Marilyn Monroe said “give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world,” but we respectfully disagree. A great pair of shoes are a thing of beauty, but there is no bigger boost to your confidence than a healthy, beautiful head of hair. After all, nothing quite beats that feeling a fresh cut, color and style gives you. Similarly, nothing is quite as unpleasant as a hairdressing appointment gone wrong. Most women have experienced that sinking feeling in their stomach when they discover that the beautiful long layered haircut for women they envisioned somehow ended up as a choppy bob with a fringe.
Hair can be our crowning glory or the undoing of otherwise impeccable style choices. The right hairstyle for women underlines their natural beauty and style, ties together their overall appearance and even allows a glimpse into their personality. What’s more, a good haircut for women is versatile and lets you experiment with how you present yourself – sleek and refined one day, with a curly hairstyle or romantic one the next.
Finding the right hairdresser is as essential as finding the right haircut.
As most women know, finding the right haircut is no easy feat. It requires a combination of the right hairstylist and an understanding of your hair type and texture. The first step, finding the right hairstylist, is arguably the hardest and is unfortunately a trial and error process. Perseverance is key however, because when you find that person who understands both your hair and your hair goals – congratulations, you’ve reached hair nirvana!
Understanding your hair type and texture is key to finding the perfect women’s hairstyle for you and a good hairdresser will be able to help you with this. They should examine your hair to determine its type and texture before recommending a women’s haircut that will work with, rather than against, your natural hair. Every hair type and texture must be cut and styled differently, so it is important to understand that not every women’s haircut may be realistic for you. Someone with stick straight, fine hair will never be able to achieve Carrie Bradshaw style curls without doing serious damage to their hair. However, using hair mousse may help to build up volume for fuller-looking hair.
These are each divided into subcategories depending on the thickness of the hair or the type of curl it has. The hair type also influences the condition of the hair, for example curly hair tends to be drier, as the natural oils produced by the scalp cannot travel down the hair shaft as easily. Make sure your hairdresser understands how your hair type has to be cut to achieve the best results, as this is not a one-size-fits-all situation.
Another important factor to consider when choosing the perfect hairstyle for women is your face shape. Hair frames the face, so it dramatically impacts its appearance. The right women’s haircut will accentuate your features and complement them, but neglecting to take your face shape into account can lead to a style that is less than flattering and may even age you. Luckily, there is a haircut or style for women at every length – but the devil is in the detail.
If you have a round face and fancy a dramatic change, go all the way with a pixie cut with choppy pieces on top to lengthen your face.
Heart shaped faces tend to have a prominent jaw, so a bangs is a great way to offset it and draw attention to your eyes instead.
A short, layered bob that hits just above the jaw softens square faces and highlights your cheekbones.
Something that is often forgotten when choosing a hairstyle for women is lifestyle. It is crucial to make sure your haircut suits your everyday routine and personality. If you often find yourself in a hurry and prefer your morning routine to consist of a quick shower and a coffee-to-go after, you do not want to end up with a high maintenance hairstyle that requires hours of styling. Long layers are a great wash-and-go women’s haircut, as they lend body and movement to the hair without needing much additional help from you. Contrary to popular belief, shorter hairstyles for women can require more styling than long hair as they are more prone to lie flat without the help of a round brush and blow dryer. Make sure your hairstylist is aware of your preferences and how much time you are willing to spend on styling your hair.
Choosing the right hair tone can add glow and liveliness to your appearance.
Color also has a huge impact on the overall style of your hair. The same women’s hairstyle in a different color will look drastically different, so if you don’t want to change the length of your hair try experimenting with color. Foilyage, evolving from blonde balayage highlighting, is a new technique that combines hand painted and foiled highlights resulting in soft, natural color. Plus, dying hair is no longer the damaging process it once was thanks to innovative new methods like glossing, which gently adds translucent color, enhancing your natural shade, rather than masking it. Even bleach fried hair is a thing of the past, thanks to bond strengtheners like fibreplex, which are added to the bleach and repair the broken disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair.
Once you have found the perfect women’s haircut for you, you must maintain it and learn how to style it for maximum effect. Welcome to the world of hair products which, as you will soon learn, has a lotion or potion for any hair concern. Start with the basics and find a good shampoo and conditioner that address the specific concerns of your hair to keep it healthy. Once you have established a good foundation, add leave-in treatments to your routine, which can soften, detangle, prevent split ends and add shine. Styling products help you to achieve a different women’s hairstyle every day. Spray a little sea salt spray for beachy, tousled waves, or run some hair oil through your lengths for a sleek and shiny look.
From Marilyn Monroe’s iconic platinum blonde waves, to Grace Jones’ androgynous flat top, time and time again we have witnessed the transformative power of a truly great women’s haircut. We know that women’s hair is intimately tied to identity and can even become symbolic of an entire time period. After all, Jennifer Aniston had every hair-conscious 90s girl asking her hairdresser for “the Rachel”. So, don’t miss out on this transformative power and find the best women’s hairstyle to suit you. As they say, life isn’t perfect, but your hair can be.