In my last post, I discussed the most important things to know about having very long hair.  This time, I’d like to talk about the flip side of that situation; what to do when your hair is cut short, and you’re waiting for it to grow out again.

Everyone has been through this at some point; you told the hairdresser to take off just an inch and a half to even it out, but when she finally whips the cape off your shoulders, it looks like half a foot is gone and you can’t get it into a ponytail anymore.  Or you chopped bangs, only to find out after the fact that they looked really stupid. And then you spent a couple of months desperately trying to hide the disaster until it grew out enough for you to pretend that it never really happened.

Whatever.  We’ve all been there, and we’ll all be there again at some point.  But next time it happens, you’ll be prepared!

• If your hair was very long and is now significantly shorter, you probably won’t need as much shampoo as you’re used to.  Start out using a smaller amount until you figure out the right quantity for your new length.
• If you can’t rock the ponytail or braid that you’re used to, headbands and hair clips will be your go-to accessories for when you need to keep your hair out of your face.  A wide headband is great for exercise, while tiny butterfly clips are awesome for keeping growing-out bangs where you want them.
• Did you end up with a mullet instead of the long layers you hoped for?  If your hair is dramatically awful, stock up on tichels and bandanas and so on to cover up your pain.
• Hair extensions, clip-on ponytails, and wigs are great options if you need length in a hurry.
• Use a styling gel or your favorite hair product of choice to keep short wisps of hair down.  I swore by smoothing milk to keep the flyaway frizzies at bay.  A new hair situation means that you can have fun experimenting with new products!
• As with very long hair, go easy on the heat styling (blow dry instead of flat-ironing or curling) as much as possible, and keep on conditioning.  The more you minimize breakage, the less time it will take for your hair to look normal again, and the less you’ll have to trim to keep it neat.
• Be patient!  If you really hate your hair’s current style, it’s tempting to keep going back to the salon in the attempt to recreate your look.  But if you really want a few more inches in length, the best thing you can do is to dress it up and wait it out.  On average, hair grows about half an inch per month.  Calculate how long it will take for you to reach your ideal length and start crossing days off on the calendar.  And then celebrate once you reach your goal by buying some nice chocolate – or a new accessory!