First and foremost, these products have to be reliable. Short hair has little to no Plan B if their style goes south at the end of the day, after all! Remember, a quality hair wax is the little pixie cut’s last line of defense in keeping a good hair day. No longer just a guy thing, women have also been looking at hair wax to tame their short haircuts. It also gives their overall look some added personality. Here’s how to use the best hair wax on any hairstyle:
What Makes the Best Hair Wax?
Hair wax is a hair product with a paste, balm or clay-like formula optimum for creating texturized looks. Most hair waxes have a rubber-like consistency that enables you to restyle your hair during the day even after product has “set” on your hair, making it one of the more versatile styling products out there. Unlike gels, which can contain alcohol, wax can allow for a variety of different finishes, from glossy to spiky to fluffy and bedhead-like. It doesn’t keep your hair locked in place in extreme conditions—like, say, during a convertible ride or if you’re caught in a tropical thunderstorm—but it does a great job of providing some stylish definition with natural-to-medium hold.
How to Style Hair Using the Best Hair Wax for Each Texture
1. Piecey Bangs
Using hair wax that’s been warmed on your palms, rake through some product on the tops of your hair, concentrating on the fringe. Create some piecey definition on your bangs (we like Bed Head by TIGI Wax Stick for this) while brushing them to one side to impart an edgy feel to your hairstyle.
2. Volume, Curl or Lift
Creamy wax can also give a fluffy, slightly curly feel to any style, especially on styles that have a more rounded shape at the crown. After blowdrying hair into place, shake through some curl-defining cream, such as Bed Head by TIGI Manipulator, using your fingers in a front-to-back direction for a tousled, airy feel. Mat down the hair near your temples to refine the sides.
3. Neat and Clean
Just because your cut is wash-and-wear doesn’t mean you can’t play around with some texture. Cropped, gamine pixie cuts can benefit from some strategically-placed product on the back of their heads (to prevent cowlicks). Rub a light-whipped wax, such as Nexxus New York Salon Care Exxpand+ Volumizing Whip, onto palms and mat down problem areas as desired.
4. Side-Swept Glam
Hairstyles with longer hair on the fringe area can be styled with the bangs sweetly parted to one side. For some hold and shine (and a bit of lift), start with a blowdrying lotion before blowdrying and finish with a tiny amount of wax balm, like TRESemmé Thick & Full Balm, distributed near the roots. Comb it through your strands in a downward motion using your fingers for some modern tousle.