I know that when we talk about choosing the right hairstyle for an individual, we usually talk
about face shapes, prominent features, and the properties of the hair. Yet there are other factors that come into play when choosing the
“Right” hairstyle for a person’s lifestyle. Let’s face it. It’s just not practical for the average working mom to wear a style that
demands a lot of time every day to maintain it.
That’s why it’s important to take the time to talk to your stylist about your lifestyle and
routine when deciding on a new look. Here are some general guidelines that will help to steer you in the right direction:
Shorter Styles are Faster Styles
It’s true. In general, a shorter haircut takes less time to style in the mornings. The
reasoning is simple: Less hair means a faster drying time, and less to work with. In some cases, depending on the style, you can even
‘wash and go’ and let the hair dry naturally. The ‘wash and go’ style usually works well with curly hair types or shorter, permed styles.
Battle the Bulk
Another trick to cutting down on the time it takes to style your hair is to remove the bulk
from thick hair types. This can be a matter of adding layers to straight-to-wavy styles, or simply using thinning shears on curly hair
types. This works in the same manner as a shorter style: less hair dries faster. Women who have their hair layered or thinned to
remove extra bulk usually find the time it takes to dry their hair reduced by as much as 50%.
Go With the Flow
One of the easiest tricks to making your styling routine faster is to choose a style that
suits your hair’s natural tendencies. This means that if your hair is naturally straight, then select a style that works with straight
hair. And, if the hair is naturally curly, choose a style that takes advantage of the curl. By working with the hair’s natural
tendencies, you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble in trying to make it conform.
Use Chemical Services Wisely
The advances in Cosmetic Chemistry mean that we can more easily create whatever wave pattern
we want in the hair. This means that the woman whose hair is naturally curly but wants straight styling can have her hair straightened
and cut the styling time down to a fraction of the norm. Of course, the reverse is also true and you can have straight hair curled. The
key is you have to be sure of what you want, because you have to commit to the care and feeding of your new hair style’s needs.
Obviously, the most important factor for choosing a style is to select one that is flattering
to the face and build of the individual, but while a style can look terrific out of the gate (at the salon) it’s the individual who has
to live with it. Living with it means doing the daily styling and daily and weekly care routines that keep the hair healthy and the
style looking the way it should. This is why communication is so important.
