It’s my opinion that a great short haircut screams bold, sexy, expressive, and fun. If you feel lost in making that happen, you’re not alone.
How do you make sure that you leave the house feeling confident and not wondering if you’re approaching Lord Farquaad vibes? In my experience, it comes down to the tools, products, and techniques. So today, I’m giving you some of my top recommendations as a cosmetologist (and some bonus styling tips).
1. Ella Bella’s Curling Iron
Ella Bella is a woman-owned brand known for its high-quality tools. Their curling iron has three different barrel sizes to choose from, and for short hair, I prefer the 1-inch barrel — which can still be super versatile depending on your technique. Its digital temperature control makes avoiding heat damage a piece of cake (but you still need heat protectant, of course).
Bonus points for this thing being absolutely beautiful to look at. It’s sleek, gold, and comes with a heat protection glove and a sleeve to store it between uses.
Pro Tip: I personally like the look that curling away from your face results in.
2. Bio Ionic’s 10X Styling Iron
Bio Ionic has made a name for itself by producing salon-grade tools that are also intended for home use. This particular flat iron is lightweight and slim, making it ideal for shorter hair. Something you don’t see with many other brands is vibrating plates, which help distribute heat evenly while minimizing tension — this results in less damage and frizz, making it harder to leave a heat crease/mark.
Pro Tip: When curling, don’t overly obsess about the under layers around your nape. That hair is going to often be covered, and if you try to curl it, it’ll just look funky. You can put a slight wave in it so it has movement, but I wouldn’t invest too much time in that area.
3. Olivia Garden’s 1¾″ Round Brush
If you have the time to blow-dry with a round brush, it’s totally worth it. It creates an amazing base for a great style, smoothing out strands, reducing frizz, and adding volume. I know using a round brush can be intimidating, but once you use it, it’s hard to go back.
Olivia Garden has many great tools, but I specifically added their 1¾″ brush to this list because it’s such a great size for short to medium lengths. It’s small enough to wrap your hair around and smooth it but big enough to still provide some lift and volume at the root. That classic ceramic + ionic technology combination is also great here for keeping frizz to a minimum and adding extra shine.
Pro Tip: I find it easiest to use round brushes with my dominant hand and the dryer with my other. Once you get the hang of it, you can switch hands.
4. Wavytalk’s 0.65″ Pencil Flat Iron
Wavytalk is one of my go-to brands for inexpensive but quality tools. Their 0.65″ pencil flat iron is small but mighty and designed to help you style even the shortest of pixie cuts, and its thin plates let you get close to the scalp in a way that a normal straightener can’t.
Don’t stress too much about burning — this flat iron has an insulated case around the plates to protect you when you style your roots.
Pro Tip: If you use a rattail comb to lift baby hairs up, you can avoid getting your fingers close to the heat.
5. BaByliss’ Nano Titanium Curling Wand
I know many of us struggle to get coordinated with a curling iron, so here’s a fantastic wand that you can try instead. BaByliss really wants to cater to everyone’s styling preferences, with barrel sizes ranging from 0.5″ to 1.25″. And just like the curling iron, I still love the 1″ size here because it’s versatile and easy to use on short hair.
Pro Tip: In my experience, people tend to get burned with a wand more than other tools, so I’d recommend wearing a glove during use.
6. Voloom’s Rootie ¾″ Volumizing Hair Iron
Okay, I know this one seems a little weird, but hear me out. Voloom’s patented checkered plates were specially designed to add hidden and specific volume wherever you need it. So if your short hair is feeling lifeless, you need this tool.
That alone makes this worth it for me, but there’s another benefit here! This tool pulls hair away from the scalp where oils are produced — and the more volume you have at your roots, the longer you can go between washes.
Pro Tip: Make sure you section out enough hair on top to avoid looking like a checker board.
BONUS: My Product Recommendations
The above tools are enough to get you started, but I’m also including some of my favorite products to make your life easier.
AIIR Dry Texture Spray
A good texture spray on any length of hair is amazing, but I find it to be essential for short hair. Not to be confused with dry shampoo that absorbs oil or hair spray that glues strands in place, texture spray is used to add volume and grit to the hair without leaving your hair feeling nasty or crunchy. It also comes in the cutest container, and it smells absolutely divine.
L’ANZA Thermal Heat Protection Spray
Lanza’s heat protectant not only shields the hair up to 450°F, but it also adds a flexible hold to your hair and makes your style last longer. Unlike other sprays, it does NOT leave a greasy residue.
A Few Styling Tips
- Alternate between your curling iron and flat iron, depending on the look you want. Curling irons give you bounce, while flat irons create sleek polish or subtle texture.
- When using round brushes, focus your drying on the roots — that’s what takes the most time to dry, and it’s where you want the most volume.
- Don’t over-product! Short hair can get heavy fast, so start with small amounts and layer gradually for control.
The Takeaway: My Favorite Hair Tools for Short Hair
All of these tools create a great arsenal for attacking short hair styling problems. But if you’re looking for a place to get started, I would recommend Ella Bella’s curling iron and Bio Ionic’s straightener as my top picks.
With the right tools, styling your short hair can be fun! Just don’t let it intimidate you. Find what tools and methods work for you, and be patient with yourself as you discover your favorite ways to elevate your look.
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