Take a look at Jessica’s hair both long and short.

Jessica’s hair:

Thick, straight
Normal condition
Can go several days in between washes without looking dirty
No preference for length – (that’s where you come in!)
Doesn’t spend more than 10 minutes styling
Doesn’t use styling tools
The above photos are without any product and air dried
Doesn’t wear ponytails

Soooo…what do you all think? Long or short? I have to admit that if her shorter style looks THAT smooth and glossy with no effort, I’m leaning towards a shorter cut.

Here are some above-the-shoulder options to get your brain working.

Let Jessica know. Feel free to leave any ideas for styles in the comments too!

Meet Joanne.

From Joanne’s email:

Just last night I turned to the bottle AGAIN. (Frost and Tip – I’m cheap, and I regret it every time!) Although I like that it’s really blonde, I know that it’s also really BRASSY! I also did a lousy job on the back so there are lots of dark roots still showing. I feel my best as a blonde, but I have a ruddy complexion and I rarely get the tone right. Any suggestions you can offer would be great! And I promise to take your suggestions TO A PROFESSIONAL and to not attempt it myself.

As for cut, I prefer it to at least my shoulders and would love to grow it out to the style like your last updated reader Shuchita, but I have a rectangular/square face, so I don’t know if it’d suit me. Also, I must admit, my hair is FRIED and could use a good hack. What do you think?

Joanne’s hair:

Naturally mousy dark blonde
Been bleaching since the age of 13
Chemically-processed and dry
Thick, curly at the back and wavy around my face with cowlicks.
Prefers shoulder-length or longer
Uses Frizz Ease Serum
Layers tend to “puff out”

Wait. Joanne, they still make Frost and Tip? I had no idea!

Here’s the good news – you are moving in the right direction. I like the longer length with your face shape and I also think blonde is your color, especially since you are a natural mousy blonde.

(Sidenote to readers – Joanne died her hair red last year and quickly realized it was NOT her color.)

Your two problems will hopefully be relatively easy to remedy.

#1 – Your layers DESPERATELY need to be texturized. Your thick hair is creating a shelf layer around chin-length that needs to be thinned out. You can really see this problem in the back of your hair. It’s almost like you have a bob with some little bits of longer hair hanging down. Not so good, Joanne. But this can be fixed easily! Does your hairstylist texturize your hair? If not, it’s time to get a new one. Once texturized, your layers will blend much better and you could actually wear your hair naturally wavy, which would add another look to your arsenal.

As for the cut, square face shapes have great hairstyle options to soften their angular facial structures. To make wide foreheads and jaw lines appear narrower, you should wear deep side parts or soft bangs, and choose face-softening textured looks like tousled curls or piece-y cuts.

#2 – It’s time to say goodbye to the drugstore bottle and let a professional even out your color, as well as take care of your roots. Add a little more golden blonde into the mix to warm it up a bit. Perfect for summer!

Here are my proposals.

I like Brinkley’s warmer color and Carrie Underwood’s cut is perfect. Notice how Underwood has the side part and lots of layers, but they are texturized to blend in with one another. I really think these little changes will make a huge impact on your overall hairstyle! Add in a shampoo and conditioner specifically made for dry, color-treated hair and a heat protectant such as Kerastase Ciment Thermique and you should be golden!

Can’t wait to see the results!