The lived-in fringe: the fringe that doesn't look cut

Pony knippen in de salon, hair by Kuro

The fringe is back on every trend list, but forget the sleek, blow-dried curtain bangs of a few years ago. Today's version is called the lived-in fringe: looser, slightly asymmetrical, as if it wasn't cut but simply grew that way. It's the fringe for people who don't want a morning ritual with a round brush, and that's precisely why it works so well.

Why it works

A lived-in fringe softens your face without demanding attention. It moves with you, falls open where it wants, and it's precisely this imperfection that makes it modern. The secret: ninety percent of this look is in the cut, and the rest you do with your fingers and two products. No brush, no stress.

How to get it

  1. The cut is half the battle, and that half is salon work. A fringe that looks "grown-out" is paradoxically precision work: it's cut to suit your face, hair thickness, and growth direction, strand by strand. Book a fringe appointment, and know: a trim in between is a quick service with us; just pop in.
  2. Start with a light base. Spray some Foundation Mist through your damp fringe and let it air dry, or blow dry briefly while moving it back and forth with your fingers. Not trying to be neat, that's the point.
  3. Squeeze in texture. A pea-sized amount of Texturizing Cream between your fingertips, and squeeze it into the ends of your fringe. This gives you those loose, worn-in strands without the product being visible.
  4. Grip without greasy residue. Your fringe rests against your forehead all day, so it gets oily the fastest of all your hair. A quick blast of Dry Texturizing Spray provides grip, volume, and keeps it fresh, even halfway through the day.
  5. Finish loose. At most, a light cloud of Superfine Hair Spray from a distance. The fringe needs to keep moving, otherwise it's no longer lived-in.

Shop the fringe routine

The three fringe questions we hear every week

Can a fringe work with curly hair? Absolutely, it's just cut differently: longer, following the curl. Discuss it in the salon, and we'll cut it to your curl pattern. Fringe greasy after half a day? That's normal (forehead, remember) and precisely what Dry Texturizing Spray is for, even preventatively in the morning. And the growing-out phase? You'll survive it with Matte Waves and styling it to the side, and with regular trims until the length is right. We'll trim you through it.

Everything to keep your fringe fresh between washes can be found in Restyle next day. And on days when the fringe is the only loose element allowed: combine it with a low bun, the effortlessly chic combination of the moment. For the cut itself: see you in the salon.