We all know what it feels like. That moment when you’re spun around in that salon chair, expecting to catch a glimpse of yourself rocking a seriously fabulous new ‘do, only to be confronted by an image of some short-haired, messy looking freak you can barely recognize. Time stops and then the truth finally sets in: You just got a bad haircut…and nothing is going to fix it besides lots of time and an unrealistic amount of patience.
There’s really no disputing the fact that your hair won’t just grow back overnight and that, at least to some degree, you’re going to be stuck with this bad cut for a while. However, there are a few tricks you can employ to help soften the blow of a bad haircut. They range from drastic (yet effective) to more subtle. While none of them are miracles, they’re all valid tips you can employ when you become a victim of bad hair problems.
Consider taking a hair vitamin: Vitamins meant for speeding up hair growth will not only help the overall thickness and healthiness of your locks, they’ll also likely cause your hair to grow a little bit faster. They may only speed up growth by like, a quarter of an inch a month, and while this doesn’t sound like much, it’s actually pretty significant. Hair will naturally grow about half an inch to an inch a month and even one inch of growth can really change the look of your hair. If the length of your hair is what’s bothering you (not the shape or the style of the cut) this could be a great solution.
Get another hair cut: It sounds crazy, but hear me out. If you get one bad haircut, sometimes the ideal solution is another haircut, albeit a good one. If you’re stuck with awkwardly chopped layers or a style that just doesn’t suit your face/hair texture, consider visiting a reputable pro, consulting with them about your concerns and asking if there’s anything that can be done. It’s certainly not a foolproof system and it’s obviously a calculated risk but this just may be first step you can take in fixing that bad cut.
Pick up some extensions: Contrary to the belief that there’s no way to visually lengthen your hair, there’s one solution to the issue of too-short hair. Sure, you can’t grow your actual hair ten inches in a matter of minutes but you can clip in a set of extensions in that time…and that’s something, right? The beautiful thing about extensions is that they’re relatively risk-free. Don’t like the way they look? Take ’em out. You can keep the stakes low by buying extensions and clipping them in on your own to save cash, or you can have them professionally done.
Embrace the power of the updo: Here’s an easy way to hide a bad haircut – throw that mane into a ponytail, bun, braid, whatever. If your hair isn’t long enough to be tied up, consider pinning it back off your face or using a headband to distract from the length.
Seek out inspiration: Did you just get an ill-advised pixie cut? Look for pictures of celebs who have rocked that style, think Rihanna, Halle Berry and Michelle Williams. Figure out what makes them look so great with that style and do your best to emulate it. It won’t help you change the reality of your own haircut but it just might change the way you think about it – and if you can accept your new ‘do, that might be an even better solution than changing it.
[Lead image via]
How To Recover When You Get A Bad Haircut
