ELLE's Guide To Successfully Growing Out Your Bangs

Next to cutting your hair into a French bob (or the choppy pixie cut), a fringe is the chicest way to elevate your look into fashion girl territory. From Daisy Edgar-Jones' romantic, full bangs to Dakota Johnson's '60s style face-framers, it's clear that bangs are timeless.

But if you're having second thoughts or simply fancy going fringe-free for your next look, the growing out period is often tricky - but it doesn't have to be. We went straight to the professionals to find out to ease those growing pains and how to avoid them in the first place.

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How fast do fringes grow?

According to esteemed hairstylist Charlotte Mensah, it all depends on how quickly the rest of your hair grows and how short your bangs are. '(In general), it can take from three to six months to grow out your fringe,' says Mensah.

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If you're planning to grow out your fringe, it then depends on what you want your resulting hairstyle to look like. 'For a long, soft curtain bang fringe, it will take around three to four months,' says Harrison Keeble, stylist at Neil Moodie Studio in Spitalfields. 'However, if the end result is getting rid of the fringe completely, with the right face framing haircut it could be resolved in six months'.

How to maintain a healthy fringe

All this means is that when you have a fringe, it is a commitment. But taking care of your fringe will ensure that it grows healthy and strong.

'The best way to maintain your fringe is to trim it regularly every six to eight weeks', offers Mensah, who recommends using products and styling it when it's wet.

'There may be days when your curls aren’t cooperating with you, be patient. Sometimes a few strands in your curly hair fringe are out of place. To remedy this, use a curling wand with a barrel width that is similar size to your natural curl pattern. Wrap the hair around the wand to add definition,' advices Mensah.

Since bangs are usually the most styled part of someone’s hairstyle, Keeble stresses the importance of using heat protection when styling.

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The most low-maintenance fringe styles

There's no denying the statement a micro-fringe makes, but if your lifestyle requires something that's easier to maintain, baby bangs miiiiight not be ideal.

Mensah agrees. 'Short fringes with curly hair are the hardest to maintain for most face shapes, but the '70s curly curtain bangs help to open the face up to show off your cheekbones and are probably the easiest to grow out as you can part in the middle and also wear as a side swept fringe,' she tells ELLE UK.

Yara Shahidi

'A soft and/or layered fringe will grow out much subtler and should only need light styling, a layered fringe looks a lot cleaner if you’re going for a slick bun style,' adds Keeble. He's also a fan of 'blended bangs'. 'It would be connected into the face framing of the haircut, making the entire style and shape grow out a lot more subtly,' Keeble says.

Should you actually trim your own fringe?

The general consensus with professionals everywhere is - no. You run the risk of it being uneven, you could take too much off or you may not have the right tools for the task.

That said, if your fringe is really getting in the way and you can't get an appointment (or you know, if you're just a DIY queen - more power to you), ELLE's guide to trimming your fringe is packed with useful pointers.

How to style your growing out fringe

'Hair growth patterns like fixed partings or cowlicks are what makes fringe styling a pain,' says Keeble.

Blow drying your fringe with Denman brush from side to side can reset the parting, suggests Keeble. 'If this doesn’t work, try blow drying against the root with a round brush.'

Louis Vuitton SS25

Adds Keeble: 'A good styling product like a mousse, heat protector or a light texture spray can help with frizzy and uncooperative hairs.'

When it comes to curly fringes, Mensah recommends trying easy styling hacks.

'There's no shortcut to making your fringe grow quicker. Try parting in the middle, pin it back with bobbi pins, barrettes or clips. Trying out new style braids and twist are a good option too,' says Mensah.

'Always apply styling products while your hair is wet,' shares Mensah. 'My go-to product for styling bangs is the Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Pomade. It provides moisture, soft hold, and helps define your curls.

Simone Rocha SS25

If you find your fringe shrinking more than you desire, pull on the ends with your fingers. Transitioning to a side-swept bangs is much easier than people realise, making it the most flexible hairstyle for growing out fringes plus it's low-maintenance,' she says.

ELLE Edit: The 'Growing Out My Fringe' Toolkit

Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Hair Pomade

£55 at Space NK

Jennifer Behr Barrettes

£170 at NET-A-PORTER

Davines Blow Dry Primer

£29 at Sephora

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Medina Azaldin

Beauty Editor, ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK

Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.