{Beauty Tuesday} Boring Short Hair and Other Myths

       I can't even tell you the number of people who've asked me how in the world I'm able to work with my lobbed-off locks. Even with less than three inches of length on top (and less than three centimeters in the back), I still mustered the ability to do it differently each day. A lot of girls will confide that they would love to try short hair, but "I just can't pull it off!" Of course, for some people, it's unfortunately the truth. But I have found that for the vast majority, all it takes is a risky attitude and a spark of confidence - not to mention a small amount of creativity - to make it happen.

      As for myself, I generally find my features to be far better complemented with short strands. I've worn every length, and my long hair often makes everything about me look wider. Less length is unexpectedly more elongating, and if kept out of your face it helps pronounce the features you wish to accentuate. The tricky part is that, unless you have absolutely magical hair that dries perfectly after each shower and stays that way all through the day, you will need to style it correctly. I often curl my normally straight hair to keep it from falling flat (a disaster for round faces) and looking oily by the end of the day.

{HERE'S THE SCOOP}

Start with towel-dried hair.

 I use a lotion spray to care for my colored hair. Squirt on and run through all your locks, focusing on ends.

 Volumizer is a miracle for fine hair. Use a golf ball-sized amount and work it into your roots.

 Blow dry hair, curling small sections around a big vented round brush. This lifts hair at the roots and makes it full. Everybody will be jealous of your body. Wink wink.

Spritz a heat protectant all over, making sure you run it through all your hair, not just the top layer.

Gather all but the bottom layer of your hair into a ponytail and begin curling your hair in layers. Mist each layer with a tiny bit of hairspray before moving on.

Curl one- to two-inch sections of hair at a time. This will create a tighter curl that holds its shape better. After each small section has been curled, use your fingers to set it in place so the hair stays in a ring (this will also help to set the shape).

Always curl hair toward the back of your head, even if you intend for some of it to be in your face. More often than not, hair curled in toward your face makes  you look like you're being encroached upon.

I like to work from the nape of my neck upward and forward. It's best not to interrupt me during this process, or else I walk around looking like this.

Once you've finished curling every piece of hair on your head into little ringlets, it should look a little something like this. Mist all over with hairspray once more, and then leave it untouched to set. Go do something else for awhile. Some examples...

 Find something colorful to wear.

 Drink a tall glass of ice water.

 Eat a scrumptious granola bar.

 Carefully re-curl any pieces you may have missed (or that have fallen out of shape already).

 Brush your teeth.

Extremely well.

 Like this! All clean!

 Make faces at yourself in the mirror. Will you believe me, please, when I confess how often and enthusiastically I do this? Here's my most attractive of the morning.

Alright, now you've given your hair some time to get used to being curly. Flip your head upside down... 

...and give it its final dose of hairspray. 

 Now flip back up...

...and brush it all out lightly with a natural-fiber brush. This makes it soft, shiny, and natural-looking. I like to stick a giant ribbon bow on top, but you're welcome to leave yours how it is.

Happy curling!