Start with your face shape.
Face shape is a guide, not a rule, but it helps you narrow the choice. Round faces often suit cuts with some height on top and length below the chin, such as a longer bob with soft layers or a pixie with volume at the crown. Long faces tend to look balanced with width at the sides, a chin-length bob or bangs. Square faces are softened by texture and side-swept pieces, while heart-shaped faces suit a bob that adds fullness near the jaw. Oval faces can wear most short shapes. Pull your hair back in a mirror and look at your forehead, cheekbones and jaw before you decide.
Let your hair texture lead.
The same cut behaves very differently on fine, thick, wavy and curly hair. Fine hair often looks fuller in a blunt bob, because a solid line makes the ends look thicker. Thick hair usually needs layers or internal thinning so a short cut does not puff out into a triangle. Wavy hair can look great in a textured bob that lets the wave show. Curly hair shrinks as it dries, so a curly cut is best planned with the curl in mind and some length left to allow for spring. If you wear your hair both curly and straight, say so: your stylist can shape a cut that works both ways.
Pixie, bob or lob?
A pixie is the shortest option: cropped at the back and sides with a little more length on top. It dries fast and shows off the neck and cheekbones, but it needs the most frequent trims to keep its shape. A bob usually sits between the ear and the chin and can be blunt, layered, angled or softly curled under. A lob, or long bob, falls between the chin and the shoulders and is the easiest first step if you are nervous about going short, because you can still tuck it behind your ears or tie it back.
How much styling do you want each morning?
Be honest about your routine. A blunt bob on straight hair can be almost wash-and-go, while a short layered cut on thick hair may need a few minutes with a round brush or hot tools to look finished. Short hair also shows growth sooner than long hair, so most short cuts need a trim more often to keep their shape, often every four to eight weeks. If you would rather style less, ask for a shape that still looks good as it grows.
Bring photos and ask good questions.
Pictures say more than words like short or a little shorter. Bring two or three photos of cuts you like, and one you do not, so your stylist can see what you are aiming for. Ask how the cut will look on your texture, how long styling will take, and how often it will need a trim. Going from long to short in one step is a big change: you can also go shorter in stages, starting with a lob.
Your short cut on our menu.
At Innovate Salon & Spa the women's Shampoo, Cut & Styling includes a shampoo, the cut and a finished style, and its price may vary depending on hair length and texture. There is a Bang Trim between cuts, a Blowout for Curly or Textured Hair, and Dry Styling, a 30-minute hot-tools-only service for hair that arrives dry. Men and kids have their own cuts on the Hair menu, and you can add a haircut for $55 to a head spa. Two of our membership plans include a haircut and personalized consultation every month.
Book your cut in Cherry Hill.
Innovate Salon & Spa is at 870 Garden Park Blvd in Cherry Hill, NJ, next to Costco, with free parking at the door. Choose Hair in the booking flow and pick the service and time that suit you, or call (856) 425-2552 if you would like help choosing. Walk-ins are welcome when we have space, but booking ahead guarantees your stylist and time.
