hairdryer's 'flat head' attachment. This attachment concentrates the airflow onto a specific area of your hair, enabling a greater amount of control when styling. I blast it directly down from the root the to ends on a warm setting with medium strength, straightening the hair out into place and creating a nice shine. I then go over it with a quick cool setting to set it and then let the rest of my hair dry naturally. This method can also be helpful to tame some cow's licks.
Rolling
A good trick to do when your fringe is getting just that little bit longer in between trims is to roll it. This is done when styling your hair for a day or night out. Soft bristled roller brushes work best for this. On dry hair, lift the brush up under your fringe to the root and roll it away from you through the hair. While doing this, blast your hair with a hairdryer on a warm setting with medium strength. Gently brush it out. The results should be a nice and bouncy, slightly shorter fringe.
Trimming
I have been trimming my own fringe for years now. Some people are against the idea of trimming your own fringe as if it were taboo but I say do what you feel comfortable with. If you are happy to get it done on a regular basis at a salon, fabulous! But know that you can do it on your own at home with the right equipment and by adhering to certain instructions, saving time and money. Let me say, never, never use nail or safety scissors when cutting your own hair. Always use a pair of hair cutting shears. These can be bought from various salons or beauty stores. A good tutorial you can watch to learn how to trim your fringe properly can be found here.
Do you have any of your own tips or tricks when it comes to fringes?
I'd love to hear of them!
