When it comes to short hair, hairdressers agree that there are a few golden rules to follow to keep your short style looking its best. While healthy-looking hair starts with a great haircut, it’s just the beginning in terms of overall hair health. Just like long hair, short men’s and women’s cuts need regular maintenance. Shorter looks are also a lot of fun since they can vary so much in length and texture and can be adapted to suit any face shape or personal style.
We asked industry pros to share some of their best tips and tricks for maintaining healthy-looking short hair, so welcome to our guide.
Let’s start by talking about drying short hair because believe it or not, even towel drying hair can cause damage. Rubbing, turning and bending hair strands against towel fibres can cause short hair to get caught and pulled, so it’s best to air dry it as often as possible when you’re not in a rush to blow dry and get out the door. Always use a heat protectant before blow-drying, which seals hair cuticles and protects hair from the direct heat of a blow dryer. Likewise, although a steaming hot shower feels amazing on your hair and scalp, hot water could be removing natural oils from your hair and leaving it dry, so stick to shampooing hair with lukewarm water.
Comb Short Hair Less Frequently
Rather than always using a brush or comb, gently run your fingers through your hair to give it a quick detangle and refresh. Short hair doesn’t need to be brushed as often as long hair since it’s less likely to tangle, so brushing it through with your fingers is usually enough to shape and restyle it. Using your fingertips, tousle your hair at the roots for some quickly added volume.
Purchase a Bristle Brush
There will definitely be times when you’ll want to brush your short hair, so invest in a bristle brush for a sleeker look. Otherwise, if you like a textured look, avoid brushes and style short hair with your fingers.
Pro Tip: never brush hair when it’s wet since that’s when it’s most fragile and prone to breakage. If you absolutely have to brush out wet hair, use a wide-toothed comb or hairbrush and gently brush out tangles in small sections.
Avoid Over Processing your Hair
Repeatedly coloring or perming hair, even with professional hair color, whether it’s long or short can damage it and leave it looking and feeling dry and dull. In extreme cases, your hair could even begin to break. Avoid at-home chemical products or box hair dye altogether, and see a professional hairdresser instead.
know how to properly prepare your hair for various treatments while promoting the long-term health of your hair, and they’ll also help you choose the best salon-quality products for your hair type and texture. Plus, the results you’ll achieve from visiting a hair stylist will far exceed DIY at-home attempts with store-bought products.
Trim Short Hair Frequently
Pre-book trims every 6 to 8 weeks to keep short hair looking as healthy as possible. Since damaged hair and split ends can’t be repaired, the more frequently you have it trimmed, the less you’ll have to cut off.
Maintain your shape with regular trims especially if you have a precision cut bob, close crop or pixie cut since hair tends to grow about half an inch per month, meaning a little upkeep will go a long way.
Use a Moisturizing Repair Conditioner & Smoothing Serum
Dry hair becomes easily frizzy and prone to breakage, so a moisturizing conditioner will nourish it. To further combat frizz, apply a smoothing serum, which helps add shine and gives hair a sleek finish. Remember, your hair won’t be silky smooth and shiny unless you take care of it. Hair grows faster, looks healthier and feels smoother if you care for it with quality products.
Reduce the Use of Heat Styling Tools
If you opt for a short precision cut bob, try to avoid straightening it every day. Instead, switch between a sleek look and a messier, tousled look since applying constant heat to hair leads to damaged hair shafts that don’t hold colour the way healthy hair does.
Look for heat styling tools that let you choose between various heat settings, and try to use the lowest setting when styling your hair. On days when you’re letting your hair look more natural, apply a texturizing spray to damp hair before bed and wake up with waves.
Wash Short Hair more Frequently
Short hair needs to be washed and styled more frequently since it tends to become greasy more quickly than longer hair. The number of times you’ll need to wash your hair per week will depend on how quickly your scalp produces oil, whether you sweat often and your lifestyle in general. If you find yourself washing your hair every day or every other day, invest in a moisturizing hair masque to help replenish moisture and prevent dryness and always make sure you’re using a salon-quality shampoo and conditioner.
Rinse with Cold Water for Extra Shine
After washing your hair, do a final rinse with a blast of cold water to help close the hair cuticles and lock in shine. The cold water will also soothe any heat damage from hot water and steam during showering. Five seconds of cold water is plenty, so no need to shiver under a cold stream.
Follow our tips and tricks for short hair, and watch as your cut and style last longer and your hair becomes healthier than more manageable. Visit www.Beautster.com and discover hundreds of talented local hairdressers and barbers ready to transform your look. Best of all, you can book online at your convenience 24/7.
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