How to Make My Hair Look Shorter

With short hairstyles becoming more mainstream every day, it's no surprise that people with longer hair are looking for ways to test drive them. Whether you have super long tresses, or a versatile medium-length 'do, you can go short in minutes. And you don’t have to chop off your hair to do so. There are plenty of styling tricks you can try at home to visibly shorten your hair for a more modern, edgy vibe. And that's what we'll go over in this article.

Try a Messy Bun

A messy bun is a great way to make your long locks look much shorter. Start by gathering your clean, dry hair into a high ponytail and securing it with an elastic band. Then, twist the ponytail repeatedly until you see a bun form. Secure the ends of your hair with bobby pins if needed and don't worry about making it perfect - messy is the goal here! Let some pieces of hair hang loosely, and you'll have an effortlessly chic look that disguises your length.

Do a Faux Bob

Bobs are the quintessential cut for women of all ages. If you want to get the look without committing to cutting off your hair, you can always fake it with a faux bob. This style gives the illusion of shorter hair. To get this look, start by gathering the hair in the back of your head at the nape of your neck. Roll it underneath and pin it in place with a few bobby pins. Then, style the sides and front of your hair as you please. The faux bob works best on layered hair.

Wear it in a Ponytail

Believe it or not, a high ponytail is all you need to make your hair look shorter. Just put your hair up into a high ponytail and secure it with an elastic band. Then, use a brush and some styling gel or mousse to smooth out any flyaways. The higher up on the head you go with the ponytail, the shorter your hair will look.

Rock a Formal Updo

For formal occasions, an updo is an easy way to make your hair appear shorter. All you need is a low ponytail, a few bobby pins, and some creativity. If you don't know where to start, YouTube is a good resource - there, you'll find tons of tutorials to help you master the perfect updo.

Go Curly

If you have natural curls or waves, enhance them! Doing so will result in shorter looking hair.

Here’s how to get it done: After washing and conditioning, add a leave-in and a curl definer to your hair and scrunch away! When your curls dry, they should be noticeably shorter. The more defined your curls are, the shorter your hair will look.

This trick can also work for straight-haired folks, but you'll go about it a different way. Take a curling iron or wand and curl small sections of your hair. The tighter the curls are, the more they'll shrink up and the shorter your hair will appear.

So, there you have it - everything you need to know about how to make your hair look shorter. With these styling tips, you can experiment with short hair without going anywhere near scissors. We hope you found this article to be helpful and we wish you the best with your hair!

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.