Change it up! Things to consider when deciding on a new hairstyle

I recently decided that I wanted to change my hairstyle. And by change I did not mean a small cut or changing from a side part to center part. No, I wanted something drastic. A new look that would help me end the rest of the year looking stylish. Unfortunately, after making that decision I ran into a roadblock about what this new style should be. I needed to consider several different factors so I spent about a month deciding on a new hairstyle. During that month I learned a lot about the process involved with deciding on a new hairstyle and I would love to share a couple tips from my journey.

Find a Style that Fits your Lifestyle

Your hairstyle can really impact your life given the maintenance and care that certain hairdos require. Therefore, when deciding on a new look its really important to pick a style that fits in with your life. For me, I knew I was very busy with studying and work so I needed a style with very low maintenance. I also enjoy working out so I needed it to be easy to clean and style after workouts. While a quick easy to care style is important to me, I have friends who love spending hours on their hair. Whatever your preference is, make sure to research the maintenance a hairstyle requires and ensure that your lifestyle allows you to maintain it.

 Research Hairstylists

For me, deciding who to care for my hair is a very sensitive issue. I’ve had so many bad experiences with hairstylists who just did not understand my vision. After my most recent negative experience, I promised myself that when deciding on a new hairstyle I would conduct a thorough investigation on the hairstylist. I first checked out hairstylists online and read their online reviews. While that helped, I actually prefer to ask my friends for recommendations. After I find someone, I like to visit them for a consultation. Many hairstylists will offer a free consultation where they examine your hair and you can discuss your desired look. Don’t be scared to ask your hairstylist questions about their previous work and the products they use. You should feel 100% comfortable with your hairstylist and conducting the upfront research can really help with that!

 Choose only one chemical process

When deciding on a new hairdo, you may decide that coloring or perming your hair is needed to achieve your desired look. While those chemical treatments can help you look great, they can also damage your tresses. That is because the chemicals in those treatments penetrate your cuticle and break down the protein in your hair. Therefore, if you decide to apply a chemical treatment to your hair, only select one. Also, deep condition your hair frequently to strengthen your hair and provide it with nutrients.

 Be Inspired

Lastly, deciding on a new hairstyle should be fun! Thanks to blogs, Instagram and Pintrest, you can easily find a new hairdo and see how it looks on someone else. Take the time to search for the perfect cut or color! Get your friends involved and create a Pintrest board with suggestions. You can also check out Briogeo’s inspirational lookbook (will hyperlink) to get ideas. After taking into account everything mentioned above, I decided to get my hair braided for the fall! It fits in well with my lifestyle and will allow me to rest my hair during the winter. I’ll be sure to share pictures when I finally get it done. I hope you found this helpful. Please feel free to share what factors you consider when deciding on a new hairstyle.