Every once in a while, I’d get questions about my hair, especially my haircut and how I style my hair. So I will address everything-hair-related questions in this blog post such as my haircut, hair care routine, products I use, and steps I do to style my hair.
I’ve tried many hairstyles over the years, and I think the short bob is my signature hair now. It’s the hairstyle that suits me and my lifestyle the most. It’s low maintenance because it doesn’t look bad when it grows out and I don’t have to do too much to make it look good. And most importantly, I look good and feel good in it. What about you? Do you have a signature hairstyle?
My Hair Care & Routine
HAIRCUT
I’m someone who would get random urges for things, and I want them right away. I do that all the time when it comes to wanting a haircut the day of. Ever since moving to New York, I’ve tried out a few salons in both Manhattan and Brooklyn and have yet to find the hairstylist that I’d stick to.
Salon 87 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, is the only place that sticks out. They seem to always have something available the day of, and I like their chill friendly vibe. I’ve been there twice and seen two different hair stylists, and they’ve done amazing jobs both times. Both of the hairstylists I’ve seen are Japanese and don’t speak perfect English, but we’ve got it figured out in the end. I think I’m going to stick with them for a while!
For direction in terms of what I tell the hairstylists, most of the time, I expect them to know what to do when I say short bob. I always make sure to tell them that I want the back to be the shortest length since my hair grows out a lot, always a blunt cut with some layers added wherever they see necessary.
Right now, I have some grown-out curtain bangs and leftover colors from my previous coloring partnership with Madison Reed. Normally, I’d just prefer my natural color and some face-framing pieces in the front.
My current hair with some grown-out bang and highlights, 2 days after my haircut with some waves added by using a hair straightener. This is pretty much my signature hairstyle, preferred length, and how I usually like to style it.
WASHING & BRUSHING
I wash my hair every other day in the shower and mostly at night time before I sleep.
My hair is naturally straight with fine texture but thick overall. With age, I notice some hair fall-outs, but thankfully, it’s been easy on me. I have a dry and flaky scalp. Over the years, trust me when I say I’ve tried many dandruff and scalp health shampoo, and I always go back to the good old trusty Head and Shoulders.
I don’t use or feel the need to use conditioners because my hair is so short. When it’s extra dry (let’s say after the pool or going to the beach), I’d appreciate a little amount of conditioner if I have one around. same with hair treatments or masks, I’d do it if I have something around. I sometimes reach for my Gisou leave-in conditioner after the shower on wet hair. It’s a spray, so I only need a few spritzes. And that is only to help the comb glides through my hair easier.
For brushing, I have a boar hair round brush that I got from Walgreens or CVS many years ago. I’m in the market for a round brush, something smaller that can make my at-home blow-drying easier. My short hair is just too short to fit around the brush that I have currently. It does the job, but it’s so old and needs to be retired soon.
AIR DRYING VS. BLOW-DRYING
A life-changing product that I’ve discovered this year is hands down the AQUIS hair towel. It’s just a rectangular-shaped towel made from polyester and nylon mix, and my hair can be easily wrapped inside it. I do it right after the shower and only leave it on for a few minutes. It’s so much better than wrapping my hair in traditional cotton towels because this is more gentle. I find that it doesn’t tug or pull my hair and definitely helps cut down my hair drying time a lot. Huge difference and I’m sure you will love it, too.
My current hair dryer is this one from Shark (Click here for my Shark affiliate link). The set also comes in other attachments which work for different hair textures and lengths, so I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking to buy something for multiple people to share in your family. Because I have short and straight hair, I only use the IQ 2-in-1 Concentrator attachment for blow drying purposes. It’s so powerful, and the design is so sleek. I love it!
SLEEPING
If you have yet to own a silk pillowcase, then consider this as a sign to purchase one.Compared to cotton, generally, silk is more cooling, smoother, and more gentle on the skin and hair when you sleep on it. Mine is from Slip, and it’s the best silk pillowcases I’ve owned. The cheap ones from Amazon just cannot compare. It washes well, and I love it so much! Do it for your beauty sleep!
HEAT STYLING
Before heat styling my hair, I always make sure to use some sort of heat protectant product. I’ve had this Gisou Oil for years, and I’m barely halfway into the bottle. Hair oil is great for when you want instant moisture and grip prior to styling, and it works with all types of hair when it’s dry, damp, and wet. It’s a great product to always have around, plus the bottle looks so cute on display.
For sprays, I currently have (and would repurchase) the Perfect Hair Day from Living Proof and the Propolis Spray from Gisou.
Heat styling-wise, I really don’t do a lot besides trying to add some volume and waves. I’m lazy, so I mainly just rely on good products at this point. I’m that effortless, undone, texturizing, beachy waves kinda gal.
I don’t have a photo of my new GHD hair straighter, but I’ve shared about it on my IG stories before. There’s only one setting, and I find that it’s nice because that prevents people from burning their hair. I love that it curls my hair in an instant, and my curls do last (with the help of product, of course!). It’s also lightweight and comes with a heat-resistant travel-friendly pouch. I use it to straighten my hair, mainly curling the ends of my hair inwards, or adding some quick curls and volume around the roots.
When I feel like using a curling wand (much less often now since using a hair straightener is faster and gives me the same effect), I have this one from Gisou. It’s alright. I love that it’s also pink.
For styling products, my absolute favorite is the Ouai Matte Pomade. I use it mostly from the mid-shalf and ends of my hair. It gives that worn-in hair texture (not freshly washed) and doesn’t weigh down my hair. I just pick up a little bit of product with the tips of my fingers and do the swirly motion. It also works great at taming flyaways!
For finishing sprays, the KENRA Volume Spray 25 has been my go-to for years. It’s light and strong, quite literally the best I’ve used so far. It provides the perfect amount of hold and keeps my hair curled or styled all day. I love that the smell isn’t too overwhelming, and it also doesn’t make my hair feel hard or crunchy. Another great texturizing spray I have and recommend is the Oribe Dry Texturizing hairspray. I’ve seen people with long and luscious hair after using it, and that always makes me want long hair. It smells so good, a bit more expensive, but a bottle does last such a long time.
In terms of dry shampoo, I have the Perk Up Dry Shampoo from amika and have heard good things about this PHD Dry Shampoo from Living Proof. I like the concept of using dry shampoos because it’s better than washing if you have damaged or bleached hair. I do think dry shampoos help remove the excess oil in an emergency situation when you don’t have time to wash your hair or when you don’t have access to running water aka camping. When I’m at home, I try not to reach for it often because I don’t like the feeling of it. My scalp would get so itchy, and I feel like I have to wash it off asap when I get home.
Lastly, the Toppik Hair Building Fibers deserves its special shout-out. This stuff is magic and really gives an instant fuller hair look. And it’s so natural, too. It’s not mine, but I sometimes would sneakily use it at the bald spot on the back of my head. I just have it back there, and I’ve always been so conscious about it. My partner uses it (since his hair is thinning due to genetics) when he has to be in suits and looks dressy.
I love my short haircut, and as I’ve said, it’s going to be my hairstyle for many many years. It’s so cool to hear that some of you have gotten your hair cut short because of me. I love seeing women in their short haircuts. It’s edgy, cool, and so easy to style. Really, I can go on and on about the benefits of having short hair.
