“I’m cutting my hair into a pixie; how should I style it?”

dear apricot,

In the next few weeks I’m going to get my shoulder length bob cut short in the style of Audrey Tautou. I have what looks to be the exact same hair type thickness/body/waves/a little curl.

My question is how do I style it? Do I blow it dry or let it dry naturally? Do I fluff with my fingers? Do I need a styling product & what kind should I use? The only things I will not use are hair spray, any other spray product or anything that will leave my hair stiff & crunchy.

I’m clueless. It’s been a while since I’ve had short hair & I don’t do anything with my hair now other than air dry & wear it wavy/curly or straighten. Any tips for me?

— Tiffany.

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Tiffany,

Let me first say that you are very lucky to have the thickness, body, & curls like Miss Tautou. Women would simply die to have that kind of hair, & I am one of them.

Nevertheless, I think it’s very exciting that you are planning on taking the plunge to cutting your hair short; especially since Summer is coming very quickly. I think you’ll be so pleased with your new ‘do. Here are some suggestions:

(for product information, click here.)

The most important part of perfecting ANY hairstyle is what products you use; preferably, how you cleanse, nourish, & moisturize your hair. If you have the perfect shampoo & conditioner, your hair will perform a lot better. I suggest using Redken’s All Soft shampoo & conditioner. Since you have curly, wavy hair, there’s a good chance your locks get a little dry. All Soft moisturizes without weighing down your hair too much. That is, if you don’t go overboard with the product. Using a quarter size amount of shampoo, & a nickel size amount of conditioner is well enough for your short locks. Using more than that will weigh your hair down with residue & will leave it feeling oily. So don’t overuse product!

But if you’re satisfied with your shampoo & conditioner already, that’s great, too!

After washing & conditioning your hair, towel dry it until most of the moisture is out. Gently comb your hair with a wide tooth comb to make sure you get all of the tangles out. Then, apply a generous amount of an anti-frizz serum (I love John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease), & begin the drying process. Depending on how curly or wavy your hair is, you may not even need to use a blow dryer. You could just let your hair air dry.

If you decide to use a blow dryer, use your fingers while drying. Twist, twirl, & scrunch certain sections of hair, allowing the heat to help train limp locks to a tighter (or looser) curl. Also, make sure to not have the  blow dryer on a high setting. Heat does a lot of damage. Keep the blow dryer at a decent distance from your hair, so that direct heat won’t be on it.

After your hair is dry enough, use a curl defining product. Kerastase’s Creme Nutri-Sculpt is fantastic, but pricey. If  you’re looking for a more inexpensive option, try Pantene’s Texturize Moussing Foam Wax. You can use it on damp hair — before you begin to dry it — or on dry hair to help piece out & define your curls. Like how you were using your fingers to help curl while you dry, when you apply the curl defining product, use your fingers to shape your curls. If you can’t get the look quite right, use a small barrel curling iron to plump up limp curls even more.

Now your look is nearly finished! I know you said that you hate hairsprays, but there are hairsprays out there that don’t leave your hair feeling crunchy & dry. I love using Tresemme’s Tres Two extra hold hairspray. It has a great flexible hold, & it doesn’t leave your hair feeling sticky, stiff, or dry. Just make sure to spray from a distance, & only in the areas where you think your hair will need hold the most.

If you’d like, you can add some hair accessories to give the style a bit more personality. & you’re good to go!

If you don’t get the hairstyle perfect the first few times, don’t get discouraged. Just keep experimenting with products & techniques. Also, talk to the stylist who will be cutting your hair. If you have questions about what products to use, how to style it, when you should come back for a trim, etc, don’t be afraid to ask him/her about certain techniques; that’s what they’re there for!

Above all, have fun with your new look!

— apricot.

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