Mistake 9: Over-Accessorizing

With a cropped cut, you run the risk of looking a little too young if the headband is big or the barrette is…well, if you wear a barrette at all. Stick to simple stretchy bands, like the ones by L. Erickson, or wrap a silk scarf around your head, headband-style. “Scarves are especially great for disguising bad bangs,” says Lloyd.

Mistake 10: Losing Perspective

It’s all about the shoulders when you have short hair.

Those with broad shoulders look best with a little volume in their hair. “Otherwise you’ll look like a pinhead,” Lloyd warns. He suggests smoothing a quarter-size blob of Shu Uemura Fiber Lift into hair, then blowing it out with an ionic dryer (we like the T3 Bespoke Featherweight Hair Dryer).

For small shoulders, make hair as sleek as possible, says Lloyd. He recommends slicking wet hair down with a half-palmful of John Frieda Frizz Ease Clearly Defined Gel, then letting it dry that way.

Mistake 7: A Lack of Layers

Here’s a scary thought: “If you don’t cut layers in short hair, you’ll look like Dorothy Hamill,” says hairstylist Chris McMillan of Chris McMillan, The Salon in Los Angeles. (Or worse: “Remember Dumb and Dumber?” asks Lloyd.) The trick here is to cut strategically: long pieces are subtle but still add dimension. Choppiness all over adds volume to fine strands. And if hair is really thick, cutting layers underneath can reduce volume and make hair “less blunt and broomstick-y,” says Lloyd.

Mistake 8: Not Keeping up With the Cut

Short hair may be low-maintenance in the style department, but it’s like a needy boyfriend when it comes to trims. Go in for a cut every six weeks or, as Lloyd says, follow the hairstylist’s rule of thumb: When your longest layers start flipping up on the bottom, it’s time to go to the salon.

Short Hairstyle Mistakes 9 & 10 (Over-Accessorizing & Losing Perspective)

A Guide To Layered Hairstyles

There are a variety of hairstyles that include layers.  For those of us who are not familiar with layered hairstyles you might ask what is layered hair and how is it accomplished.  The answer is simple.  Layered hair is accomplished when you have your hair cut into various lengths, usually longest to shortest.  With the top layers of hair, those that grow nearer the crown, cut shorter than the layers beneath.  This allows the tips of the top layers to blend seamlessly with the layers beneath.

If you have curly hair you might wonder if layers would be a positive or negative.  It depends on you and your hair type.  For example you might have curly hair but when it is layered it appears thin.  Another person might find their curly hair more full when they have layers added.  It all depends on your hair texture.  Know your hair before you give layers a try.

If you have straight hair regardless of texture layers will look great.  Adding layers to straight hair is a fun way to change your hairstyle with out necessarily loosing much of the length.  You can cut your hair in a bob hairstyle and have short layers put into it to create a fun choppy style.  To that same bob hairstyle you could add long layers and create texture that frames your face for a sophisticated style.

For medium length hair you can add both long and short layers and create a fun flared look.  You can use a flat iron to flip out the ends of the layers to create a fun sassy look or that that same flat iron and help the ends of the layers to curve under to create a soft look.

Layers are fun to accessorize too.  With your curly hair you can add a fun clip and pin up your shorter layers to create a fun half do, where you wear half your hair up and half of your hair down.  With your straight hair you can use a head band to pull back part of your hair and accentuate your layers.  With the use of a head band you could create a whimsical look by flipping the ends of your hair out some what messily.  The sky is the limit with layers and accessories.

Layers are a nice addition to many hairstyles.  They not only create volume and add texture but they can take an okay looking hairstyle and bring it to life with just a few snips of the hair.  If you have never had layers added to one of your hairstyles you might consider giving them a try.

If you have any questions about how to achieve the layered hairstyle look, then please “Ask The Hairstylist” your question and we will post the response here.

An Updo For Short Hair – Updo Hairstyles

Short hair can be such a fun way to wear your hair, and with a little effort you can even put your short hair up to create a casual updo.  Depending on the length of your short hair you can pull it all back to create a fun casual look.

One fun way to create a casual short updo is take your bed head, hair that has been slept on and not washed the next morning, and pin it to the crown of your head to create a messy updo.  This style can be a great one if you are running late for the office or if you just want to wake up and go.  With just a few quick steps you can be on your way out the door with out much effort.

You can also create a casual updo with your short hair by again taking pieces of your short hair and pinning the up to the back of your head, but you can also change the look by the use of your bangs.  If you want your bangs to be down you may choose to have them slicked down to the side.  To create this look you can use a wax or pomade to give your bangs that nice sleek look, or if you choose you can pull your bangs back and incorporate them with your updo.  This too will give you a different look that can add volume to your hair.

One last updo hairstyle you can try is twisting small pieces of your hair and then pinning them to the crown of your head.  Take a small amount of hair and twist toward the back of your head, creating small rolls.  Secure each roll with a bobby pin and have both sides of your hair meet in the middle.  Having secured the pieces you can accent them with a beautiful clip.  This twisting look will create a fun casual look that can be worn to the office or dressed up for evening.

Having short hair does not have to limit you in what hairstyles you can try.  Casual updos are a fun way to wear your short hair so why not give them a try?

If you have questions about how to do an updo for your short hair, then please “Ask The Hairstylist” your question and we will post the reply here.