how do you maintain a pixie cut?

[Oasis]

i know this board is all about growing hair long and whatnot but i'm really itching for a pixie cut. about 4 years ago i got a 'nia long' inspired cut and loved it. but after two weeks my new growth made an appearance and i had no idea how to make it look good so i threw in micros for a few months and went natural.

this time i'd like to keep it for a substantial amount of time but how will i get my new growth straight? i'm obviously not going to be able to flat iron it every day or get a relaxer every 2 weeks (like my mother does) unless i want to be bald.

anyone have any tips or suggestions? is this even feasible for someone with really kinky 4a hair?

 

[Oasis]

bump..........

 

[gn1g]

I don't know but I love that hair style.

 

[chasturner84]

bumping for you

 

[IDareT'sHair]

When I had one, I was at the shop once/twice a week.

IK *smh*

I always wanted it on point and it was very high maintenance.

Cute. Sexy. Fun. Flirty. But......very high maintenance

 

[Oasis]

i guess this isn't the best place to post a short hair topic.

 

[bibs]

Lol I had a really short asymmetrical cut last year and once the new growth kicked in I was all about a hat or some mousse until I could get another relaxer at 4 weeks. smh my poor hair went through so much. Good luck! It's a great look but not without it's challenges. Maybe you could use gel to slick it down...

 

[Distorted Barbie]

wig it.....i guess that may be just me b/c i get bored too easily with cuts



(ie Janet Collection Short Stop Wig )

 

[Tyra]

Girl, I love short cuts!!!
Those are old pics of my hair.
The first photo is after about 1mth or so of new growth. I usually permed my hair every 8wks or so. There was a time when I used to do it every 4wks.

Anyway, I used to just get my hair trimmed at the salon, and style it (like in the second pic) myself. I would just wash and/or color it, moisturize, smooth it all down with some gel and mousse, comb it down in the way that I wanted it lay, then get some of those paper hair wraps and tie a couple of those around my hair and sit under my dryer. Many times I would just allow it to air dry.

Then I would comb it out in a wrapping motion, add my sheen spray and go over pieces of hair in no real pattern with a flat iron. I would only do the flat iron ONCE a week. If that often.

Then I would have the look of that second pic.

I didn't stress new growth to tell the truth. I was good at camouflaging(sp) it.
As I said, I got to the point to where I was only perming it every 8-10 wks.

If you start out with the gel and mousse during your initial styling, and wrap it every night, you should be able to go without perming it so often.
It is most certainly feasible for someone with 4a hair. I did it for about 6 or 7 years straight.
HTH.

 

[iri9109]

i dont think you can maintain that look without frequent relaxers and/or a lot of frequent heat...short relaxed hair is very high maintenance if you want it to be on point at all times lol

 

[Duchesse]

Sigh....I loved my pixie! I think it was the best looking style ever...

But oh boy, I don't miss the styling! The only advice I have is when you have a pixie, theres a level of damage that your hair is going to endure for the sake of style. I used heat several times a week to keep my cut looking fresh, relaxed every few weeks, and used this waxy pomade that I can't remember the name.

Love the look, but its too much maintenance for me.

 

[Oasis]

thanks for the tips!

 

[Enchante]

Working with pixie cuts is like any other hair style, its something you must get used to. Like the previous poster said, in lieu of getting relaxed frequently, get trims, and brush to keep the hair at the nape "laid down."
Styling is pretty simple as well. Once you've done the initial work of shampooing and wrapping, drying time is a non issue. Also, after heat styling once, you really only need pomade and the ability to finger style each morning until starting the wash process over again. FYI: I am a 4a as well

 

[back2relaxed]

I cut my hair after growing it out from natural twa length, I got a relaxer in 2007, and haven't looked back since! I just cut it to a pixie in May 2010. I love it. I have no desire to grow it back anytime soon! The key to maintenance is an awesome cut! Also the longer you want your hair, the more time it takes. I love the look of Halle Berry's cut b/c its short enough that it takes no time to style! I get a salon relaxer every 6 weeks now, but when my hair was longer I would go 10-12 weeks. I cannot stretch w/the shorter hair, but that's ok, b/c its only gonna get cut off anyway, as I plan to wear my hair short for a while. If I was trying to grow it out, I would lengthen the time between relaxers and probably wig it up, and then get a sew in when I have enough hair to braid. My hair is never cut w/clippers always hair shears. I think that makes a big difference in the amount of time you can go w/o a relaxer. My hair lays down after a wash with wrap foam and the paper strips that the previous poster mentioned, I don't have to curl my hair daily only on wash day. I just moisturize and tie it up, just like I did when it was longer. I don't think the process of maintaining your hair changes, its just the relaxers more often. I still DC weekly, moisturize, seal, etc. You will have to get your hair cut more often if you want to keep the style, as your hair "seems" to grow faster.

Some products that I use:
1. I use all Keracare products(shampoo, conditioner, DC, wrap foam)
2. For moisturizer/sealing(Keracare Creme Hairdress, Coconut Oil, Qhemet Alma and Olive Oil Pomade)
3. Styling(Mizani Silk Effect(?) Gel, Mizani Styling Gel--esp when I need a relaxer, Elasta QP Glaze

Its really trial and error. I have found in the past 6 mos that I need to use some sort of styling pomade or glaze, everyday, it really holds the hairstyle, but it doesn't make it hard.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[natural2008]

When I had one, I was at the shop once/twice a week.

IK *smh*

I always wanted it on point and it was very high maintenance.

Cute. Sexy. Fun. Flirty. But......very high maintenance

I concur with her.

 

[daintyhype]

OMG, I really want to do a pixie cut myself but i'm concerned about the frequent relaxers and maintenance, but i think i'm jus gonna bite the bullet & go for it!

 

[Quita3514]

I actually have a pixie cut right now and I trying to grow it out. Basically ive had the cut for a month now and i have alot of new growth but im still trying to stretch my relaxer. I jus wash and dc as usual i wrap my hair with keracare foam and wrap strip then i comb out and flat hair my hair at front while my hair is molded and slick down at the back.. It works for me! I found alot of info on maintaining shorthair from this blog called a short start to healthy hair...it very informative hope it helps!