Beauty | Everything you need to know about short hair

Every couple of months, there is a certain hairstyling cycle that begins when I realise I'm unsatisfied with how my hair looks. The fringe grows out and layers have taken over my face to an extent that I resort to wearing it in a bun and hope it looks ballerina-esque. Then I start scouring the internet for a suitable change of hairstyle that i think looks stylish but not too different. This cycle has been a routine for me until a few months back.

It was the beginning of the year and along with everyone being in a sudden flurry over the pantone shade Marsala, I spotted a few wearable trends to try out this year - one of them was a short hairstyle, namely the bob. Now I'm no stranger to a bobs and in fact got well acquainted to them during my school life. However, with the appearance of fancy layers and textures, I bid buh-bye to my old friend bob. But I digress. Once I discovered that my old friend was back in 2015, I knew I was going to get back in the bob game as well.

Taking on the summer in a bob and brights

Before I took the final snippity-snip, I found images of the hairstyle to refer to but I really could have used more information on how to proceed with it and post-haircut maintenance. That's the purpose of this post which I hope you find helpful if you decide to take the plunge.

My lob from a few months ago was in preparation for my next step, the bob

Step 1: Groundwork

If you're thinking about getting a short hairstyle, your research is key. Find out the kind of face shape you have and the texture of your hair to determine if it's the style for you. If you're unsure, a trusted hairstylist is always a good guide for these questions. 

Due to my past bob experience, I knew it was the right hairstyle for me so I took an alternative route to achieve it, a more scenic path if you will. Once my layers were reasonably long enough to chop off, I asked my hairstylist to give me a shoulder grazing long bob *a.k.a. lob* My hair length at that point was somewhere in that range so a lob wouldn't look too different but would prepare me for the shorter bob that I wanted in the next coming months.

Step 2: Preparation 

Congratulations, you've gone through the lengthy period of indecision and have taken a step forward to getting the hairstyle of your dreams. Before you can actually take the haircutting plunge, take an appointment with a hairstylist that is trustworthy or recommended. Decide whether you would like to gradually hop from a lob to a bob like I did. Find an ideal celebrity hairstyle and show the image to your hairstylist when you explain what haircut you want. Chances are you won't turn into Katie Holmes once you're done but visual cues are helpful for your hairstylist to grasp what you really want.

A few hair products that help me maintain my bob:
Livon Morrocan Shine Serum // Philips blow dryer // Tigi Bed Head After Party cream // Philips hair stylist curler // Barrel hair brush

Step 3: Chop - chop!
So todays finally the day and while you might be anxious; relax and embrace your new change. I was so excited on the day of my haircut and I couldn't wait to see my new avatar. Explain to your hairstylist what you want for the haircut, if you'd like layers as well and what parting would look best with it. A little part of me was afraid of losing a bit of femininity when my strands of hair fell with the snip of the scissors but since then, I've actually found it incredibly empowering. Whatever you do, don't forget that it's just hair and it will grow back. A perk I've found is that washing my hair now takes only half the time and it's keeping me feeling fresher this summer.

Once I went shorter, I decided to experiment with curls as well

Step 4: Post-haircut maintenance
You're now in that blissful honeymoon phase with your haircut. You pamper it well and it looks fabulous for you but that's just until the salon styling and products wear off. If you thought long length hair was tough to take care of, you obviously haven't met shorter lengths yet. I've learned that the greatest enemy of short hair is frizz because it can turn a bouncy bob into a fuzz fest. That has led me to keeping my hair sleek with deep-conditioning treatments, serums and hair creams. When the occasion demands, I give my hair a quick blow dry followed by a run with the straightening iron for a traditional straight look. My bob *and the kind inspiration of Hollywood celebrities* has even made made me experiment with my curling iron for a wavy 'do.
I've found a few products, which are listed above, that are most suitable for my hair and helps me achieve the look I want. I turn to my trustworthy Philips hair styling tools for a styling job that's well done and from the TIGI Bed Head After Party cream that not only smells divine but smoothes just as well to the Livon Morrocan Silk Serum that calms my frizz well, these are a few products that I can rely on.

Loving the short hair life

Hope you find this post useful, especially if you're thinking about going short. I'd love to know your feedback on this and if you have any queries related to it, hit me up in the comments below!

xo
Dayle