There’s this perception that short hair is low maintenance or no maintenance. But that is far from the reality – any hair length long or short needs a certain level of care. Manish Chowdhary from WOW Skin Science tells you exactly how to care for your short hair.

Whether you’ve got a bob, pixie crop or long bob, a bit of care is important to keep your hair in top shape. Here’s what you can do to look after your short crop:

Rule # 1: Wash your hair more often

Shorter hair tends to get oilier more often since the oil from the roots reach the short strands faster. Greasiness becomes more visible. So, shampoo and condition your hair as often as you need. If you have a naturally oily hair, then it is good to wash it every day. You may want to use a conditioner every other day, in case of oily hair, to avoid limp, greasy strands. If your hair is looking a dull and dry, then try this quick trick to boost shine in your hair. Finish off rinsing your with a blast of cool water. It soothes scalp and smoothens the raised hair cuticles often caused due to hot water used during shampooing and bathing.

Rule # 2: Condition hair carefully

You obviously don’t want your fresh pixie style or short bob fall flat and look limp. Then be careful when using a conditioner. Avoid applying it too close to the roots. It can make short hair look limp and weighed down. If you have really short hair like close crop or shaggy pixie then you can opt for weekly deep conditioning treatment with a hair mask instead of daily conditioning. You can switch to leave-in conditioners or moisturising hair serums as they have a lighter texture. They keep the strands protected and moisturised without making the strands limp and flat.

Rule # 3: Finger comb your hair often

Good news about short hair does not need brushing as often as long hair since it is less likely to get tangled. Use a wide-toothed comb and run it through your towel dried hair to set it for the day. If your hair looks unkept mid-day, then finger comb to add texture and form to your short hairstyle. Invest in a bristle, paddle brush for thorough brushing of hair once a day. It is good to have when you want a more sleek look. For a more lived-in, tousled look use your fingers or wide-toothed comb.

Rule # 4: Avoid heat styling daily

Stash away your flat iron, curling rod and even blow dryer if you want your short hair to stay healthy and strong. Heat styling tools can damage the hair shaft, and damaged hair shows up more prominently when your hair is short. Also, it looks dry, lacklustre, and undernourished. Also, too much heat styling can ruin your hair colour, making it look brassy or dull. If you love blow drying, then use the diffuser attachment and cool setting to dry your hair without causing much damage.

Rule # 5: Let your hair air dry

Air-drying hair more often is good for both short hair and long. It does not damage the strands and keeps scalp healthy. You can actually style your hair even when air drying. Just use a lightweight texturizing or curl enhancing spray on your towel dried. Let hair air-dry naturally, then finger comb and scrunch your hair for a gorgeous but natural tousled look.

Rule # 6: Freshen up cut with regular salon visits

Looking good in short hair means a good cut that takes into account your face structure, hair texture, length and hairline. To keep your short hair from looking unkempt, visit your hairstylist every three weeks. This is important for those with really close crop or sleek bob style. Your short hair needs more maintenance than long lengths. Those with longer bobs or shaggy, layered styles can extend their salon visit by a week or so.