Scandi Hairlines - the good, the bad, and the realistic lifespan.

By Humankind Hair Director Anneliese Hesse.

3 minute read.

'Scandi Hairlines' are all over social media.

So much so that you may even have had clients ask you about them.

And whilst they may look great in pictures, or even on the day, in 6 months (or weeks) time, your client may be questioning how they've ended up with a fringe they didn’t ask for.

Here's everything you need to know.

What is a 'Scandi Hairline'?

A 'Scandi Hairline' refers to lightening up the front hairline all the way from the scalp, for that super light blonde result typically seen naturally only on people of Scandinavian descent.

Much like a scalp bleach, or global tint, but only in the hairline area.

The trend has caught on and spread via social media, but there is more to consider than the aesthetic result.

When to do it, and why?

A scandi hairline is usually paired with highlights or a balayage look.

It can be done in a number of ways, but most often is achieved by painting bleach directly onto the scalp all around the front hairline.

This is usually applied at the basin, after rinsing out the foils, but before toning.

The technique can be useful when foiling a hairline that is difficult to get all of the hairs in; for example with lots of baby hair or multi-directional growth patterns.

Sounds dreamy, what's the issue?
 

There are two:
Regrowth and Condition

As you're essentially doing a scalp bleach, you're going to create heavier grow out than before, which will need to be maintained regularly in order to avoid banding.

Added to that, you're doing it on the finest, weakest hair on the head. The hair at the hairline is almost always the thinnest in diameter, as well as density, meaning it can easily become damaged, break and leave the hair overall looking thin.

Above: Examples of 'scandi hairlines' during application/processing. Note product is painted towards the face, away from the rest of the hair, for precision.

Things to consider before taking the plunge

Regrowth and maintenance.

Taking a finer section will minimise this but it will still be somewhat more obvious than before, so clients must be advised.

Getting enough lift.

Those who are applying their scandi hairlines after removing their foils, as in the pictures above, may find it takes longer to lift than anticipated. This often leads to colourists using a stronger oxidant which leads to... you guessed it, breakage.

Suitability.

Not only from a regrowth perspective, we must also consider the natural base and how well the lightened hairline is likely to blend in, if that is the desired look.

Here's an example of a scandi hairline done on a dark base:

So what's the overall takeaway?

Whether you love the look or not, this is a high risk technique when it comes to condition.

It's not our place to say whether it 'should' or shouldn't' be done - we're just here to give you the facts so you can make your own decisions. As we always say, there are no 'wrong' or 'rights' in hairdressing - just different techniques that give different results :)


To learn more about hair condition, colouring techniques, trichology and more, check out our upcoming courses.