Hair
About the Hair section
The Hair section of The Body Optimist brings together haircut, color and styling ideas, plus hair care advice for every type of hair: fine, thick, straight, curly, coily, color-treated or gray. Our guiding principle: choose what feels like you and makes your life easier, with no age rules and no body-type rules.
What you’ll find in the Hair section
- Haircuts: bobs, lobs, pixie cuts, layers and curtain bangs, with pointers based on face shape and hair thickness, plus low-maintenance haircuts for busy mornings.
- Hair color: balayage, highlights, plant-based dyes and glosses to brighten, refresh or soften a shade, and how to pick a color that flatters your skin tone.
- Gray and silver hair: going gray without dye and the highlight shade that makes gray hair glow.
- Textured hair: defining curls, moisturizing your lengths and a simple accessory that keeps curls defined.
- Hair care: washing, drying, heat protection, volume and repairing damaged ends.
- Updos and braids: easy styles for special occasions, such as these wedding hairstyles for long hair.
How do you choose a haircut that suits you?
A great haircut starts with your hair type, even before your face shape. A sharp, blunt bob makes fine hair look thicker, while layers take weight out of thick hair. Curly and coily hair benefits from being cut dry, curl by curl, to account for shrinkage as it dries. Think about your real routine too: bangs need regular trims, and a very structured cut needs daily styling. At the salon, bring photos of looks you love.
How do you care for curly, kinky and coily hair?
Curly to coily hair is often drier than straight hair, because the scalp’s natural oils travel less easily down a spiral-shaped strand. A few habits make a big difference:
- space out shampoos, choose gentle formulas and alternate with co-washing (washing with conditioner) if needed;
- detangle wet hair saturated with conditioner, using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb, working from ends to roots;
- layer your moisture, for example with the LOC method (leave-in, oil, cream);
- sleep in a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase, and avoid tight hairstyles.
Our approach
For our editorial team, no haircut is off-limits after a certain age and no style is reserved for one body type. Our face-shape pointers are there to highlight your features, never to lay down rules. Gray hair is a color in its own right, and coily hair doesn’t need to be straightened.
Our articles to get you started
- Hairstyles for fine hair: ideas for more volume without a complicated blowout.
- Signs your haircut isn’t working for you: what a hairdresser looks for, and when to change.
- Protecting your hair from flat irons and curling irons: the habits that limit heat damage.
- Choosing the right brush for a blowout: which shape and bristles suit your hair and the result you want.
Frequently asked questions
What haircut is best for a round face?
A round face is flattered by vertical lines and lengths that fall below the chin: an angled bob, a long bob (lob), layered shoulder-length hair or a side part. Long, wispy or curtain bangs work better than thick, blunt bangs. Short cuts are still an option, with volume on top rather than at the sides.
How do you go gray without a harsh regrowth line?
Highlights or a light balayage blend regrowth into color-treated lengths, a shorter cut removes the old color faster, and a gloss softens the contrast for a few weeks. Once the transition is complete, an occasional purple shampoo neutralizes yellow tones in white and gray hair.
How often should you wash your hair?
There’s no universal rule: it depends on your scalp and your hair texture. Fine hair or a scalp that gets oily quickly can be washed very often with a gentle shampoo. Curly, kinky and coily hair usually does better with less frequent washing, often once a week. The comfort of your scalp is the best guide.
Keep exploring: browse the whole Beauty section, our face and body care routines and our everyday beauty tips and tricks.