Coco Chanel famously said that a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life. She was right. Almost every great milestone in my life has been marked by a haircut. When I graduated from my strict high school that forbid any tampering with our hair, the first thing I did was visit my hairdresser to chop my long tresses into a bob and dye it a deep auburn. A few years later when I began my second year of university, I went all in and got a pixie cut that was both liberating and terrifying. It is one of the most wonderful aspects of a fresh haircut: it really can transform our relationship with ourselves and the world. And the style that we choose is no accident, either. The shapes and lengths we gravitate towards reflect our internal headspace. If a hairstyle is an extension of our personalities, then the looks we land on are worth taking note of. Here is what your hairstyle says about you:
Long and Free: long, loose locks go hand in hand with a bohemian lifestyle. A free spirit, you are low maintenance and open to adventure, and at any moment might move to an ashram in India or disappear on a solo road trip around the world.
Best products for you:
- Luxury: Oribe's Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray
- Natural: Aveda's Texture Tonic
- Affordable: Redken's Fashion Waves 07 Sea Salt Spray
Short and Chic: a chic, cropped cut is for the coquettish, flirty woman who is not afraid to go after what she wants. You are bold and cool, and ready to show the world what you’re made of.
Best products for you:
- Luxury: Shu Uemura's Uzu Cotton Definition Cream
- Sleek and Sexy: Color Wow's Color Wow Pop + Lock High Gloss Shellac
- Natural: Aveda's Light Elements Defining Whip
NB: Check out our hair expert Edward James's video for creating three modern vintage looks for short hair.
Fearless Pixie: for most women, chopping off their hair into a cropped look is a step too far. But you are not most women. You are a fearless female ready to take on new challenges and revolutionise your life. Sexy and surprising, the pixie cut is a true sign of big changes ahead.
Best products for you:
- Luxury: Shu Uemura Pro's Ishi Sculpt Sculpting Paste
- Natural: Aveda's Control Paste
- Affordable: Redken's Rough Paste 12 Working Material
Curly and Untamed: curls reflect the creative spirit within. You are a romantic at heart with a love of beauty and nature. Whether big, wild curls or soft, rolling ringlets, a woman who flaunts her curls is bursting with creativity, warmth and artful ideas.
Best products for you:
- Luxury: Oribe's Curl Control Silkening Creme
- Natural: Oway's Sea Salt Spray
- Sexy: Colour Wow's Dream Coat for Curly Hair
Smooth and Serious: long, mid-length or super short, a sleek, straight hairstyle is the perfect look for a woman on a mission. You are a determined mover and shaker ready to make waves in the boardroom and shatter the glass ceiling.
Best products for you:
- Luxury: Shu Uemura Pro's Tsuyu Sleek Blow Dry Oil Spray
- Supermodel: Color Wow's Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
- Repairing: Olaplex's 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum
- Affordable and Natural: Oway's Glamshine Cloud