Short Hairstyles You Can Create With Styling Tools

Many women feel trapped after cropping their hair, believing that short hair limits styling possibilities. Few women are aware that a bob or pixie can be styled with tight curls, loose waves, side part, middle part, blunt bangs, or side-swept bangs.

The style you choose should flatter your face shape. It is, therefore, advisable to discuss your expectations with the stylist whose expertise will guide you through the style selection process.

A wide range of short hairstyles can be achieved with the help of hot tools such as the hairdryer, hot rollers, flat iron, and curling iron. These styles defy age and ethnicity and will allay every short-haired woman’s apprehensions about her haircut. This article is intended to walk you through the process of styling short hair in different ways using a clever combination of heat styling tools, hair products, and hair accessories.

1. Tight curls

Make sure you use small rollers because these will give you tight curls whereas the large rollers will give you loose waves. Once the rollers have cooled completely, remove them slowly to avoid tugging at your newly formed tight curls. Spray a firm-hold hairspray to enable your short hair to hold the curls.

2. Curly bob with a pompadour

The pompadour is the best way to flatter a round face. With volume concentrated in the crown area, this hairstyle gives a round face the illusion of an oval face. Start by pinning up the hair in your crown area. Curl the rest of your hair with hot rollers or curling iron.

To create this style with hot rollers, you will need a bunch of small or medium rollers. Curl small sections of your hair (except the crown area which you must secure with a hair clip) one by one. Roll each section around the heated roller, starting from the ends and moving to the roots. As you wait for the rollers to cool completely, create the pompadour. Unpin the crown section and brush it to remove any tangles. Tease this section to lift the roots. Grab the ends of the section and push it back against the middle part. Secure it with a pair of bobby pins crisscrossing each other in the center back. Spray a firm-hold hairspray on your pompadour to ensure it does not lose its shape. After the rollers have cooled, unroll your hair one section at a time. Apply a hairspray, scrunching your elegantly formed curls as you go.

If using a curling iron, choose one with a barrel measuring less than 1 inch. Take small sections of your hair from one side. Clamp one section at a time and twist the barrel away from your face. For alternate sections, twist the barrel towards your face. When one side of your head is curled, proceed to the other side. Curl the section near the nape of your neck last of all. When all of your hair is curled, create the pompadour in the crown area, and then mist firm-hold hairspray all over your head to finish.

3. Textured curly pixie

If using hot rollers, make sure you use the small size because the hair in a pixie crown is quite short. Roll small sections of hair around the heated rollers and leave them in until they have cooled. After removing the cooled rollers, run your fingers through the curls and scrunch them a little before spraying a mist of firm-hold hairspray.

A chopstick curler is also ideal for this style because it has a barrel measuring half an inch. Curl the hair in small sections and scrunch with a pomade or curl definition cream to finish.

4. Curly bob with a middle part

For someone with a one-length bob, this style is fast and simple. The tools required are small hot rollers and a teasing comb. Create a middle part and brush your hair to make sure there are no tangles. Rub in a mixture of heat protection serum and curl definition cream to your second-day hair. Tease small sections of your hair to build volume at the roots. Set in the hot rollers and wait until they cool completely. Remove the cooled rollers and apply a mist of firm-hold hairspray to make the curls last.

5. Sleek bob with a middle part

6. Sleek bob with side-swept braided bangs

If you have a blunt bob, long bob, or mullet, you can create this style effortlessly. All you need is a flat iron, bobby pins, and a flexible-hold hairspray.

First, create a deep side part. Then, part the front portion of your hair an inch behind the hairline with the end of a rat-tail comb. Leave this section hanging loosely over your face. Brush the rest of your hair for tangle-free locks. Mist a heat protection spray and smooth out sections of your hair from the roots till the ends using the flat iron on medium-high heat.

Once you achieve a super sleek look, grab the section of hair hanging loosely over your face and split this section further. Twist the sub-sections into a beautiful Dutch braid. Take the end of the Dutch braid to the side of your head opposite to your parting and secure it with bobby pins to give you a side braid. Apply a flexible-hold hairspray all over your head and you are great to go for your dinner or special event.

7. Sleek topknot

8. Slicked back bob

If you have a chin-length bob, this style will look great on you. It can be achieved in freshly washed hair as well as second-day hair. Blow-dry your locks with a round brush, making sure to smooth out the ends. Brush all of your hair back with a paddle brush and tuck your hair behind your ears, securing them with ornamental hairpins if you wish. Using a flat iron, curl only the ends, then spray a mist of firm-hold hairspray for lasting hold.

9. Bob with side-swept bangs

10. Slicked forward pixie

This style works wonders if you have a long face. All you need is a paddle brush and a flat iron. Use the paddle brush to brush the back and sides of your head. Apply a heat protection cream to your crown area. Flat iron this hair in small sections. Brush it forward so it falls on your forehead. Spray a mist of hairspray and you are good to go.

11. Pixie with side-swept wavy bangs

The same result can be achieved with medium hot rollers. Set 2-3 heated rollers in your bangs after applying hair products. Once the rollers have cooled, remove them and brush your bangs to give a wavy side sweep. Apply hairspray to make the style last throughout the day.

12. Beachy waves bob

This style can be created in a blunt bob, inverted bob, or a long bob. Start curling the bottom section, proceed to the sides, and end with the crown area. A curling iron is best for the job. A flat iron can also be used on its own or in combination with the curling iron. This style does not hold in freshly washed hair, so you should wait at least a day or two after wash day.

Apply a cocktail of heat protection cream and volumizing mousse before sectioning your hair. Pin up the top section with duckbill clips and curl large sections of hair near the nape of your neck. Make sure to tease individual sections before curling them to give your hair volume at the roots. Since the bottom section does not have sufficient length, it is better to use a curling iron rather than a flat iron. Unpin the top section, release the sides and pin up the crown area. Curl the hair at the sides, taking large sections and twisting them towards or away from the face. Repeat this process with the crown area.

Mist a strong-hold hairspray, scrunching your hair as you go. For a long-lasting style, leave your hair untouched until you retire for the day.

Conclusion

You can sport a curly bob with a pompadour or middle part, or a long bob with a side part and curled under, or a pixie with loose waves on the crown of your head. The hairstyling possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Your hair texture will also affect how well any given short hairstyle turns out. For example, a pixie looks remarkable on women with fine hair and a layered bob looks splendid on those with thick hair. Discuss the styling options available to you with your stylist. Your hair goals combined with his/her know-how will help you decide the best hairstyle for your short hair.

Sources

• Lainee Read, How To Style Short Hair – Tools, Products and Tips
• Iantha Yu, 4 ways to style short hair with tools, AUGUST 23 2017