There’s nothing worse than having a bad hair day happen because of something you could have planned for ahead of time. Maybe you hit snooze on the alarm too many times, spill coffee on the counter in the bathroom, or can’t get that one stray hair near your crown to lay properly before your 9am meeting. A low maintenance hairstyle starts by considering how you’ll get ready in the mornings, instead of expecting that you’ll have 20 minutes every morning to run a round brush through your hair and use multiple hot tools.
Start with a Realistic Consultation
Let your stylist know about the realities of your morning routine. Does your commute include walking from a parking lot? Do you ride a bike and store your helmet in the front hall closet? Do you go to a fitness class where your hairline gets damp? Your Trademark Salon stylist should also know if your go-to blow-drying tool is a diffuser or a paddle brush, or if you just gather your hair in a fabric scrunchie while looking for your car keys.
Communicate how much maintenance you feel is realistic. If a hairstyle will require you to spend time shaping it with heat in the morning, it might be frustrating when you’re standing next to a ringing phone and a piece of bread that you haven’t taken the time to put in the toaster yet. Ask what kind of appearance your haircut will have if you let it air dry, sleep on it, or wear a beanie for an hour. Asking these questions during the consultation is far more productive.
Stylist discussing a low-maintenance haircut during a consultation
Manage Mornings When You’re Running Late
Hair that’s easy to manage is determined by how well the style works with your natural texture and density. Maybe the hair behind your ears is dense and will bulge out if you’re walking to the bus stop on a foggy day, or maybe the short face-framing pieces require attention after you’ve tossed and turned on your cotton sheets. Bring up these potential issues before getting a new haircut.
Here are some items that might be part of a low-maintenance morning routine:
- A wide tooth comb to detangle your hair after getting out of the shower
- A microfiber towel or a cotton t-shirt for drying your hair more gently
- One styling product that you apply sparingly
- Several bobby pins and/or an elastic for when you’re in a real rush
You need to use the right amount of product. Too much product (say, a dollop the size of a quarter) can cause flyaways to lie flat by lunchtime, especially after wearing headphones for several hours. Ask your stylist to demonstrate the correct application technique and product amount, then replicate that process at home rather than filling your bathroom counter with unused bottles of styling products.
Plan for Humidity and Gym Days
Humidity reveals problem areas quickly. It might cause frizz along your hairline, or it might make the ends of your hair stick to your coat’s collar, or it might cause short hairs around your temples to rise. Be descriptive about what happens to your hair in humid weather (visit this page). Saying “it poofs out after 10 minutes” isn’t as effective when your stylist doesn’t know if the root flattens, the ends wave, or the overall shape expands.
Hair reacting to humid weather around the hairline and ends
Working out on a regular basis presents a different type of challenge. Sweat forms along the nape of your neck and underneath a sweatband. Pulling your hair into a ponytail repeatedly creates a crease in the middle of your hair. Ask your stylist how to restyle your hair without having to wash it all over again. This could involve changing how you tie it back, how you blow dry the roots, or how you shape the front pieces depending on your hair type and routine.
Anticipate How Your Hair Will Grow Out
Hair that visibly grows out can turn a relatively simple routine into a chore. Your bangs grow to the point where they touch your lashes, your layers stop moving, or the perimeter along the nape starts to catch on the back of your shirt. Ask your stylist what changes you’ll notice most quickly and what the timeline looks like, which is explained well at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article, for when you’ll begin to see them.
The timeline you set for your next haircut should factor in these variables rather than just an arbitrary date on the calendar. Some styles stay manageable even as they grow out, while other styles look messy when a certain piece of hair touches your cheekbone or shoulder. If you don’t have the time to come in regularly, communicate that during the consultation and select a style that allows the hair to soften gradually.
Make It All Work For You
Your morning routine should be doable on days when you’re coming in from a walk in the rain, when you throw your gym bag on the floor under your desk, and when you forget to plug in your blowdryer until the morning of. Consider your lifestyle when making decisions about your next haircut, ask questions about how to maintain your hair, and leave the salon with a plan you can follow without spending a lot of time away from a hot cup of coffee.
