Lately I’ve been a bit more inventive with hair styles for the office, feeling I guess like good hair tops off an executive look quite nicely. Even if I’m low on time, I’ve found short cuts that look good yet require just a minute of effort.
Generally when I exercise in the mornings I will always wash my hair afterwards; but once or twice during the week I sleep in rather than exercise, depending what I’ve got on that week and how busy I am. On those days a bit more inventiveness is required.
Depending on your hair type (mine is fine but thick and straight with a slight wave), you’ll know whether curling or straightening works best but it’s a rare hair type that needs neither to look its best. If you have a heavy wave already, you may be able to simply wash and scrunch your hair with sea salt spray but mine never looks good doing that. It looks like an accident (I’ve tried it a few times with the result that I had to tie my hair up or re-wash it!).
People with fine, nearly straight hair tend to do better using a quality straightener to either curl (setting with a good hair spray) or straighten hair. I use Morrocan Oil Light every day after washing and before using my hair dryer and straightener, regardless of the look I’m going for. This has been a life-changing product for me, because it tames fly-away strands, reduces heat damage and creates a silky sheen for my hair, which is amazing considering I wash, blow dry and straighten my hair pretty much every day.
Here’s three looks you can go for, depending on how much time you have at your disposal.
The elegant up-do
This can literally take 30 seconds to put together. If your hair is shoulder-length or longer, you can easily work this look. The chic up-do is the classic style for a busy day at the office as it will sit well pretty much all day and not fall into your face or bug you! There are copious up-do hairstyles from the side ponytail, glossy back and the braided hairstyle. A trendy autumn look that never fades is the elegant ponytail that’s parted on the side. To achieve this look efficiently and quickly, comb your hair with a roll-brush and move your locks on your desired shoulder. Using a hair-tie, grab the middle part of your hair and tie this as loose or as tight as you want, ensuring the hair is in the right place. In order to create a firm base, use hairspray sparingly.
Alternatively, simply comb your hair back with a part in the middle and lock it into a loose bun, either twisting a non-snag hair tie around it or securing it with a clip.
If you’re concerned about the volume of your hair (particularly if you’ve been using way too much product for too long!), there are options such as Transitions Hair, which offers both men and women solutions to create more confidence with the thickness of your hair.
The tousled bed hair look
As mentioned earlier, I definitely can’t rock this look because my hair is way too fine. It just looks scraggly when I try to tousle it with product – as though I’ve slept in it and not combed it. If you already have a wave and particularly if you have a darker coloured hair that you can get away with not washing for a couple of days, this is a look that you definitely should try out. It does require a bit of length, but not much. It’s best done with hair unwashed that day because the conditioner when you wash it makes hair slippery. After washing, scrunch a sea salt spray through your hair and leave to dry naturally. Too easy!
Super straight hair
This works best with fine hair but anyone can straighten their hair – you just need a high-quality straightener. I also prefer salon-quality hair dryers because they speed up the process threefold (and who can be bothered standing around for 20 minutes each day drying their hair?). I can dry mine in about four minutes flat with a high-powered blow dryer, which leaves only the remaining styling. When I wear my hair straight, it’s got to be freshly washed and dried with Moroccan Oil tousled through wet hair. Important note: only one pump of Moroccan Oil should be used on the hair. Any more, and you will feel like you’ve swum through an oil slick. It seems like not much, but trust me – a little goes a long way with this stuff.
Dry the hair in sections, ending with a cool blast to set the hair, then straighten in sections. You’re ready to go!
What’s your favorite hair style for the office?
Note: I partnered with Transitions Hair on this post.
