I’ve had long hair for as long as I can remember.
Whether it was tying it up in a swishy ponytail at school, straightening it to within an inch of its life while at university or “growing out” my already long locks for my wedding, I’ve always felt that my long hair is part of my identity — and something to hide behind when I feel both on or off top form.
But for some reason around the middle of last year, I started craving a change.
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Browsing Instagram and endless pictures of stars like Hailey Bieber with short hair, I couldn’t help but wonder: Could I rock a bob and did I want to try?
At the beginning of December, with the help of my hairdresser Tahlia Maxwell, I did it.
My hair now sits well above my shoulders and is just about able to be tied up in a ponytail, provided I have a few strands slipping out.
When it comes to short hair, I have learned that there is no less maintenance with styling.
Too much texture and it looks frizzy, too flat and I feel dirty and undone.
The perfect middle ground is movement and body but also sleekness and softness.
But with a few key products (recommended to me by Tahlia), I have found a way to make the style work for me 24/7.
Shampoos, conditioners and masks
After a month of messing around with various different products, I have found that the best shampoos, conditioners and masks for short hair are products that both clean and hydrate, and add a degree of shine.
I can’t move past Oribe’s Gold Lust Repair and Restore Shampoo ($82) and Gold Lust Repair and Restore Conditioner ($86).
While pricey, the hairdresser-approved buys give my naturally frizzy and wavy hair the perfect amount of weight and softness, while also hydrating and replenishing the hair’s cuticle in order to ensure shine.
When consulting with Tahlia, she also recommended I Include Sachajuan’s Leave-In Conditioner Mask ($54) once a week in order to protect my newly-short hair from the elements, whether it is winter or summer.
“The Sachajuan mask is not only a delicious fragrance but rich with moisture and perfect for summer hydration,” Tahlia told me in December.
Since then, I’ve been replacing conditioner with this mask once a week for a moisture hit and have noticed a real difference in the overall health of my hair.
Styling products
After washing, I told Tahlia that I was super keen to build up an arsenal of styling products to take my hair from frizzy and unmanageable to sleek and sophisticated.
Now, I have a failsafe wash and style regime.
After washing, I rough dry my locks with a microfibre towel, before scrunching it up and adding either R&Co’s High Dive Moisture and Shine Creme ($51) or Oribe’s Matte Waves Texture Lotion ($64).
I’ve found using the R&Co product on most washes help to smooth and seal the hair, moisturise, soften and eliminates frizz from my locks.
While the Oribe Matte Waves Texture Lotion is a great buy when I want to risk a wash and wear situation.
When it’s wet, I simply scrunch the product in — and somewhat amazingly, it delivers the most lived-in natural look with a little element of texture that I love.
Following this, I’ll use a little of my holy grail product — the Split End Seal ($74) from Oribe.
As someone who has always struggled with flyaways and split ends, this $74 product really is a gamechanger, and I will no longer blow dry my hair without it.
Additional extras
Finally, what with it being summer and swimming and being on holiday a bit, there are a couple of other products I’ve had on high rotation in my new short hair era.
One such product is R&Co’s Suncatcher Leave-In Conditioner ($49), which is an absolute must-buy if you’re prone to frizz and/or unruly texture.
Tahlia told me to apply this one on to damp hair after washing, and to also take it to the beach to apply after swimming.
“Not only does it smell amazing, but it helps to protect your hair from the sun and salt we expose it to in the summer months,” she said.
I also occasionally rotate in IGK’s Rich Kid ($44) when I can’t be bothered with too much styling.
“You only need a small amount, apply it after washing into damp hair and blow dry in. This will add amazing shine and a smooth sleek finish,” Tahlia said.
I use Oribe’s Dry Texturising Spray ($75) on days when I can’t be bothered to wash my slightly greasy locks, and find it gives that perfect beachy look (and gives me an extra day minus the washing).
To shop all of these products and use them on your short hair, head to Rogue Beauty here now.
