So despite everyone telling you not to go for that big chop, you did it. You finally went for it. and yes, it was fun to rock short hair the first few weeks and being able to feel all that wind in your face but now you are running out of ideas on what to do with your short locks. Worst of all, you are almost convinced you now look like a boy…the absolute horror! DO NOT fret. Here are some fabulous ideas on what to do with your hair (esp stubborn Afro hair) After The Cut.
1. Glow
The biggest secret to pulling off short hair is first of all to take care of your skin. It may not sound important but it plays a very crucial part in helping your haircut enhance your facial features. Why is that? Cutting off one’s hair exposes every other part of the face that otherwise longer hairstyles would hide (like the forehead, ears, neck, side cheeks). With this kind of overexposure, people are able to notice uneven tones and acne quite easily. So the first trick to looking stunning yet natural in that cut would be to work out your skin type first of all, then find out what kind of skin issues you might be suffering from. My personal rule is Cleanse, Tone & Moisturize. ALWAYS. It helps your skin glow. Also picking out the right shades of foundation or concealer that enhance the beauty of your skin would be worth the while. Once your face attains that healthy glow (mind you this is not achieved overnight, so impatient beauties beware!) and looks like it is breathing then you will notice a dramatic difference (even with little or no make up) in your look.

2. Add Some Colour!
A sure way to add some attitude into a short hair look is by using a suitable hair dye colour. Colour instantly adds a touch of your personality and style to your look. Consult a hairdresser, know what colour suits your skin tone best (you don’t wanna have some crazy dye stuck in your hair) and go for it! After all you only have short hair and dye it once, so I say. Winks*.

3. Twist It.
Keep things interesting by twisting your young locks. Twists are a fun style to try because you can do whatever you want with them. Plus you can always untwist if you want to change things up a little. Twisting works best with virgin/natural afro hair. So if you have relaxed your locks then the twists will not hold up for as long as they normally should. Twisting or knotting your hair adds variety which is important because short hair styles are very limited. In the natural hair universe, twists NEVER go out of fashion!



4. Accessorize!
When I think of short hair, one word first jumps to mind – accessorize! If you’ve noticed, most people with short hair usually do accessorize a lot. The reason for this is, since basically all your facial features are out on display, your accessories will stand out more. The secret to accessorizing with hairstyles is this: More hair, less accessories; Less hair, more accessories! So go on accessorize your look but know where to draw the line. You do NOT want to end up looking like a gypsy. So what works? I’d say big chunky jewellery (hoops is an all time favourite), colourful pieces, and bold accessories make you stand out in a glam way.






you could also accessorize using head pieces like bands and flowers.


5. The ‘FroHawk.
An excellent way of changing things up between short hair styles is by rocking a ‘Frohawk. It’s basically a Mohawk with an afro:) The hawk look generally works for round faced people because it adds an extra angle to the face. Nevertheless, a ‘frohawk would be a great way to spice up any short hair look. Some people achieve the ‘frohawk by shaving off the sides of the head extra lower than the top part. Or if you don’t want your sides to go that low, you could have it braided back while you leave the top part unbraided and combed out high.. OR if it isn’t long enough for braids, you could just brush it back to appear really low then comb out the top part to give it a semblance of a hawk. Then you’re good to go!




6. Fierce Make-Up
Wearing the right make-up is a key factor to making your short hair look fabulous and proving all those who think that short cuts are manly wrong. Anyways, make-up is key with short hair styles. Like I said before, your face is exposed. This means your lips and eyes and cheeks are out there, glaring at the world…So here’s your chance to highlight your best features. make them stand out more. You are sporting short hair, what will differentiate you from a young naive ten-year-old girl will be your make up and styling. Whether you’re going for light and natural looking make up or a full on blast of colour always make sure you’re on the glam highway. Pay particular attention to eyes, lips and cheekbones. Add some colour, add some gloss, add some glam!
Finally, last but not at all least, the most important thing that will seal and complete your look is your PERSONALITY. In fact, this is why you had a hair cut in the first place. Because you are different. So show it off through that awesome personality. All six tips I have listed above here would not make a difference if you do not have a personality to pull it off. So the most important thing is to let your personality shine through. Be yourself and let your look portray your individuality. It is okay to have someone who inspires your look or an icon whom you look up to but you do NOT want to become them. It is ALWAYS better to be an original version of yourself than a photocopy of someone else.
Click here to see more natural hair inspirations.
Thanks for stopping by and good luck.
Holla 🙂
Afrofrohawkmake upshort hair
Pretty
September 3, 2011Great piece Lydie! It’s amazing how much more and more black (African) women are going back to rocking our natural hair. As one who did the big chop recently, I have to add that be aware of the environment you live in. Natural ‘fros and dry weather DO NOT MIX!!! If you live in a humid place then you are lucky. I live in the desert and I have to use tons of hair moisturizer just to keep my hair nice and soft (and “combable”) Also, if it gets really,really dry…might help to braid it up or get a weave for protection. Furthermore, just because it is short does not mean it does not need to be shampooed and conditioned regularly. Deep conditions especially help give natural afro’s that soft supple feel and look. Short natural hair rocks!
MsAidyl
September 5, 2011i feel you Pretty. thanks for the tips.!
Tiki
September 5, 2011I like! this will be a big help for me for when I take out the braids I have in now…was already in despair over what to do with my hair. Nice piece Lydie, I’m looking forward to reading more from you!
MsAidyl
September 5, 2011glad i could help 🙂
apple iphone egypt
September 9, 2011I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thank you
Imani
November 30, 2015Thanks now I know what to do with my freshly cut hair.