Styling Tips for Short Hair
Give your short hair a whole lotta personality with these styles.
By Elizabeth Flahive
What Does Your Hair Say About You?
Women with short hair are often regarded as more confident, outgoing, and fun than those with longer locks.
Get more hairstyle advice here:
Wavy Hairstyles,
Curly Hairstyles,
Straight Hairstyles
Take this quiz to find the perfect perfume for you!
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, straight, relaxed, african-american, 30 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with black bob and bangs
For a modern-looking bob, keep hair well-moisturized and massage your scalp gently even when you don't wash your hair.
Place small sections of hair into large rollers and sit under a drying hood.
When your hair is nearly dry, remove the rollers and blow-dry on a very low heat.
Flat iron your bangs for the finishing touch.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
CONDITIONER like Carol's Daughter Leave-In Conditioner, $11.50.
MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO like Pantene Pro-V Relaxed and Natural Shampoo, $4.99.
DEEP CONDITIONER like Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Intense Hydrating Conditioner, $5.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, straight, asian, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with dark brown bob and bangs
Keep your sleek bob looking chic by going in for frequent bang trims. Eye-skimming and eye-covering are two very different looks.
Use a color-enhancing shampoo to keep dark locks glossy.
Use an anti-frizz serum before drying hair so hair doesn't get too bushy.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
COLOR ENHANCING SHAMPOO like Ultimate Brunette Shampoo with Vibrant ColorComplex, $4.99.
ANTI FRIZZ like Suave Sleek Anti-Frizz Cream, $2.99.
SMOOTHING CONDITIONER like John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Lustrous Touch Smoothing Conditioner with Satin Finishers, $6.49.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, wavy, thick, caucasian, 15 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
laughing woman with short hair and black hat
If your hair tends to get frizzy at the roots and flip out at the ends, use that to your advantage and rock a hat-keeping all the visible style in your ends. Take a large dollop of mousse and run it through towel-dried hair. Roughly dry your whole head with a blow dryer.
Take a small-barrel curling iron and define face-framing bits. Then, after you put on your hat, rake your fingers through the curls to soften the look.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
MOUSSE like Joico Firmwhip Design Foam, $16.
CURLING IRON like Remington Protect and Shine Curling Iron allows you to control the temperature settings so it never gets too hot, $16.99.
VOLUMIZING SHAMPOO like Phyto Volume Volumizing Shampoo, $24.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, relaxed, wavy, african-american, 30 minutes, hairstyles, brown hair, sexy hair
woman with curly shoulder length dark brown hair
Use a small curling iron (holding it parallel to your head) and wrap small sections (about an inch) around the barrel for a glam, '40s look.
Do your entire head, curling all the way up on one side of the part. Vary how much curl you get on the other side so you leave a bit of super-smooth roots on one side.
Spray your whole head with a setting spray and a bit of shine spray when you're done.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
SMALL CURLING IRON like Revlon Studio 35 Professional Styling Iron, $6.99.
SHINE SPRAY like Sunsilk ThermaShine Detangling Shine Spray, $4.49.
SHINE SERUM like Motions At-Home Salon Smoothing Shine Serum, $5.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, wavy, african-american, 30 minutes, hairstyles, brown hair, sexy hair
woman with dark brown bob
Work a texture cream through the ends of your hair. Take a flat iron and use a little heat at the roots so everything is straight and shiny.
Use a small curling iron on the ends to make them flip up a bit so you get a different sort of texture.
Run a shine serum through your hair for a more polished look.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
TEXTURE CREAM like Sexy Hair Concepts Short Sexy Hair Slept-In Texture Cream, $15.99.
CURLING IRON like Revlon Studio 35 Professional Styling Iron, $6.99.
SHINE SERUM like Citré Shine Shine Miracle Anti-Frizz Serum, $7.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, straight, fine, caucasian, 15 minutes, hairstyles, blonde hair, sexy hair
woman with blond hair in an updo and bangs
A quick updo for short hair. Grab a handful of bobby pins and take little sections of hair and twist them back leaving the ends sticking out so you get a messy chignon effect. Spritz your bangs with a little volumizer at the roots and blow-dry them so they lay sideswept across your forehead.
Finish with a light, fine mist of hairspray to keep everything in place.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
BOBBY PINS are one of the fastest ways to get a whole new look. Scunci Bobby Pins, $1.29.
VOLUMIZER like TRESemmé Volume Big Boost European Root Lift Spray, gives you instant oomph. $4.69.
HAIRSPRAY Keep a bottle around, even if you hardly ever use it. Aussie Catch The Wave Hairspray, $3.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, straight, fine, caucasian, 15 minutes, hairstyles, brown hair, sexy hair
girl with brown bob
While hair is still damp, make a deep side part with a comb. Then blow-dry your hair with a medium-sized round brush so you get a smooth finish.
Quickly run a straightening iron over large sections of hair — you don't want to flatten your chic bob cut but a little extra heat adds a lot of extra polish. Finish with a spritz of shine spray.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
A FINE-TOOTH COMB like Mason Pearson Comb, $20.
A TOURMALINE DRYER will protect hair from any additional damage. Revlon Tourmaline Ionic Dryer, $29.99.
SHINE SPRAY like Sunsilk Shine Spray, $4.49.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african american, 15-30 minutes, hairstyle, sexy hair
girl with curly black hair
Deep condition hair three times a week with a super rich conditioner to flight frizz and breakage.
Try a leave in conditioner and a strong hold gel for the perfect mix of control and conditioning.
Let hair air dry and touch up with a serum to control any frizz or flyaways.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
GEL like, Sexy Hair Concepts Volumizing Gel, $12.49
SHINE SERUM like, Motions Smoothing Shine Serum, $5.99
LEAVE IN CONDITIONER like, L'Occitane Shea Butter Conditioner, $17
Hairstyle Handbook
short, fine, straight, asian, 15 minutes, hairstyles, brown hair, sexy hair
woman with short dark brown hair
Start with a volumizing shampoo to get some life in your locks.
Run a mousse through your roots and blow-dry while running your fingers through your hair.
Use a nozzle attachment to focus air right at the roots for extra lift.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
VOLUMIZING SHAMPOO like Pureology Volume Shampoo, $26.
MOUSSE like Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse, $3.99.
HAIR DRYER like T3 Micro Hair Dryer, $200.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, straight, fine, caucasian, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, brown hair, sexy hair
girl with reddish brown bob
Wash with a protein-spiked shampoo for extra strength and shine. Use something that will boost shine but won't weigh anything down (like a bit of spray-on leave-in conditioner to prep the hair for heat). Use a round brush for the smoothest blowout. Tip: Blow-dry small sections. It takes longer but looks better.
Put a dab of shine serum on your hands, rub them together and run them over your hair so you end up using just the right amount of product.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
A NON-OILY, SUPER-SMOOTHING SHAMPOO makes a difference. Phytobrush Special Smoothing Shampoo for Blow Drying, Anti-Frizz, $24
A BIG ROUND BRUSH holds hair right where you want it while you blow-dry. Conair Round Brush, $7.99.
PREP TREATMENT like Sally Hershberger Supreme Head Style Primer for Normal to Thin Hair for a bonus layer of protection and conditioning. $24.98.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, straight, fine, caucasian, 30 minutes, hairstyles, blonde hair, sexy hair
laughing woman with wavy blond shoulder length hair
Spritz hair with styling spray and blow-dry with a round brush for volume and so ends are smooth and polished. Take medium-sized Velcro rollers and wrap hair down around them in one-inch sections. Leave rollers in your hair for at least 20 minutes. Spray with a fine-mist, strong-hold hairspray before removing the rollers.
With a natural boar bristle paddle brush, brush out the front/top section of your hair so you get that swooshy, sexy hair-falling-over-one-eye effect. Leave the rest of the curls more solidly in tact. Just shake them out a little bit so hair looks soft.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
STYLING SPRAY like Ojon Plump and Hold Spray, $22.
HAIRSPRAY like Ted Gibson Beautiful Hold Hairspray, $11.
CONDITIONER like Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Conditioner, $6.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, straight, fine, caucasian, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, blonde hair, sexy hair
woman with dark blond shoulder length hair and vintage hat
Spritz some styling spray into your hair (to give it some guts) and quickly blow-dry, shaking hair out with your fingers so you ramp up the volume. Take a large-barreled (1.5 inch) curling iron and wrap 2-inch sections of hair.
Take a natural boar-bristle brush and brush through the curls to loosen them into waves. To make this look a little more special/offbeat, add a whimsical headband to shake up a more traditional evening look.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
PROTECT strands with Dove Advanced Care Heat Shield Styling Spray, $4.99.
CURLING IRONS give you a little wave with heat. T3 1.5 Inch Twirl, $215.
BRUSH with natural bristles to add shine, sans product. Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Brush, $170.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african-american, 15 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with short curly hair
Apply a hair mask in the shower for a strong dose of hydration. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb in the shower. Rinse almost all of it out — however, a little residual moisture is a good thing.
Work a mixture of shine glaze and leave in conditioner through wet hair and let it air dry.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
HAIR MASK like Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Treatment, $3.93.
SHINE GLAZE like Ouidad Shine Glaze, $17.
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Bumble & Bumble Leave-In Conditioner, $22.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, fine, straight, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short layered hair
Try a volumizing/foaming conditioner — it's weightless and adds oomph sans oil. Use a straightening spray and mist over hair before quickly drying. Don't overdo it on the products, hair this thin can start to look stringy or greasy quickly.
Once it's completely dry, flip your head over and lightly mist the ends with a little dry shampoo to add volume without oil.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
STRAIGHTENING LOTION like Aveda Hang Straight Straightening Lotion, $20.
DRY SHAMPOO like Samy Dry Spray Shampoo, $5.99.
VOLUME CONDITIONER like Dove Extra Volume Conditioner, $4.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african american, 15-30 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short curly hair
Naturally curly hair sucks up moisture so stick with a great, emollient leave-in conditioner on soaking wet hair.
When you get out of the shower, towel-dry lightly. Use a wide-tooth comb to detangle hair working from the ends up to the roots.
Use a diffuser on a low heat to dry hair partially, letting it air-dry the rest of the way for best results.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Modern Organic Products Leave-In Conditioner, $10.99.
WIDE-TOOTH COMB like Vidal Sassoon Wide-Tooth Comb, $1.29.
DEEP CONDITIONER like Neutrogena Triple Moisture Hair Mask, $6.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, fine, straight, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with bangs
A quick fix for second-day hair: Spray some dry shampoo at the roots to sop up excess oil. Work it through the ends as well to add volume. Pull hair half back, keeping hair loose for a softer, less-extreme style.
Rewet and dry bangs to freshen everything up. A little detail, but it makes a huge difference.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
DRY SHAMPOO like Klorane Gentle Shampoo With Oat Milk, $11.
MINI DRYER like Revlon Travel Style Dryer, $23.99.
Texture Paste like Garnier Fructis Style Surf Hair Texture Paste Matte Effect, $3.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, wavy, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short wavy hair
Work a rich leave-in conditioner through damp hair to smooth the cuticle.
Spritz in some spray gel to control puffiness and frizz and diffuse on a low heat.
Twirl hair around your fingers to shape curls in front for a more polished look.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like TIGI Bed Head Ego Boost, $15.50.
SPRAY GEL like Clairol Herbal Essences Set Me Up Spray Gel, $3.99.
CURL SHAMPOOO like Samy Curls Shampoo, $5.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african-american, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with short curly hair
A close crop requires heavy-duty hydration to look chic. Always use a moisture-rich conditioner.
Wet hair with a setting lotion and sit under a drying hood on low heat to bring out hair's natural texture.
Work a little leave-in condition through a few pieces in front.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Charles Worthington London Results Leave-In Conditioner, $5.99.
HAIR MASK like Pantene Pro-V Strengthening Mask, $3.99.
GEL like Soft Sheen Carson Protein Styling Gel, $4.29.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, straight, caucasian, 15-30 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with bob
Roughly dry hair on a medium heat without applying any product beforehand. After hair is dry, add a dry spray wax and work through hair until you get that perfect unwashed look with just the right amount of volume.
Add a teensy bit of shine just to your bangs.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
DRY SPRAY WAX like Short Sexy Hair Play Dirty Dry Wax, $18.95.
SHINE POMADE with Modern Organic Products Separation and Shine Pomade, $12.99.
VOLUMIZING SHAMPOO like Kiss My Face Big Body Shampoo, $8.19.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, fine, straight, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short hair and bangs
Put a tiny bit of gel in the front section of your hair before drying. Pull layers forward as you dry so they frame the face and lie flat all at once.
Flat-iron bangs and then ruffle a bit so they maintain a little movement.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
LIGHT GEL like Got2B Styling Gel, $4.
ROUND BRUSH like Conair Vented Round Brush, $6.99.
MINI FLAT IRON like T3 Mini Flat Iron, $119.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, wavy, african-american, 30 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles
brunette with medium hair and bangs
Start with your bangs and spray them down with a little water mixed with leave-in conditioner.
Dry them using a small round brush so you get a little oomph right at the ends. Spritz with shine spray.
Dry the rest of your hair without using too much product. You want the rest of your hair to look a little more matte than your bangs.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
SMALL ROUND BRUSH like Goody Tufted Round Brush, $3.99.
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Alberto VO5 Detangle & Shine Restoring Daily Leave-in Conditioner, $3.99.
SHINE SPRAY like Matrix Color Smart Reflective Shine Spray, $14.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, straight, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short layered hair and bangs
Get a rocker-chic bob by keeping hair perfectly straight with a blow dryer and flat iron. Then, add a little shine to the bangs to keep the look from getting too severe.
Offset the sleek bangs with a worked-over texture on your ends-matte and piecey with a little extra volume.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
MATTE PASTE like Redken Rewind Styling Paste, $15.99.
SHINE BALM like Davines Defining System Shine Pomade, $27.99.
VOLUME SPRAY like Phyto Actif Volume Spray, $28.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african american, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with short tight curls
Deep condition hair three times a week with a super rich conditioner to flight frizz and breakage.
Try a leave in conditioner and a strong hold gel for the perfect mix of control and conditioning.
Try not to play with your hair as it dries, the more you touch it the frizzier and less chic it will look.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
GEL like, Ouidad Climate Control Gel, $22
SHINE SERUM like, Motions Smoothing Shine Serum $5.99
LEAVE IN CONDITIONER like, Joico KPax Conditioner, $16
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, straight, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short straight hair and bangs
Apply a texture spray to damp hair. Roughly blow-dry, working hair through your hands.
Take a mini flat iron and straighten sections for definition and shine.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
TEXTURE SPRAY like GHD Sea Spray for Waves, $24.
MINI BLOWDRYER like T3 Bespoke Labs Overnight Dryer, $130.
MINI FLAT IRON like T3 Mini Flat Iron, $119.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, wavy, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short layered hair
Run a wave-enhancing texture cream through damp hair. Twist small sections around your finger and then wrap your head in a towel. Unwrap in 5 minutes and allow hair to air-dry the rest of the way.
When hair is completely dry, spray on some shine.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
WAVE/TEXTURE CREAM like Short Sexy Hair Bulked Up Texture, $17.96.
ABSORBANT TOWEL like Aquis Microfiber Towel, $16.99.
SPRAY-ON SHINE like Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine Spray, $10.50.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, relaxed, african-american, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with short straight bob haircut
Always deep-condition after you wash your hair. Choose a product that's full of replenishing oils.
Blow-dry hair in small sections keeping the dryer on low heat and angled down from the root, says Pantene stylist Tippi Shorter.
Use a flat iron sparingly to get a bone-straight finish.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
DEEP CONDITIONER like Burt's Bees Hair Repair, $7.99.
FLAT IRON like Hot Tools Ceramic Flat Iron, $59.99.
HAIR MOISTURIZER like Infusium 23 Leave In Conditioner, $6.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, wavy, caucasian, 15-30 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with wavy hair
If you want a quick way to modify a frizzy look, spritz hair with spray gel and rake fingers through hair. Gather hair in a low ponytail at the nape of the neck, securing with a small elastic. Then twist the hair, secure the impromptu chignon with large bobby pins, allowing the ends to stick out.
Pull a few pieces out in front if you want a slightly more undone appearance.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
SPRAY GEL like Matrix Biolage Bodifying Spray Gel, $16.99.
SHAMPOO like Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo, $2.49.
BOBBY PINS like Scunci No Slip Grip Bobby Pins, $3.29.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, straight, caucasian, 15 minutes, blonde hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
blonde with medium length hair
Use a color-enhancing shampoo to liven up your highlights and add shine. Douse hair in volumizer and then blow-dry using a vent brush.
Add a little shine serum to the bangs and front layers to give them additional polish.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
COLOR-BOOSTING SHAMPOO like Pantene Pro-V Color Revival Shampoo, $5.79.
VOLUMIZER like Amplify by Matrix Volumizing System, $16.49.
SHINE SERUM like Salon Selectives Smoothing Serum, $4.49.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african american, 15-30 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair, short hair
girl with short curly hair
Deep condition hair three times a week with a super rich conditioner to flight frizz and breakage.
Try a leave in conditioner and a strong hold gel for the perfect mix of control and conditioning.
Let hair air dry and touch up with a serum to control any frizz or flyaways.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
GEL like Ouidad Climate Control Gel, $22
SHINE SERUM like Motions Smoothing Shine Serum, $5.99
LEAVE IN CONDITIONER like Joico KPax Conditioner, $16,
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, caucasian, 15 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short curly hair
A cropped pixie cut for curly textures looks so chic — but you need to use products that add a lot of moisture and shine to keep hair from puffing up. Even though hair is short, use a rich conditioner. Run a cocktail of styling cream and gel through damp hair. If you can stand it, let your hair air-dry.
Otherwise, use a small round brush to smooth out the very front sections, then blow-dry brush-free on a very low setting.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
STYLING CREAM like Rusk Str8 Lotion, $10.95.
CURL CONDITIONER like Deva Curl Conditioner, $37.
CURL GEL like Garnier Fructis Style Curl Scrunch Gel, $3.99.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, normal, straight, caucasian, 15-30 minutes, brown hair, hairstyles, sexy hair
brunette with short straight hair
For a sleek bob, wash hair with a clarifying shampoo to get rid of product buildup. Then, blow-dry using the tiniest bit of shine glaze to curb frizz.
Finish by running a flat iron though the front pieces only-you want sleeker in front and a little fuller in back.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
CLARIFYING SHAMPOO like Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo, $9.99.
SHINE SERUM like Matrix Biolage Smoothing Shine Milk, $16.49.
MINI FLAT IRON like Warren Tricomi Hot Iron, $90.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african-american, 15 minutes, hairstyles, sexy hair
woman with shorty curly black hair
Shampooo with a sulfate-free formula once a week — it won't strip natural oils from your hair, which keep curls under control.
Half a dropper of organic hair oil on very damp hair keeps ringlets looking healthy especially during dry weather.
Layer a cocktail of leave-in conditioner and gel over and let hair air-dry.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
HAIR OIL like Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Oil, $29.95.
SULFATE-FREE SHAMPOO like Back To Basics Color Protect Shampoo, $11.99.
CURL GEL like Ouidad Climate Control Gel, $24.20.
Hairstyle Handbook
short, thick, curly, african american, 15-30 minutes, hairstyle gallery, brown hair, sexy hair
brunette with short curly hair
Try a leave-in conditioner and a strong-hold gel for the perfect mix of control and conditioning.
Rake the product cocktail through damp hair with a wide tooth comb. Scrunch hair to add volume.
Let hair air-dry and touch up with a serum to control any frizz or flyaways.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
GEL like Sexy Hair Concepts Volumizing Gel, $12.49
SHINE SERUM like Motions Smoothing Shine Serum, $5.99
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Alterna Leave In Conditioner, $20
Hairstyle Handbook
short, straight, fine, caucasian, 15-30 minutes, brunette, brown hair, sexy hair, hair
brunette with medium layered hair
Spritz hair with styling spray and blow-dry with a round brush for volume and so ends are smooth and polished. Take medium-sized Velcro rollers and wrap hair down around them in one-inch sections. Leave rollers in your hair for at least 20 minutes. Spray with a fine-mist, strong-hold hairspray before removing the rollers.
With a natural boar bristle paddle brush, brush out the front/top section of your hair so you get that swooshy, sexy hair-falling-over-one-eye effect. Leave the rest of the curls more solidly in tact. Just shake them out a little bit so hair looks soft.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
STYLING SPRAY like Ojon Plump and Hold Spray, $22.
HAIRSPRAY like Ted Gibson Beautiful Hold Hairspray $11.
CONDITIONER like Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Conditioner $6.99
Hairstyle Handbook
brown hair, brunette hair, cropped hair, african american hair, hairstyles
ethnic hairstyles
Though admittedly not for everyone, a cropped cut makes textured hair look instantly polished. This style requires professional relaxing but not a ton of maintenance. Use a fine mist of spray-oil to impart sheen, moisturize your scalp, and smooth flyaways. The right shampoo, used sparingly, and a healthy application of conditioner will keep your locks healthy. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
SPRAY OIL like Soft & Beautiful Oil Sheen Conditioning Spray, $2.99
SHAMPOO like Jonathan Product Shampoo Weightless Smooth, $20
CONDITIONER like Optimum Care Anti-Breakage Therapy Stay Strong Conditioner, $5.49
Hairstyle Handbook
brown hair, brunette hair, fine hair, asian hair, hairstyles
ethnic hairstyles
To turn fine hair into an amped-up bob, start with a volumizing shampoo and just a small amount of a conditioner that won't weigh down your tresses.
Use a comb to create a dramatic part and side-swept bangs.
After your hair is dry, use texturizing paste on the ends and dry shampoo on the roots to toughen up the style even more. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
VOLUMIZING SHAMPOO like Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Shampoo, $30
TEXTURIZING PASTE like Got 2B Magnetik Texturizing Pomade, $6.29
DRY SHAMPOO like Klorane Shampoo Dry, $12.98
Hairstyle Handbook
brown hair, brunette hair, bangs, straight hair
ethnic hairstyles
A Cleopatra style — think blunt, eyelash-grazing bangs and thick, straight locks — works well for most hair types. To get it just right, use a leave-in conditioner and a straightening balm on wet hair. Divide it into sections and blowdry with a round brush. Then, flatiron the top layer, pulling downward.
Finish it off with shine spray — more is better; you want it really sleek. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Paul Mitchell Original The Conditioner, $17
STRAIGHTENING BALM like Phyto Phytodéfrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm, $26
SHINE SPRAY like Philip B. Shin Shine, $27
Hairstyle Handbook
brown hair, brunette hair, african-american hair, long bob, layers
ethnic hairstyles
This softened version of a long bob has shoulder-length layers and face-framing angles. Your relaxed hair will need to be thoroughly blown-out and flat-ironed. Begin by running a leave-in conditioner through the ends and spraying a heat-protector all over. Then, working in small sections with a round brush, bend hair under and dry completely. Lock in the style with a flatiron. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER like Miracle 7 Leave-in Conditioner, $12.99
HEAT-PROTECTION SPRAY like Ion Heat Protection Thermal Spray, $7.49
FLATIRON like Chi Ceramic Flat Iron, $74.99
Hairstyle Handbook
brown hair, brunette hair, african-american hair, hairstyles, '70s hairstyles
ethnic hairstyles
To evoke an authentic '70s-era style, all you need is your natural hair, a wide-tooth comb and detangling spray. Mist your dry hair with the detangling spray; you'll want to use enough to make it slightly damp. Then, separate small sections and hold them between two fingers. Gently rake through each piece with the comb, pulling up and out. (Holding it prevents tension on your scalp, which causes breakage.) Keep going until you've combed out all your hair.
For much-needed hydration, apply a deep-conditioning mask every time you wash. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
DETANGLING SPRAY like Graham Webb the Untangler Light Detangling Spray, $11.49
WIDE-TOOTH COMB like Conair Styling Essentials 3-in-1 Comb, $1.87
HYDRATING MASK like Motions at Home Deep Penetrating Treatment, $5.99
Hairstyle Handbook
brown hair, brunette hair, short hair, hairstyles
ethnic hairstyles
A blowout is the best way to make short, thick hair look polished. Start by distributing a liberal amount of blow-dry lotion throughout your tresses. Separate top and bottom sections and begin drying underneath, curling hair around a round brush. Then, do the same with the top section. Smooth flyaways with shine serum. Patience is important — the more time you spend, the better it will look. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
BLOW-DRY LOTION like Redken 02 Satinwear Ultimate Blow Dry Lotion, $19.50
ROUND BRUSH like Conair Performers Full Round 100% Boar Bristle Brush, $10.99
SHINE SERUM like GHD Shining Serum, $18
Hairstyle Handbook
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hairstyles
For a blunt bob, you'll want maximum volume and texture. Use a root-lifting spray on wet hair, and let your hair air-dry. With a paddle brush, blow-dry side-swept bangs into place. To give it a sexy, rumpled quality, rub pomade between your fingers and roll the ends of your hair, gently twisting small sections. MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS
ROOT-LIFTING SPRAY like Mark Mega Volume Root Lifting Spray, $5
BRUSH like Spornette Ionic Convex Paddle, $8.99
POMADE like Modern Organic Products High Shine Pomade, $17
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