An idiot needs help with her hair.

[oinkment]

I'm not sure if it is possible to get hair help online but I'll try...

For years I've had long, straight, unstyled mum hair.

Now I have short hair! But I'm having a few teething problems.

I asked for a sort of Vicky Beckham, shorter at the back, jaw-line at the front.

If I wash it and leave it I look like the Milky Bar Kid.

So I mousse it and dry it with a hairdryer that's a brush that swizzles around, and then I use hairspray to stick it where it needs to be.

BUT it's a bit of a helmet head. I feel like I should be a perky overweight woman selling real estate in a pink textured skirt suit on a suburban US sitcom.

Help..?

[oinkment]

Frumpy bump.

Not really sure what advice I need.

Advice on a better haircut?

Different hair products?

How to blowdry?

I HAVE A HAIRSTYLE LIKE A HELMET!!

[badtasteyoni]

Um - not sure what you're asking really - is it too big & puffy when you've styled & hairsprayed it? If so maybe you should stop using mousse, which adds more texture & volume generally. Try using a serum or leave in conditioner instead, then rough drying and using straighteners all over.

Big hair set like a helmet with tons of spray is never a good look

[oinkment]

Straighteners not twirly hairdryer brush?

Oh I am so out of my depth.

Also I have a massive cowlick so it radiates away from my face before neatly curling in in a helmet.

Woe.

[MadBusLady]

See this is why I don't like having short hair. It's MORE hassle than long, not less.

Dry it naturally then rake some wax/other firm goop of some kind through it for texture?

Blow-dry with some beach/salt type spray instead of the mousse?

Straighteners are the only thing for the cowlick, I think.

[colette]

If it's a bit 'helmet like' maybe you need more layers to soften the outline - but layers are more maintenance ie. tend to stick up more and need more regular trims.

Maybe post a picture on your profile and also link to styles to show how you would like your hair to look ?

[LulaPalooza]

what texture is your hair without any product in it?

[oinkment]

It IS more hassle Madbuslady.

Without any product it is v fine, a bit thin, tends to be either flat and lifeless or fluffy and static / flyaway.

The only good thing about it is the colour.

Right. I have just booked an appointment at a salon to sort it out. Either cut it different or teach me how to do it.

[Fairylea]

I would actually go the other way and do less... roughly dry it, get some wax, rub it roughly through and make it look deliberately messy. Far sexier than over styled.

Generally it's straighteners for short hair rather than tongs or curls.

[GinRickey]

Yes, show us a picture!

I think it sounds like you want more movement and texture, maybe? If so you want to get rid of the mousse and possibly the rotat-y brush and do more of a rough dry with texturising spray.

What did the hairdresser do with it when you had it cut? Did you like it?

[oinkment]

Yes yes, LESS! I want to do less. I have to wash and blowdry the fricken thing every morning at the moment and I DON'T LIKE IT.

Question: How does one "roughly dry it"?

Yes, movement and texture. I want to not look like THIS.

Rough dry with texturizing spray?? >

Yes when he did it I loved it but I can't seem to make it every-day-okay.

[Limoncellolovely]

Tis one of the wonders of the modern world how seemingly sexily tousled casual hair is actually extremely high maintenance, however from your description it sounds like you may need some layers putting in as this is what creates the movement. I have a cowlick as you describe and find it is an absolute night mare when I had short hair but barely notice it when my hair is long definitely go back to the hairdressers and at the very least get them to teach you how to dry it yourself and suggest some products to use.

[YouCanCallMeBetty]

Sorry, not much useful advice but I've had a rubbish day and you've made me laugh so

Hope you get the hairstyle you want!

[MadBusLady]

Rough drying to me = head upside down, shaking out hair with fingers as you dry.

texturising spray = I think Gin means something like this. Disclaimer: I haven't used it, it got recommended here in a thread the other day.

[Fairylea]

Rough drying to me is brushing it wet into the style (ie just basically finding the parting if you have one) and then blasting with the dryer using your hands to scruff it up as you go. Then rub wax all over it. That's it ! :)

[oinkment]

Wax. Right. I'm going to buy some wax.

What sort of wax?

[oinkment]

One more question. when I go to the salon should I do nothing to my hair (flat, lifeless, no style at all) or make it into Helmet Head so they see what I'm doing wrong?

[LeChatRouge]

Get a load of pics of what you want. Go to salon and ask them to teach you how to do it yourself at home and buy the products (or write down the names of) they use. It might not EXACTLY resemble the pics as you may have different hair texture.

Go as you are naturally. I would want to do your hair from wet so would wash it at the salon anyway. You should be able to coax a cowlick to behave with blow drying.

[bulletproofgerbil]

I used to have a similar thing with mine when it was in a Beckam-esque bob. I used to think I looked like Darth Vader. Anyhow what softened mine up was flicking bits out at the sides with my straightener. A bit Judy Finnegany but it did away with the Darth. Now I've grown it out and wear it up all the time because it's so lank, thin and crap that I'm sick of messing with it.