DIY It! Our Foolproof Guide To Cutting Your Own Fringe Between Salon Visits

A fringe is a great way to change up your hair without making any major changes (hello, ill-advised pixie cut), but by God does it require a lot of commitment.

There’s the constant need to have it freshly washed, the Fringe-induced agoraphobia because you can’t leave the house if the weather is any way rainy or humid, and of course… the trimming.

While most long hairstyles can pretty much be left to their own devices, a fringe renders you temporarily blind if you don’t get it trimmed often enough. Many reputable hair salons offer free return appointments for fringe trims, but there’s always going to be those weeks where you just don’t have time to stop in.

Behold, our Fringe Trimming For Dummies guide. Grab your scissors and read on.

If you have a centre fringe
The main thing to note here is that your scissors should be at a different angle depending on what part of the fringe you’re trimming. And for the record, ALWAYS trim your fringe when it’s dry to avoid cutting it too short.

1. Tie up or pin back the main part of your hair, leaving only your fringe hanging down. Comb the fringe so it lays flat against your forehead.

2. Comb slowly down your fringe from the top to the bottom, holding the comb’s teeth outward away from your forehead, and stopping exactly where you want your fringe to end.

3. Start with the middle first. Hold your scissors vertically upward and make small cuts up toward the comb, first over to the left side and then over to the right side.

4. Now cut the outer left part of your fringe, holding your comb at a 45 degree angle pointing into the centre of your forehead. Make small cuts inward.

5. Swap over to the outer right side, again holding your comb at a 45 degree angle pointing into the centre and making small cuts inward.

6. Aim to have your fringe slightly longer on the outer edges than in the centre.

7. Check to make sure everything is even, then brush any loose cut hairs off your face – a lint roller is handy for this. Done!

If you have side layers
We love this hack from beauty blogger Kamila Bravo, who says she has been doing it “for years.”

A video posted by Camila Bravo (@kamilabravo) on Jan 21, 2016 at 8:10pm PST

1. Comb your side layers into the centre of your forehead, making sure the ends line up evenly.

2. Spritz the layers with some water.

2. Twist the layers using your fingers, starting from the top. Pinch the bottom between your thumb and index finger.

4. Cut the twist in a line straight across – make sure you go lower than desired if you have curly hair.

5. Untwist the hair and blowdry it straight. Done!

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• how to cut fringe at home