How to Keep Short Hair Out of Your Face

Co-authored by Steven Waldman

Last Updated: January 30, 2023 References

If you have short hair, it can be tricky to keep it out of your face while still feeling put-together and stylish. Luckily there are lots of ways to keep your hair back, whether it's through a braid, bobby pins, or a hair accessory. There are quick fixes when you're on the go, as well as more elaborate updos, so pick a style and enjoy your new look!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Braiding Short Hair

1
Create a center braid to contain hairs going along your part. This is a cute way to pull back your hair while creating a unique style. Gather the section of hair beginning at your forehead, right on top of your part. Begin braiding your hair going along your part and towards the back of your head, stopping at your crown. Pull hair into the braid as you move backwards and hold the braid together using a hair elastic.^{[1]
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- Instead of just tying your hair back in an elastic, consider finishing the look by pulling the rest of your hair section into a bun towards the back of your head.
2
Braid shorter hairs around your face into a headband look. Gather a section of hair closest to your face starting at your part. Braid your hair along your hairline and towards your ear so that the braid frames your face, gathering additional pieces of hair into the braid as you go. Keep braiding until you reach the end of the strand and secure it with a hair elastic or bobby pin.^{[2]
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- Once you finish your braid, it’ll look like a headband holding your hair back.
- If you have a middle part, create thin braids on either side of your part going down the front of your face.
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3
Do a waterfall braid for an elegant style. A waterfall braid is very similar to a regular braid, but instead of braiding all three strands of hair consistently, you drop one strand as you go along. Start the waterfall braid by gathering a section of hair at your part closest to your face. The waterfall braid will wrap around your head—you can either create a short one that stops behind your ear or continue the braid all the way around to the other ear before securing it.^{[3]
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- Tie the waterfall braid off with a hair elastic to keep it in place.
- As you braid your hair going along the side of your head, keep gathering new sections of hair and adding them to the braid.
4
Make tight French braids to keep all of your stray hairs in place. Separate your hair into two even sections going down a vertical middle part. Create a French braid on both sides of the part, pulling your hair tightly as you braid. Secure each braid with a hair elastic to finish off your French braid pigtails.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Creating Mini Updos

1
Pull your hair up into two space buns for a cute look. Separate the top half of your hair into two mini pigtails, positioning them on top of your head where you'd like them before securing them with hair elastics. Tease each pigtail with a comb to give it some volume and twist them around in circles on top of the hair elastic, creating mini buns. Hold the mini bun in place on your head as you secure it in place with additional hair elastics and bobby pins.^{[5]
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- If one of your buns is sticking up more than the other, pin the hair down using a bobby pin to fix your look.
2
Gather the top half of your hair to create a half bun. Brush out your hair and pull the top half back in your hands. Pull the entire strand of hair through the hair elastic once, and then twist the elastic. Pull your hair through the elastic again, but this time only pull it through halfway to create the bun. Leave the bottom half of your hair loose.^{[6]
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- This is a great style for when you're on-the-go and need a quick fix.
3
Create a pompadour on top of your head for a little pouf. Gather a section of hair starting at your hairline right on top of your head, creating a clump that's about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) wide. Twist this section once and use bobby pins to secure it on top of your head right at the twist, giving the pouf volume so it’s not flat against your scalp.^{[7]
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- Twisting the section of hair on top of your head will help create the pouf.
- Smooth out the clump with your hands or a brush before twisting it so it doesn't have any bumps.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Pinning Back Short Hair

1
Pull back short hairs on either side of your face and pin them. If you’re in a rush and want your hair out of your face, pull it back behind your ear or against your head and use a bobby pin to secure it in place. Slide the bobby pin into your hair starting at your hairline and positioning it horizontally across the section of hair to keep your look in place.^{[8]
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- Add a barrette for a more decorative look if you’d like.
- Use as many bobby pins as you need to make sure the hair won’t come out and get in your eyes.
2
Twist your hair before pinning it to hide any short hairs. This is a quick, elegant way to keep shorter hair out of your face. Take a 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) section of your hair near the front of your face starting at your part and begin twisting it along your hairline. Keep twisting until you come to the end of the strand and use a bobby pin to secure it. Slide the bobby pin into your hair horizontally so it keeps the strand in place.^{[9]
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- If you have a center part, twist both sections of hair on either side of the part instead of just one.
3
Use a clip to hold your hair back from your face. Pick out a clip thick enough to hold back your hair type, like a bulkier clip for thicker hair or small clips for thin hair. Use the clip to hold larger sections of hair out of your face. For example, you might pull 2 inches (5.1 cm) strands of hair on either side of your part at the front of your face to the back of your head to hold them in place.^{[10]
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- Pull a section of hair to the side of your face wherever you'd like it positioned on your head and use the clip to secure it.
- Make sure you have the teeth secured as close to the scalp as possible to prevent drooping and slipping.
- If needed, spray your hair and the clip with some dry shampoo spray to add a bit of “grip” and prevent the clip from slipping.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Hair Accessories or Gel

1
Pull a headband over the front of your hair to hide strays. Headbands are perfect for adding a little color or style to your outfit without having to put in much effort. Either slide a headband on to pull back the front of your hair, or opt for a stretchy headband that can wrap around the top of your head to keep all of your hairs in place. Pick out a headband that goes with your outfit to complete your look.^{[11]
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- Plastic or metal headbands are good for keeping the short hairs out of your face, while a cloth or elastic headband is great for covering up sections of your hair.
2
Use a bandana as a headband for a little extra flair. Wear the bandana over your hair in a triangle shape to cover the top of it, or roll the bandana up into a log shape to wrap around your head like a true headband. Tie the ends of the bandana in a knot on the top of your head or at the nape of your neck, depending on whether you want the knot to be seen.^{[12]
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- Both styles are great for keeping short hairs out of your face and will add a fun aspect to your look.
3
Tie a scarf around your hair for a stylish, sleek look. Scarves are great for making your hairstyles look more elegant. Roll up a square scarf so that it’s in a long log form and wrap it around your head. Tie the scarf in a loose knot or bow under your hair at the nape of your neck to complete the look.^{[13]
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- Use the ends of the scarf to create the knot or bow.
4
Comb through your hair using gel to slick it back. Pick out a flexible gel that won’t make your hair look stiff from your local big box or beauty store. Squeeze a dollop of the gel out into your hands and smooth it through your hair. Use a comb to spread the gel out in the way you’d like it, slicking back your short hairs and flyaways so they stay in place.^{[14]
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- Look for a hair gel at your local big box store, beauty store, or online.

Expert Q&A

Question

What accessories can you put in short hair?

Steven Waldman
Professional Hair Stylist
Steven Waldman is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Director of Technical Training at Hair Cuttery. Steven uses his creative insight and extensive experience to drive educational programming and motivates facilitators and learners to communicate effectively, create and execute strategies to maximize potential, and achieve success. He uses unexpected sources such as art genres, architecture, and cooking to inspire shape, color, and cuts.

Steven Waldman

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Decorative hair pins are great for short hair because they serve double duty: they look great and are designed to stay put! Both bobby and hair pins with metallic finishes are stylish and current — if you want to be trendy, try matte silver, copper and rose gold finishes!.
Question

What if none of the styles fit me and my face shape?

Froggy, Cause Why Not?

Community Answer

Do a low ponytail then take some pieces of hair out for your bangs. It will frame your face better and it looks super cute. For images, search for "short low ponytail with hair out" and you will see 2 pieces of hair framing your face.