Your best hair look is about projecting the best version of you, to the rest of the world. If you're due for a change, you can look and feel like a totally different person with a new hair look. An updated cut, a little color and a new styling technique can be totally transforming!
To figure out which hair cut and style will look the cutest and suit your personality best, you have to know the right questions to ask. Use Myjellybean.com's step-by-step guide to answering the important questions and finding the best hair look for you.
The first and most important step in getting your best hair look is deciding on the right haircut. You'll want to ask yourself these questions when deciding on a cut:
Take a good look in your mirror. Your face shape will determine which hair cut looks good on you. For a complete guide to the different face shapes and the cuts that suit them, read Jellybean's article: "Get the Right Hairstyle for Your Face Shape.".
Before you commit to a cut, you'll want to find out if it will work with your hair type. For example, a blunt bob might look adorable on a straight haired chick, but turn curly-haired girls into poodles. Bangs work on some hair types, but not on others. Ask your hairstylist what hair cut will work best with your hair type, especially if you have a specific cut in mind.
If you have a busy lifestyle, you're active in sports, or you just don't want to devote hours to styling every day, you'll want a cut that requires minimum care. This might mean a shorter cut (shoulder length instead of super long), or maybe a cut that looks good with a minimum of tools (no curling or flattening iron required).
When you talk to your stylist about your haircut ideas, get hers (or his) on how many ways you'll be able to change your new cut. One-length cuts are generally more limited in terms of styling options, but they're better for updos. Texturized and layered cuts tend to be much more versatile in terms of achieving different looks with styling.
Again, your hair type matters - your stylist will let you know if you should be working with natural curls, or cutting texture into straight hair for more movement. Whatever cut you decide on, be certain you can achieve at least a few different looks (one for everyday hair, another for dress-up occasions, plus something easy for when you're being sporty). If not, you'll get bored and frustrated with your hair as time goes by.
If you're happy with your natural hair color, that's great! But if you want a change, that's easy to do. It's simply important that you consider what will suit you, and not just what looks good on someone in a magazine. To determine what hair color (all-over color or highlights) would look good on you, ask yourself these questions:
The best way to choose a great haircolor is to determine if you have naturally warm or cool undertones to your skin. To find this out, you'll need a piece of fabric (or a piece of clothing) in pink, and one in peach. Stand before a mirror and hold the pink fabric up to your face, then the peach. Which one looks better beside your skin? If the pink looks better, you have cool undertones. If the peach suits your skintone better, you have warm undertones.
Girls with naturally cool undertones should go for cool tones of hair color. That means avoiding reds and going with ash blondes and neutral
browns. Stay away from anything that says "golden" or "honey."For girls with warm undertones, the best colors are ones that have a bit of red in them. Golden and caramel shades of blonde and brown, and warm, coppery shades of red will look good.
Highlights are a great way to get a color boost and still maintain a pretty, semi-natural look. Highlights are streaks of color that are a few shades lighter than your natural color. They are blended in with your natural strands to add definition and lightness. Lowlights are much the same, except the color is darker than your natural hair, instead of lighter. For girls with naturally blonde or light brown hair, getting a mix of highlights and lowlights can look absolutely stunning. Highlighting or lowlighting are also beautifully complement the movement of wavy, textured or curly styles. Tip: Always go to a pro for highlights/lowlights - this kind of color application is too hard for amateurs to do right.
All-over color is more drastic, and it's more high maintenance. Choose this option if you want a total color change (for example, your hair is mousey brown and you want to go cherry red all over). Be aware that coloring your hair all-over requires a lot of expensive upkeep. A permanent color change that's far removed from your natural shade requires a touch-up at the roots every four to six weeks at maximum.
It's smart to test all-over color before making a commitment. Check out your local drugstore, hairdressing salon or beauty supply store for temporary hair colors that allow you to "try on" a color before dyeing.
When it comes to style, the new products and tools available today means that you can achieve just about any look with enough time and effort. Here are some questions to ask yourself, to figure out great styles for you:
You probably already have a few favorite hairstyles. Maybe you idolize a certain celebrity's hairdo, or your friend has a style that you'd like to copy. Or you've seen a hairstyle in a magazine that you want to try.
Whatever styles you choose for yourself, book the time to learn how to style your hair. Call your hairdresser and ask to book an appointment for her to teach you some styling techniques. You could do this at the same times as you're getting a new cut, or just on its own.
Make sure to bring pictures of the style(s) you want to try. Ask your stylist to teach you how to recreate your favorite looks - you might as well learn how to do more than one while you're there! Also, try out different styling tools under the guidance of your stylist. Mousses, gels, sprays and more are fun to play with when you know how to use them for your hair texture, your cut. She can tell you what you're doing right, and help you to learn new techniques if you're not using a product or tool properly.
Personality plays a big role in hairstyles and how good they look. If you're a super serious person, a kicky, bright-colored shag might seem weird on you. If you're fun-loving, a serious pulled-back ponytail might be too severe. Think about what kind of image you want to project, when you're deciding on hair styles. After all, you can choose a hairstyle that projects a certain personality... not just how people see you now, but what you want them to see you as! But ultimately, if your hair seems at odds with the way you act and dress, it's not the right style for you.
Be realistic about what kinds of styles you can achieve with your natural hair type. Thicker hair can’t take on a super-wispy look. Straight hair requires a lot of work to create ringlets, and curly hair can be tough to get perfectly straight. Again, ask your stylist about which styles will work best with your hair type.