Cutting It Short

So you just want to cut it off?   The right short hairstyle can look great and give you an instant confidence boost.  The trick is identifying the right cut for your face shape, body style and your personality.

First, let’s cover some basics that will guaranteed your hair is in perfect health condition no matter which style you decide to go with.

1. Shampoo properly – By this, I mean that you should invest in a top quality salon shampoo that matches your hair type, if you have colored hair, be sure that the formulation of your shampoo is suitable, likewise if your hair is thin, greasy, blond, or brunette, talk to your stylist, and ask for help on what they think is best.  So many people simply pick something off the shelf and hope for the best, when all they need is a shampoo that suits them.

2. Condition deeply -  Hair conditioners have a formulation that will add body and shine to your hair.  You know how uncomfortable and scratchy clothes are if you don’t use a fabric conditioner, well hair is the same.  Also, a good conditioner will help to keep your hair static free, which will reduce frizziness even more.  Massage the conditioner from root to tip and leave it to work its magic and make your hair look really healthy and shiny before rinsing it thoroughly.

3. Dry your hair well – Modern hair dryers will not harm your hair as much as they used to, but if you are going to use a blow dryer to get your hair dry quickly, make sure you keep it moving over your hair and dry it evenly to avoid overheating.  If you have the time, use the dryer on a cool setting to avoid damage. Dry your hair after washing after using an absorbent towel to soak up the excess moisture, but don’t rub vigorously.

4. Use a good Serum – There are a huge variety of great products around that are designed to smooth your hair.  Most salons will be able to point you in the direction of a serum such as Frizz-ease that will help to keep your hair looking great.  Generally hair serums work in three ways, by relaxing the hair, smoothing it, and reducing the potential for it to attract the static electricity that will cause it to frizz up.

5. Use good quality hair straighteners – Most people find that the cheaper hair straighteners do not do a very good job.  You might find that they do not get hot enough to iron out the kinks properly on a single pass, and are not slippery enough to allow your hair to pass through smoothly.  Opt for ceramic or glass heating plates, and make sure that there is an adjustable temperature.  GHD straighteners are the one of the most popular brands around and are commonly used in salons all around the world.  Their plates get hot fast, and are extra smooth to make styling your hair easy, all of which makes them a real favorite in salons around the world.  Ceramic plates will help discharge the static electricity from your hair too, and leave it looking straight for longer. 

6. Eat well – Your hair is nourished by what you eat and drink, and will never look good if you don’t eat a balanced diet with lots of vitamins and minerals.  Hair is mostly made of protein, so make sure your diet includes plenty.  Drink water too, as this will flush impurities out of your body and keep you healthy. For shiny, healthy hair think first of your body’s intake. A good balanced, nutritious and healthy diet will do more to make your hair shine than any shampoo or conditioner. Hair is 25% water so drink up.

Now let’s make sure you select the right short hair style.  You get more than one shot but there’s a long time between shots so get it right the first time around.  Follow these tips and you will walk out of the salon with a big smile.

Short Straight Hair

A casual short straight hairstyle is free to flow, and one knows where to fall in place without any help. It’s a perfect hairstyle for nearly any casual occasion. Short straight styles can range from one length looks, to razor cuts, short layers, and very short crops. Just because short casual styles are easy to put together doesn’t mean they don’t look striking. If dead ends are a problem for you these hairstyles can help with the healing and condition of your hair. When you cut it short you also cut your time in front of the mirror making more time for fun.

Formal straight short hair is just that formal.  The lines are strict and crisp. Proms and formal nights out are ideal occasions for formal straight short cut. While formal short straight hairstyles are still fairly quick and easy to create, they do still call for some time and attention before heading out. A good ceramic hair straightener will be your best friend with this look.

Alternative short straight hairstyles are generate a second look as they stand well apart from casual and formal straight short hair styles. Cutting edge, “no way” and daring are terms used to describe the alternative style. Nearly anything goes with alternative hairstyles. To make sure you are on the right track with an alternative short hairstyle think bold colors, mohawks and uneven cuts.  This style requires you to be very comfortable in your own skin.

Short Wavy Hair

One of the best things about short wavy hairstyles is that they call for very little time and effort to achieve. Ruffling, finger drying, and scrunch drying are techniques to help you master this style. If you have some natural curl and wave these styles are ideal as they allow for your hair to go where it wants and look great at the same time.

A formal short wavy hairstyle is the sort of hairstyle you’d wear to a formal occasion. Finger waves and short neat layers fall into this category of style. Formal short wavy hairstyles typically require rollers, styling products and a good straightener.

Alternative short wavy hairstyles are flat out different, fun and offbeat. Like colors? Be careful as bold colors can damage your hair. Don’t skimp on the coloring product and you should make out fine.

Short Curly Hair

What is natural, free flowing and nearly self styling? That would be a short curly hairstyle. They are easy in that the cut dictates how the curl is going to lay making this style one of the easiest to reproduce on a consistent basis. You will likely need some styling gel to help get the right look. Curls have a soft look about them due to their curved nature and soft appearance to the eye. This style is great if you find yourself fighting the frizz or have coarse thick hair.

A formal short curly hairstyle is typically designed with rollers, styling products and curling irons. These hairstyles are elegant and a perfect way to spruce up short hair types for a formal occasion. When curls have a manicured and uniform shape it says put on a dress and let’s go first class.

Alternative short curly hairstyles are usually found in very dark or very light colors.  Again with alternative style anything goes and get ready to be noticed, like it or not.  Alternative formal short curly hairstyles often utilized some of the newest and boldest cuts. With this style you are setting the trend.