With so many short hairstyles, it’s easy to see why more women are choosing to chop off their long locks. Short cuts are so versatile and can look great on almost any face shape just by tweaking the way bangs lie and the way hair frames the face.
Short styles can be tricky to maintain, though. It’s common for women to struggle to style their hair the same way their stylist did, which can leave it looking limp and lifeless. These styling tips for short hair might be just what you need if you find yourself in the same boat:
Make Sure It’s Completely Dry Before Bed
First things first: Are you a person who showers at night? Go for it - but be sure to get your hair completely dry before going to bed. This is a good rule to follow regardless of your hair length because wet hair will stay wet for a lot longer if it’s lying on a pillow with no air to dry it.
But, having dry hair before bed is even more important to women with short hair because short styles are very susceptible to feeling and looking flat when they’re not styled. When you go to bed with wet hair, there’s a good chance you’ll wake up with lifeless, thin-feeling hair that’s feels impossible to style. And, you’ll probably have some unsightly crimps where you don’t want them.
Give your hair a couple of hours to air dry after you shower before you turn in for the night, or blow dry it if you’re in a rush.
But, Avoid Over-Drying
Blow-drying your hair - no matter what style you have - should typically be a last resort. It can damage hair to the point of no return, rendering it frizzy, dry, and brittle. No one wants that!
Of course, we all know that blow-drying is sometimes a necessity. We’re in a rush for work or we’re trying to get ready for a night out and need our hair to be dry. It’s okay to use a blow dryer in a pinch. Just don’t rely on it for your everyday routine.
Instead, allow your hair to air dry as much as possible. While you’re waiting for your hair to air dry, you can get your fingers in there and style it, paying special attention to scrunching hair at the crown for volume. Then, use a burst of cold air from your blow dryer for the last five minutes or so to seal in shine and avoid heat damage.
Spritz on Some Volumizer in the Morning
You don’t need to add a ton of product to make your short hair look beautiful. Instead, a spritz of volumizer should do the trick. Adding extra product can actually weigh down your hair and make your style last for less time than it would without a bunch of product in it.
A spray volumizer gives your hair some texture and bounce so that it lifts where you need it to and doesn’t lie flat. If you feel more comfortable using a mousse that can also help hold your style, you can opt for a volumizing mousse that adds a bit of texture to flat hair.
Use Professional Tools
Using professional quality hair tools is essential for creating a short style look that won’t damage hair. Short styles tend to require tools like flat irons, curling irons, blow dryers, and more to achieve the perfect look without hair looking dull and flat.
The problem is that cheap tools can leave your hair looking worse over time because of damage from heat and constant styling. When you use the right tools for short hair and ensure that you’re stocked only with professional-quality tools, you’ll find that you can probably use less of them and that they’re more gentle with your hair.
Stick to Wax Instead of Gel
Gel can easily turn your adorable pixie cut into a greasy bob, which is likely not the look you were going for. Hair wax may be the better option for short ‘dos.
Hair wax not only can make your hair more flexible, but it also amps up its texture, making it the perfect solution for short cuts. Use it to keep hair in place, add a few short spikes, or create some extra volume at the crown without adding unnecessary grease.
Mend Your Hair Occasionally with an Oil Treatment
Oil treatments should be a go-to product for women with short hair, especially if they frequently have to combat frizz or have damage from heat or coloring. Oils, like moroccanoil, can give your hair a little extra boost of moisture, shine, and smoothness, without making it feel greasy.
Aim to use oils sparingly because you don’t want to make your hair too oily, remember - your scalp has plenty of oil to spare too. Once or twice a week for most women is plenty.
You can also opt for a DIY hot oil treatment that can give damaged hair some deep conditioning. These treatments are great for short hair because they can breathe some new life, smoothness, and bounce back into your hair so that you can create the perfect style.
Practice Makes Perfect
If you dread doing your hair each morning, take these tips into consideration. It may take you awhile to get used to new techniques and products - but you will eventually get the hang of it. With a little TLC, you’ll be styling your hair like a pro in no time.
