If you’ve been contemplating on cutting your hair short for a while now, this may be the day you get to decide to do it or not.

In this article, I’d like to share with you things you should know (and consider). We’ll cover everything from face shapes, to hair texture, to hair color and we’ll get into styling. We will also talk about the reasons “why” you’d like to cut your hair.

Short hair is a commitment as you will need to learn how to restyle your hair.

You must train your hair by doing different techniques. When you cut your hair very short from being long the styling is much different than your new regimen. that may include using smaller brushes.  Using Different types of products and implementing different hair habits. Short hair cuts have a variety of names you can use to reference the look. Names like pixie, short shaggy layers or a chin length bob can all be different versions of short hair.

A pixie being a short round cut 3 inches all around. Can be carved out by the ears accentuating cheekbones and graduated in the nape to flatter the neck. Shaggy short layers can add movement and give body to a pixie or a bob cut. And chin-length bob cut, where all the hair is cut at the chin for a short but edgy blunt cut.

Different Face Shapes

Different hair cuts flatter different face shapes and certain angles flatter different people.

The most ideal face shape for any hair cut is the oval face shape. The symmetry in an oval face shape can carry many different hairstyles including short.

It doesn’t mean you can’t have certain hair cuts for different face shapes, it just might be that certain features would be accentuated. Like full cheeks, prominent chin, or high forehead. Certain tweaks in a hair cut can personalize each cut to flatter many face shapes. maybe you need more sweeping longer bangs or the edges of a cut would be longer to frame full cheeks and longer face shapes.

The texture will play a part in the hair cut and styling aspect and what products will work best for your hair type. Since naturally, straight hair can get spiky if cut too short knowing how to work this length will be the trick. Wavy or curly hair will have a softer look but if an edgy straighter look is desired a heat tool would need to be used to create the effect.

Some shapes are cut to flatter wavy and curly hair types and require little to no styling just applying a cream or a mousse or gel product to air dry. Round face shapes can flatter from short hairstyles if you consider having shaggy bangs to detail the cut. Having face-framing bangs that sweep cut across the face gives the illusion of more balance and gives the appearance of a more structured jawline.

If your daring and don’t mind micro cropped bangs they can be a great additive to fine hair.

Keeping the hair ultra short can give the hair more volume by reducing weight and cutting off stringy locks. If your hair is thick it might need to get considerably thinned out or reduce volume by strategically removing bulk to make thick hair appear more balanced.

Techniques to thin out can be done with a fine or wide tooth thinning shears. A razor can be used as well to reduce the bulk. Razor cutting is a bit tricky, make sure your stylist knows how and where to use the techniques to as well. Also don’t be afraid of saying you need more bulk removed. Stylists would rather you guide them into what feels comfortable.

Hairstyling

When it comes to styling short hair different types of techniques will get the job done.

You cant style your hair the same way you did when you had long hair. The same tools that work for long hair do not work for shorter cuts.

Like large brushes and hair ties. It also may be that you wake up with bed head every morning. Short hair needs weight to fall smoother and if you sleep and toss and turn a lot your hair will wake up looking funny. It may be likely you will need to rewash or rinse your hair to make it lay a certain way.

Blow-drying short hair is much different than blow drying long hair.

A short haircut does not have weight so you must manipulate to get the effect of the cut. short hairstyles require little to no blow drying. The mere technique is to follow your natural hair flow. If you like to wear a deep side part. Part your hair and dry in the direction of the hair flow. Cutting your hair to flow with your natural hair growth will keep your styling much easier. Cutting or styling against the natural flow could make the style feel uneven or not flatter.

Using the blow dryer as well will help style it and design the shape needed to style the look. By blow-drying wet hair into its new shape, the use of your fingers or a smaller brush can aid you in getting the right look.

A little pomade or texture paste can make a short hair cut look cool chic, the product helps separate and give a rugged look. Fine straight textures hardly need too many products, instead use a bit of hairspray after blow drying to keep the hair full with volume and skip the heavy products to avoid flat hair.

Hair Color

Any length 3 inches or below flatters most those with bold single process colors , rich dark color, vibrant reds or full-blown blond and natural grey hair.

Highlights do not flatter because the shape is too short. Once hair has a longer bang or lengths surpassing 4 inches than highlighted effects can be introduced.

The hair will lie in place and the streaking colors flatter the lines. Pixie cuts that are 2 inches short attempting to have highlights will end up looking more like spots. The color will stand out like a mistake and will not be flattering at all.

If you have a head of gray hair and have a short haircut the cut alone will make grey strands appear chic.

If the color is desired there are many options you can choose from. You can use semi-permanent color and get many different shades that can pigment into grey hair. Basic browns to make it look sandy or full-blown reds and blues to make the grey hair pop.

Short hair has a way to make any hair color look good. By experimenting on short hair,  hair color effects last as long as the hair is not cut

Try it on

Did you ever crave a pixie or ever thought about how a short hair cut would look like on you? To be fun and carefree and just bold? Try on a wig.

There are many beauty supply stores and wig shops that carry wigs and allow you to try on wigs with the purchase of a wig cap. The great thing is you can try on a certain short shape and a different color to get a feel for the look or the color. It’s a great way to see yourself and truly picture what a short look really looks like on you.

You will either know for sure if its something you would consider or know for sure you would never do. Either way, it’s fun and affordable, grab a friend and go try on different looks.

Nowadays wigs are more popular than ever and can fool many people. Having a really good wig can give you that fresh cut feeling without the commitment. Having a short wig can switch up your look instantly and serve as a protective style as well when not wanting to heat style or put wear and tear on your hair.

Virtual Reality and Phone apps

There are some really cool phone apps and computer software that photoshops short haircut looks of  you on to your selected photo or even with a live image. With this, you can get a 2d or 3d image of what you would look like with a different look.

What is great about the computer software or apps it can give you an idea about a different look from the comfort of your own home. You can see how you potentially look with different short shapes like pixies with short cropped bangs or a short cut with light hair.

We live in an era that we can all photoshop pictures by the use of phone apps to change your hairstyle the same as your eye color. We are very lucky to have these mediums available for us to use and get a feel for the looks. Filters on certain apps can change and add accessories to your selfie. This is definitely an area to explore especially if you are shy and don’t want to try on actual wigs. Go to the app store and do a search for an app.

Ask about referrals.

Have you ever seen someone and think I love their hair cut, it looks so great, and it is cut perfect. That is a great way to land a really great hairstylist. Simply state to the person, you admire their hair cut and or shape and mention that you are looking for a new hairdresser. Most will be happy they are getting compliments and gladly refer you to their hairstylist.

Finding the right hair stylist to cut your hair is very crucial. It can mean the difference of having a breakthrough into a new makeover or a huge regret.

When consulting with stylist bring a lot of pictures of the type of cut you would like and compare it to the ones that the stylist has done. You want to be able to communicate effectively. It’s also great for the stylist to recommend you a style or to highlight whether or not the look would suit you.

Stay clear of stylist’s that are too eager to cut it. Having short great looking hair is just as important as long great looking hair.

Trial and error.

Sometimes you just have to take the plunge.

How else will you know if the look will flatter you? There are times that society will determine that certain cuts won’t flatter us because of age or because we may have a different texture. I think the only way to really know is to do it.

There are many times people get surprised how much easier their styling became or how why they waited so long to try a change. The great thing is that it’s never permanent. Luckily hair grows back and hair will go through different stages in the process of growing out.

Many times cutting short is the only option. Over processed hair breaks off on it its own, or chemical treatments that overlapped create damage that can lead to breakage. Sometimes, the only option is to that can make it look good is a short hair cut.  Nothing can fix damaged hair better than a fresh new cut. The more damage the shorter you must go to make it look like an intentional look.

A few years ago Jennifer Lawrence went short. She admitted her hair got fried from dyeing and decided to cut it short. It turned out to be so trendy girls were chopping their looks as well. She took a bad situation and made headlines when she reemerged with her striking new cut.

Rhianna is another champion and wears short hair with as a statement. Having the micro-short bangs with the wispy short pixie draws attention to her beautiful face and striking eyes.

Maintenance

Let’s say you just cut your hair and now you love it. It is likely you may want to maintain it short so you must be consistent with trimming/haircut appointments.

Depending on the haircut and speed of your natural hair growth hair must be cut every 4-8 weeks to keep the look intact. After 2 months hair starts to look longer and hair no longer cooperates with styling products as well. Hair can be too puffy or flat depending on the outgrowth. Having regular trims is the only downside of short hair. You must keep it shaped.

A good pixie cut when cut ultra-short can last for about 8- 10 weeks. The growing trouble will be the nape and hair near the ear. These will show signs of growth first and will need to get regularly trimmed more often.

Some women have opted to visit barbers to get shape ups and designs as well.

Made more for the edgy girl who wears short and ultra-cropped hair designs done with hair machine and clipper effects. They can get a fresh and clean look just by cleaning up the nape and sideburn area.

Even when growing it out you will need regular trims to keep it looking balanced.

Growing it out.

So what do you do when you cut your hair short and now decide want to grow your hair longer again?

This is a common request after someone has cut their hair, they are either ready to grow out or want a longer style.

Trimming it often the first couple of months is key. Short hair grows out into a mullet because of the way the hair grows from a cropped pixie. Keeping the nape hair close for a few months allows for top layers to grow into a neat bob.

It takes 9 months for a 3-inch pixie to reach a short cheek length to chin bob.

You must be patient to deal with the growing stages as well. being creative while growing out helps a lot as well as each stage transitions you into a different length.

Accessories also help out in the growing out stages. There’s no better time to get playful and add barrettes and scarfs to disguise bad hair days and hat hair. The best times to grow hair is in the fall and winter. Cutting hair too close to summer might make you feel like you made a mistake and also make you not want to grow it and just keep cutting it shorter. The best times to cut your hair are the fall and the spring allowing the following season to grow it out to a new look or maintain the new look you want to keep.

One last tip, with short hair you can make makeup techniques and jewelry really stand out. Play up the new cut with dangly earrings and dramatic lips or eye makeup to make your new hair cut stand out.  Nothing makes a woman feel girly with short hair than with accessories and makeup. In fact, it’s key. Whether you are carefree and easy and need a simple short look or either a chic businesswoman with a micro short cut, it can still be feminine.

The best example of short hair royalty goes to the beautiful Halle Berry whos micro pixie cut is still in demand at salons and serves as the picture for a great timeless short haircut wearing amazing gowns, makeup, and jewelry to compliment her short look. Even in 2019, she still epitomizes elegance and ultra femininity on the red carpet and will forever be timeless with her bold short haircut.