How to Make Your Hair Short Without Cutting It

Download Article

Download Article

If you want to make your hair look shorter without actually cutting it off, there are a few methods that don't require scissors or razors. With just a few household items that you probably already own, such as bobby pins and hair clips, you can go from long to short in no time.You can even style your long hair in a short faux-bob that will leave your friends wondering if you chopped all your hair off. "Did she or didn't she," they'll be wondering.

1. 1

   Put your hair up in a ponytail or bun. Let the shorter layers of your hair hang loose, creating a "short" look, while the bulk of your longer hair is pulled back and out of the way. From the front, it will look like you have a shorter cut. The ponytail can either be left as it is or rolled up and pinned against the back of your head.^[1]

   • Putting your hair in a bun is also a great way to disguise length. If all your hair is wrapped up, nobody will know how long it is.^[2]
   • You can also just tie long hair into a half-bun, leaving some strands hanging loose. Sweep the extra loose hair onto your shoulders and out of the way.^[3]
   • This usually looks best if you have a layered cut to begin with. Talk to your stylist about a layered cut if necessary.^[4]

2. 2

   Braid your hair. If you braid the hair tightly, it will appear shorter than if it was just hanging down your back. There are a variety of styles of braids such as the regular three-strand braid, fish braid and French braid. If you're going for a looser look but want it to still seem shorter, leave some pieces out in the front near your face.^[5]

   • If you have protective braids, like micro braids, you can make your hair appear even shorter by styling these braids in ponytails, buns, and more.

   Advertisement

3. 

   3

   Roll your hair under. Place a headband around your head with the back of the band pushed down near the top of your neck. Starting just behind the ear, roll your hair under and tuck your hair into the band. Secure it with a few bobby pins. Keep tucking until you reach the other ear. Use hairspray to hold it in place.^[6]

4. 4

   Curl your hair. Try curling your hair with foam rollers, bobby pins, fabric, or whatever tools you want to use. Do it while the hair is wet and use conditioner, setting lotion, hair spray or any other hair products that set and hold curls. If you can, let your curls set in rollers overnight so your hair completely dries without the use of your hair dryer.^[7]

   • If you want really short, bouncy curls, let your hair dry naturally. When you let your hair air dry, it dries at a slower rate and your finished hairstyle turns out with much more defined curls that have a tighter hold, which makes your hair look shorter.

5. 

   5

   Pin your hair under with bobby pins. Part your hair from ear to ear in a headband shape. Keep the parts about 1 centimeter (0.4 in) wide. Use an elastic band to keep each part out the way.

   • Split the rest of your hair into four or five sections. Bring the first section up so that it drapes over your face. Bobby pin it, then flip it back over to your shoulders and bobby pin it.^[8]
   • Repeat with the rest of the sections. Part the "headband" you started with, then pin it back over your head over the bobby pins. Try to hide them and bobby pin the cover piece in place.

6. 6

   Clip your hair under. If you have layered hair, clip the bottom of your hair like as in the "bobby pin method." Roll the longest layers, then clip them at the base of your neck so that they appear shorter. Then let the top layers of hair cascade over the bottom. It will appear as if your top layers are your longest layers.

   Advertisement

1. 

   1

   Curl your hair. Curling your hair will give your hair texture, which will be very helpful in making your hair look shorter. Curling your hair also will make the bob appear more realistic because people will be less able to tell it's a faux-bob. Curl your hair however you like.^[9]

   • Use a curling iron.
   • Sleep in rollers or use steam rollers.
   • Or, use a setting lotion spray and set the hair on rollers. Then, let it dry naturally overnight for a deeper hold.^[10]

2. 

   2

   Divide your hair from ear-to-ear. You want to create a top layer and an underlayer. Wrap the top layer (the hair above your ears) into a ponytail while you work on the underlayer. Leave the underlayer out to shorten into faux-bob.^[11]

3. 

   3

   Divide your underlayer into three sections. They don't have to be perfect or even, but you want a section of hair from the left side of your head and some from the right. Leave some hair in between the right and left sections on the back of your head. Separate the three sections with a clip.

4. 

   4

   Tease out each section of hair. Teasing your hair will give it extra texture and lift,making it easier for you to pull off this faux bob style. Grab one of the three sections of your hair and tease it. Place the comb a few inches away from the scalp and start back combing the hair by pushing it up toward the roots.^[12] This will bunch the hair up at the scalp. (It will look messy kind of like a bird's nest.)Then do the same for the other two sections.

5. 

   5

   Braid each section. For this step you will need hair-ties. Braid each individual section of hair with a regular three-strand braid. Do not start braiding your hair from the scalp, but braid your hair about an inch or two down from the scalp. When you're done braiding, secure each braid with a hair tie.

   • Lightly pull the strands of your braid to get ready to pin them in place.

6. 

   6

   Pin the braids up in place using bobby pins. Grab the bottom part of one of your braids and bobby pin it up under to the base of your head. Make sure the bobby pin is secure, then do the same to the other two braids.

7. 

   7

   Let the top layer of your hair out. The top layer should be shorter than the rest. Make sure the bottom layer is completely hidden by the top then curl or straighten the hair as desired.

   • Be careful not to way down the top layer with too much product or your hair will look flat and greasy. Lift up the roots by teasing them slightly for added volume at the crown, which is a common look with a bob.

   Advertisement

1. 1

   Wear a stylish hat. Put your hair in a ponytail at the base of your neck, then loop the ends of your hair around each other to form a bun. Tuck your hair under a stylish summer hat, or a knitted cap in the wintertime. You'll need to smooth out the hair to make it even across the entire neckline. Grab any stray hairs and tuck them up and under as well.

2. 2

   Get a layered haircut. Ask your hairdresser if he or she can do something with your haircut to make your hair look shorter, without actually cutting the longest layers. Layers can be very effective in styling your hair to look shorter, even if it's long.

   • If none of these styles suit you, consider just letting your hairdresser cut your hair. Even if you're nervous about a short cut, the great thing about hair is that it always grows back.^[13]

3. 3

   Wear a short wig. If you love your natural hair, it's easy to find a wig in a short style that suits your face and matches your hair color. Make sure to get a high-quality wig made of human hair. Synthetic wigs burn easily when you style them with hot tools, and they don't last as long. A poor quality wig will often look tacky, unkempt or fake, and it can cause minor skin problems on people with sensitive skin. Synthetic wigs are usually harder to care for and groom.

   • Each wig should come with instructions on how to wear them and ensure they stay in place. Some require glue to secure them, while others have clips that clip on to your hair at the roots. In any case, ensure that your natural hair is pinned securely and flat on your head. Wear a wig cap if necessary.^[14]
   • Don't forget that some wigs are not waterproof. Check the label for care instructions. Overall remember to have fun with your hair and all the different styles you can wear it.

   Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  What are the recommended ways to make hair look short for long, thick, wavy hair? Anything I do doesn't seem to work.

  

  What I like to do is take my hair and twist about half of it and clip or pin it up against my head. That way it looks like a high ponytail, making my elbow-length hair appear to be about shoulder-length.

• Question

  How can I make my hair look boy short? Like close to the scalp, but has bounce and volume, and has bangs?

  

  Get hair clips or bobby pins and pin the longer parts of your hair under the rest of it, giving it bounce and volume. For bangs, you could leave some strands out from the rest in the front, and amounts of hair you leave may vary.

• Question

  I have very long hair and am gender fluid. I want it to look natural, so what can I do?

  

  Braid your hair then roll it (toward the ground), then tuck it under some hair and pin it with a couple of kirbies or clips.

• Question

  I am gender-fluid and need my medium length hair to be short. Any ideas?

  

  You could do one of many things. You could roll or tuck your hair under (Google methods on how to do that), put your hair up in a ponytail or some other style, tuck your hair into a hat, or just get your hair cut, either by a specialist, a family member, or (if you dare) yourself.

• Question

  How do I put long, wavy hair into a short ponytail appropriate for a strict school where hair can only be put into a ponytail if it is short?

  

  If you have long hair, but you want to make it look short without cutting it, do this simple trick: 1. Wet your hair. 2. Put product in your hair (such as hair masks, leave-in-conditioner, etc.). 3. Curl your hair with a curler. 4. Flatten it out by pressing on it softly. 5. Put it into a high ponytail (so it makes it look short, because it's high up). 6. Tease at it a bit for extra volume. 7. Brush it out softly (so the curls don't undo themselves). 8. Flatten it again with your hands softly. 9. Tease at it again. 10. Spray with some water then brush it out softly (makes your hair look short, but also back to your regular hair style).

• Question

  I have a bob haircut but I wanted it to be boy short (my parents didn't approve). Is there anyway I can make it look shorter than it already is?

  

  Making it curly will make it seem shorter because the hair is raised a little bit. However, the only really good way is to get a short cut.

• Question

  How do I cut my hair short?

  

  Look online for short cuts you like. Then, you have two options: go to a professional hair cuttery, or do it yourself/have a family member or friend do it. If you decide to go to a professional hair cuttery, show the stylist the ideas you found online and ask what type of short cut would look good on you. Work together from there to come up with a cut that you'll love. If you decide to go the DIY route, do research on face shape to find out what shape your face is and what type of short cuts would work well for your face.

• Question

  How do you a French braid with short hair?

  

  French braid as you would normally would long hair, it just might be a little more difficult since the strands of hair aren't very long. Use bobby pins to secure the hairs that stick out, or use hairspray then tuck the sprayed hair back into the braid.

• Question

  How do I make my hair look short if my parents said I can't cut my hair and I'm not allowed to wear hats in school?

  

  There really isn't a perfect way, but brushing/straightening and then pulling back you hair can work to make your hair look more masculine. You could pull your hair straight back and tie it near the base of your neck. Avoid high ponytails if possible for it to look more masculine.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

• If you want to know what looks best on you, you could try a makeover site, where you can upload a photo and change your hair to the style you want.

• Wear a wig to try out shorter hairstyles. Use them for an everyday look or wear one to a formal affair to change your look for the night.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement

• Don't just go out and cut your own hair. Always ask a professional hairdresser to cut it.

Advertisement

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To make your hair look short, start by curling your hair with a curling iron or rollers to give it texture and make the style look more natural. Then, create a top and bottom layer by dividing your hair in a straight line from one ear to the other. Next, pin the top layer up and tease the bottom section to give it extra texture and lift. After the bottom section is teased, create three braids and pin them up at the back of your head. Finally, unpin the top section and arrange it so it completely covers the braids. For tips on how to create a shorter-looking hairstyle using a hat or cap, read on!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 288,877 times.

Did this article help you?

How to Make Your Hair Short Without Cutting It

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Hair-Look-Short

Share this post