How to Cut a Fringe
Determine the kind of fringe you want, depending on your face shape., Comb your hair., Part your hair., Cut a straight fringe from the middle outward., Consider twisting your bangs together., Lighten, angle, or curve your fringe., Check to make sure...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine the kind of fringe you want
If you have a long oval face with a wider forehead, try a blunt front fringe.
If you have a smaller forehead and rounder face, try a side-swept fringe.
The width of your fringe should be the length from one arch of an eyebrow to the other.
You can make it slightly wider, but don't make it too narrow.
It is a good idea to google the type of fringe that will suit your face shape.
Search for "oval face fringe" or "round face fringe".
Read up on the upkeep of that fringe so you don't cut yourself a fringe that needs straightening everyday if you do nod have a straightening iron -
Step 2: depending on your face shape.
Put your hair in a ponytail to get it out of the way, then comb your bangs so they lay flat.
This makes it easier to focus on your fringe, and it helps you see where they need trimming.
Brush your bangs forward so your hair is covering your face.
Use a spray bottle to lightly mist your bangs with water.
Comb through your hair to make sure there are still no knots, and to verify that your part is even.
Never cut your bangs when your hair is completely wet, as wet hair is longer than dry hair and could result in you accidentally cutting off more than you intended.
If you do cut your bangs when they're wet, be careful and cut less than you think you need to. , Take a fine-tooth comb and brush your hair until it is smooth and tangle-free.
For side bangs, you will need to create a side-part.
Part your hair to the side on which it naturally falls.
Make a parting as far back on your head as you want the fringe to start.
Compare the section of hair left down at the front of your your head to your face to see how far down you want your fringe to come.
Then, take your index finger of your non-brushing hand and place it against your hairline so that your second knuckle is aligned with your hairline.
Place the tip of the comb where the end of your finger lies; that will be your starting point.
Look for the arch in your eyebrow on the brow furthest from your comb.
Line up the point of your finger with the arch of your eyebrow, and create a smooth line between the two.
Pin back all your hair that was not included in your bang sectioning.
You will be left with the portion of hair that should be cut If you have really thick hair, thin it down a little.
Hold your scissors with the two blades opened very slightly.
Hold your fringe out together and run your scissors vertically through it very fast. , Insert the comb underneath your bangs and pull it down to where you want them to hit your forehead.
Next, holding your scissors vertically, make tiny cuts into your bangs (directly below the comb), starting at the middle of your fringe and working your way toward the outer left corner.
Then, start back at the middle of your bangs and trim toward the right side.
Trim the left side of your bangs.
Again, using the comb as your guide, insert it underneath your bangs and pull it down so that you can cut the outer left-hand side of your fringe more easily.
This time, hold your scissors at a 45 degree angle and gently cut into your bangs.
You want them to be straight across your forehead, and then gradually get longer toward the outer edges.
To trim the right side of your bangs, repeat what you did on the left side.
However, if you're right handed, the left side can be harder to trim, so cross your right arm over your body (keeping it close, not up in the air) to help steady your hand.
It's also a good idea to cut more slowly when you're trimming the left side of your fringe, and check your work more often to make sure you didn't cut too much.
Cut your hair in as few of snips as possible, making sure that you don’t miss any pieces.
The fewer cuts, the straighter it will be.
Cutting at the tip of your nose will give you long, side-swept bangs, from which you can cut more off to create shorter bangs.
When cutting any bangs, do not use too much tension.
Pulling the hair down too tightly can result in cutting your bangs way too short.
They will spring up once they've been cut. , By twisting the hair that you have in front of your face, you may find it easier to get a straighter and cleaner cut.
Cut through your hair horizontally in a straight line.
Once you untwist your hair, you should have a perfectly straight fringe. , To lighten the fringe, cut directly up into the hair, about half an inch from the bottom of the fringe, towards the top of the forehead.
This will make the fringe look less blunt.
If you want the fringe slightly longer on the sides and shorter in the middle, instead of cutting the hair in sections, gather all the hair that should be in the fringe very tightly in the middle, and make a single cut at the height you want the middle of the fringe to be.
This will create a naturally curved fringe.
If you want an asymmetrical fringe: either cut your hair in little lots, so that they are of different lengths, or hold your comb diagonally down and pull your hair towards the side you want longer, then cut along the edge of the comb.
If you want a side fringe, hold your hair at the angle you want your side fringe to fall at, and cut like you would have cut for the straight fringe. , Using your fingertips to move your fringe around a bit, check to make sure that your bangs fall where you want them to—and that they're even.
If not, repeat the process and then check them again.
When you are satisfied, brush it out and take the rest of your hair out of the ponytail.
Use a fluffy makeup brush to sweep away any tiny hairs on your face.
You can also roll a travel-sized lint remover over your skin, which picks hairs off of your face in a flash. , Hold a round brush at the roots of your bangs, and use a blow dryer to blow them from underneath over the top of the brush.
Take a few minutes to make sure they are completely dry, and then swoop your new bangs to the side. -
Step 3: Comb your hair.
-
Step 4: Part your hair.
-
Step 5: Cut a straight fringe from the middle outward.
-
Step 6: Consider twisting your bangs together.
-
Step 7: Lighten
-
Step 8: or curve your fringe.
-
Step 9: Check to make sure that the bangs are even.
-
Step 10: Style your bangs.
Detailed Guide
If you have a long oval face with a wider forehead, try a blunt front fringe.
If you have a smaller forehead and rounder face, try a side-swept fringe.
The width of your fringe should be the length from one arch of an eyebrow to the other.
You can make it slightly wider, but don't make it too narrow.
It is a good idea to google the type of fringe that will suit your face shape.
Search for "oval face fringe" or "round face fringe".
Read up on the upkeep of that fringe so you don't cut yourself a fringe that needs straightening everyday if you do nod have a straightening iron
Put your hair in a ponytail to get it out of the way, then comb your bangs so they lay flat.
This makes it easier to focus on your fringe, and it helps you see where they need trimming.
Brush your bangs forward so your hair is covering your face.
Use a spray bottle to lightly mist your bangs with water.
Comb through your hair to make sure there are still no knots, and to verify that your part is even.
Never cut your bangs when your hair is completely wet, as wet hair is longer than dry hair and could result in you accidentally cutting off more than you intended.
If you do cut your bangs when they're wet, be careful and cut less than you think you need to. , Take a fine-tooth comb and brush your hair until it is smooth and tangle-free.
For side bangs, you will need to create a side-part.
Part your hair to the side on which it naturally falls.
Make a parting as far back on your head as you want the fringe to start.
Compare the section of hair left down at the front of your your head to your face to see how far down you want your fringe to come.
Then, take your index finger of your non-brushing hand and place it against your hairline so that your second knuckle is aligned with your hairline.
Place the tip of the comb where the end of your finger lies; that will be your starting point.
Look for the arch in your eyebrow on the brow furthest from your comb.
Line up the point of your finger with the arch of your eyebrow, and create a smooth line between the two.
Pin back all your hair that was not included in your bang sectioning.
You will be left with the portion of hair that should be cut If you have really thick hair, thin it down a little.
Hold your scissors with the two blades opened very slightly.
Hold your fringe out together and run your scissors vertically through it very fast. , Insert the comb underneath your bangs and pull it down to where you want them to hit your forehead.
Next, holding your scissors vertically, make tiny cuts into your bangs (directly below the comb), starting at the middle of your fringe and working your way toward the outer left corner.
Then, start back at the middle of your bangs and trim toward the right side.
Trim the left side of your bangs.
Again, using the comb as your guide, insert it underneath your bangs and pull it down so that you can cut the outer left-hand side of your fringe more easily.
This time, hold your scissors at a 45 degree angle and gently cut into your bangs.
You want them to be straight across your forehead, and then gradually get longer toward the outer edges.
To trim the right side of your bangs, repeat what you did on the left side.
However, if you're right handed, the left side can be harder to trim, so cross your right arm over your body (keeping it close, not up in the air) to help steady your hand.
It's also a good idea to cut more slowly when you're trimming the left side of your fringe, and check your work more often to make sure you didn't cut too much.
Cut your hair in as few of snips as possible, making sure that you don’t miss any pieces.
The fewer cuts, the straighter it will be.
Cutting at the tip of your nose will give you long, side-swept bangs, from which you can cut more off to create shorter bangs.
When cutting any bangs, do not use too much tension.
Pulling the hair down too tightly can result in cutting your bangs way too short.
They will spring up once they've been cut. , By twisting the hair that you have in front of your face, you may find it easier to get a straighter and cleaner cut.
Cut through your hair horizontally in a straight line.
Once you untwist your hair, you should have a perfectly straight fringe. , To lighten the fringe, cut directly up into the hair, about half an inch from the bottom of the fringe, towards the top of the forehead.
This will make the fringe look less blunt.
If you want the fringe slightly longer on the sides and shorter in the middle, instead of cutting the hair in sections, gather all the hair that should be in the fringe very tightly in the middle, and make a single cut at the height you want the middle of the fringe to be.
This will create a naturally curved fringe.
If you want an asymmetrical fringe: either cut your hair in little lots, so that they are of different lengths, or hold your comb diagonally down and pull your hair towards the side you want longer, then cut along the edge of the comb.
If you want a side fringe, hold your hair at the angle you want your side fringe to fall at, and cut like you would have cut for the straight fringe. , Using your fingertips to move your fringe around a bit, check to make sure that your bangs fall where you want them to—and that they're even.
If not, repeat the process and then check them again.
When you are satisfied, brush it out and take the rest of your hair out of the ponytail.
Use a fluffy makeup brush to sweep away any tiny hairs on your face.
You can also roll a travel-sized lint remover over your skin, which picks hairs off of your face in a flash. , Hold a round brush at the roots of your bangs, and use a blow dryer to blow them from underneath over the top of the brush.
Take a few minutes to make sure they are completely dry, and then swoop your new bangs to the side.
About the Author
Heather Stokes
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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