Area stylists offer five tips for creating a quick but great look

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By Susan Dalzell, Contributing Writer 1:37 PM Saturday, September 24, 2011

Although it may be at the top of our heads, hair often drops to the bottom of our priorities. In the rush to get out the door in the morning, all too often we fail to find the time to make our locks look their best.

To help you get great hair with no time, we asked local stylists for their professional tips. Matti York is a designer with Michael’s Salon and Spa in Centerville and Tommy Rumpke is a stylist at Ashworth’s Beauty Group in Dayton.

1. Get a great cut

Rumpke recommended a classic style: the bob. “The traditional bob will give you the most longevity and ease of use. It transfers to every environment, whether you’re a professional or a mom,” he said. “Bobs are great because they can look sophisticated or simple.”

While you might think of bobs as being chin length, Rumpke said he is seeing a trend for bobs that are between the chin and collarbone. That extra length means you can still throw it back into a short ponytail.

If a bob isn’t your cup of tea, both stylists suggested getting a cut with longer layers. “If you get something mid-length with long layers, you have a lot of options for styles. You can curl it, straighten it or pull it back in a ponytail,” Rumpke said.

“Even if you want to style it quickly, you still don’t want to look the same every day.”

2. Skip the  morning wash

You can save a lot of time in the morning by simply skipping the shampoo and blow dry, and applying a dry shampoo to your hair, instead.

“Dry shampoos are wonderful because they extend the length of your style, especially if you blow dry your hair or flatiron it,” Rumpke said.

Dry shampoos are easy to use, similar to hair spray, and can help with small fixes, like greasy bangs, York said. She likes TIGI’s Dirty Secret dry shampoo, which is a powder that sprays out of an aerosol can. Most styles will still require a proper shampooing every other day or so, but at least this buys you time on some days.

However, if you have curly hair, a dry shampoo may not do the trick. For curly styles, York suggested trying a texturizing spray, such as Aquage Sea Salt.

Spray it and scrunch your hair to create easy waves on dry or wet hair. Or, use a product like Dust It, by Osis+, which is a matifying powder that you can use to mold your hair into a style.

Consider pulling out your blow dryer, even if you haven’t gotten your hair wet. “I have short hair and if I have no time, I will use the blow dryer on it. It freshens it up,” York said. “You can do it with long hair, too.”

If you don’t want to use a dry shampoo, you always can try washing your hair at night. If you do, though, Rumpke said it’s best to blow it dry before hitting the pillow. Also, invest in a satin or synthetic pillowcase: Cotton pillowcases wick away moisture from hair and can dry out your locks.

3. Pull it back

Sometimes, a pony tail really is the best plan. Experiment with keeping it higher or lower on your neck. If you have a bit of time, try curling the ends after you’ve created the pony tail.

For variety, York suggested creating a messy bun. Pull your hair through a band, as if making a pony tail, and then pull it through again.

If you don’t want to pull all of your hair back, try just pinning back your bangs. “You can swoop your bangs into a twist and attach it back with a bobby pin,” York said.

For shorter hairstyles, pull one side back and leave the other side down. For mid-length hair, create a retro 1970s look: pull the sides back and twist, using bobby pins to keep it in place.

4. Accessorize

Messy buns or pony tails can be dressed up easily with accessories. “Try tucking flowers or a bow into it,” York suggested. “Tying a scarf around it is also really popular.”

Hair bands are very trendy right now and are super simple to use. A hair band can tame a bad hair day or be a fun way to coordinate with your outfit.

“They add that touch of bling,” Rumpke said.

5. Maintain your hair

Although it takes time to head to the salon, it can be time well spent. A cut that’s still fresh means hair that falls into place more easily, eliminating a time-consuming struggle in the morning when you’re watching the clock.

“If you want to keep the style’s shape, you need to come in every four to six weeks,” Rumpke said. York suggested a slightly longer timeline, recommending four to six weeks for short hair and six to eight weeks for long hair.

If you’re trying to grow it out, you can stretch those visits to about 12 weeks. “Otherwise, you’ll do more harm to your hair and may have to cut off what you’ve grown,” Rumpke warned.

Contact contributing writer Susan Dalzell at dalzell.susan@yahoo.com or @susandalzell on Twitter.

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