Blog by Cosmetology Jacksonville, Fl student: JoAnna Wallace

So many guests I meet have no idea what to do with their fringe; whether it’s supposed to short and sideswept or a more subtle curtain of hair still long enough to tuck out of the way behind the wearer’s ear.

Oftentimes, the culprit is an unfortunately placed cowlick that creates separation or an unflattering wave in the fringe. Usually the latter produces a slide-like shape where the fringe rises up from the root and then curves in a ‘~’ shape that isn’t the desired effect.

Prior to coming to the Aveda Institute Jacksonville, I was a victim of both these things! I always wanted thick side-swept fringe to give my cut some character but did not like the pieced look my fine-haired fringe always acquired by the middle of the day and the subtle cowlick I have is almost at the center of my front hairline, which isn’t conducive to full, attractive fringe.

I learned my technique for combating fringe fatigue from Melissa Edwards, my Introduction instructor. While we were learning the steps in cutting basic fringe I expressed my dismay at my hair’s annoying habits. She took a quick look at my hairline and informed me that I had a cowlick, which was news to me! She explained to the class that an easy way to combat these natural growth patterns and ‘train’ the fringe to fall across the forehead in a pretty semi-circular sweep is to blow dry the hair in the opposite direction of where the wearer wants it to fall. Blowing the hair up, down, and to the side with a paddle brush prior to flipping it in the desired direction and finishing with a small round brush or a flat iron helps tame the roots of the hair and re-train pesky cowlicks.

For those who have longer face-framing fringe that is long enough to be pushed behind the ear or secured in a pony tail, the same paddle brush technique can be employed and a round brush used to shape the hair and eliminate any unnecessary curl that prevents the hair from complementing the face.

It is especially important to impart these tricks of the trade to guests that are not used to having fringe and may dislike their new cut simply because they do not know how to make it look its best.