Ask any women how they felt when they made the big decision to cut their hair. So many said it felt liberating.
It often takes a long time to come to the big decision because it’s sometimes assumed that short hair limits the styling options. Wrong! Check out the variety of short styles that are flattering.
Hair with little or no curl: Have straight, long bangs that cover the eyebrow.
Hair with curl: Graduated layers give lift and volume.
Baby-fine hair: Layer it. Add both highlights and lowlights. Finish with a volumizing spray.
Product aids: Use only the products that meet your specific need: products to get volume, to get shine, to get control. Then stop. Don’t keep adding product; hair loses body and shine.
Sophistication reigns: Go straight with hair pulled behind one ear and falling forward over the other ear.
Daring do: Use spray on the sides and slick side hair severely back. Then lift the top. New and saucy.
Bangs are game changers: Long or short. Straight or swept to one side. Layered a lot or not at all. To create drama, to introduce softness, to appear to change the shape of your face, a fringe can give you so much flexibility.
Shape Up
The shape of your face is your style guide:
- Round face: Avoid a centre part and build in a little height.
- Square face: Have soft bangs that casually sweep to one side.
- Long face: Centre part with deep bangs that cover the eyebrow.
- Heart face: Pull attention away from the narrow chin with a low side part and volume at the crown.
- Oval face: Anything goes so have some fun.
Don’t Fry Your Hair
- Heat is your hair’s enemy. Spritz a heat-protecting leave-in conditioner through damp strands from roots to ends.
- Start by towel drying your hair so it requires less blow drying.
- Dry your hair in sections so you don’t either over-dry or under-dry. Use clips to divide the sections.
- Keep the blow-dryer moving constantly to avoid applying too much heat in a single spot.
- Ensure your hair is totally dry. Leaving behind damp spots in your hair can cause major heat damage if, after drying, you use a curling tool or a flat iron.
- Use the right brush. Metal brushes can cause serious damage if you’re using too much heat. If your hair is chemically treated, use a natural-boar-bristle brush.
Originally published in Today’s Bride magazine, Fall/Winter 2016.
