The fringe benefits: you look instantly younger, thanks to the girlish style and its forehead-hiding handiness. The flipside: if you hate it, you’re in for months of growing pains. Here, how to know if a fringe is right for you…
The Nose Knows. When you’re fringe-less, the face’s focal point is your eyes. Almost universally a face’s most alluring feature. And, of course, there’s always concealer, shadow, liner and mascara to make eyes even more eye-catching. However, cut down the frame of your face by chopping a fringe and - just picture it - the focal point shifts south to the nose. So, if you have any nose issues, you may want to think twice about putting it on such prominent display. After all, short of a scalpel, there’s not much that can be done to make a poor old nose look any nicer.
The Thick of it. If you have long, thick hair, you could take the baby step of a sweeping side fringe or a fine choppy fringe. They’re easy to grow out once you’re over them. If, however, you have fine hair, you’ll need to commit to a fringe that’s cut from as far back as the top of the crown. Any less than this and your fringe will look wispy and what’s-the-point. So make sure you’re 100 per cent certain you’re ready to make the move.
The Upkeep. Are you prepared for all the work and attention a fringe demands? Think a trim every four weeks (good news: most stylists will do this for free). If you have a cowlick, you’ll need to pay special styling attention to your fringe, blow-drying it to the opposite side until it falls perfectly into place. You also should shampoo a fringe daily - even if you don’t wash the rest of your hair as often. The fringe sits directly on an oil-prone forehead, meaning it can also become oily during the day, which makes it soon look limp and dirty.
