Cut It

Perhaps it’s time for a new haircut? How short do you want to go? Are you inspired by flapper bobs or choppy pixie cuts? Or is it time to shave it all? Definitely spend some time thumbing through some hair magazines and books and talk to a hair stylist you trust to determine what type of cut works with your face. Bring pictures to him/her. Hair on square-shaped faces should be cut above or below the jawline, but never along; also avoid center parts. Rectangular faces look great with short (above the shoulders) hair; longer hair can lengthen an already long face. Round faces are complemented with length and volume and should avoid severe, pulled-back looks. An oval face is the most versatile. To help determine your facial shape, check out these guides at Skin Care India and Beauty by Di.

Many places will offer free consultations; if you feel uncomfortable with hair dresser “forcing” you into a style, by all means, go elsewhere!

Maybe you’re not looking to dramatically alter your hair. If you’re looking to grow your hair long, do get a trim. Even getting a half an inch trimmed can add life to dull hair, especially if you use a lot of styling products, blow dry, or color your hair often.

Color It

Colors made by Manic Panic, Punky Color and Special Effects require that your hair is bleached first in order to get the most vivid results. This is because they are all vegetable-based dyes and work as stains on porous hair; the bleaching allows the hair to accept the new color. Do not mix these dyes with peroxide/cream developer. Good Goth and Amphigory carry Special Effects for a great price.

Fair, pinky-skinned types can get away with light or bright colors; if you’re olive-skinned like me, you’ll want to go with deeper, jewel-toned colors. My personal favorite is Special Effects in Iguana Green. If in doubt in regards to what color you want to dye your hair, you can play it safe and try on a wig first to see if the color works. You can also custom mix colors to get the right shade.

These colors wash out gradually. I would recommend not washing your hair everyday in order to maintain your color.

If your workplace finds brightly colored hair unacceptable, sometimes highlights/streaks are all you really need, or you can go for an all-over, more subtle color. More subdued, but luscious hair color is available from Clairol Natural Instincts Exotic Colors. These are single process colors, meaning the dye lifts your original color and deposits the new color in one step. They come in coppery orange, plum and burgundy shades. These shades are semi-permanent, meaning they are a little less harsh on the hair and gradually fade after a certain amount of washings. These are great if you want to change colors.

For long lasting hair color, choose a permament dye. I also like Wella’s professional permanent colors. One brand I would definitely steer away from is L‘Oreal’s Feria, which I find to be very runny, and not so permanent. If you’re on a budget and can’t spring for the salon, do check out Kylie Martin’s guide for dying black hair yourself.

If you have ever used henna to color your hair, it may take a long time to grow it out before you can try out new colors. Henna seals the cuticle of your hair, conditioning it and giving it shine, yet making it impossible to strip out. Henna is a pretty big commitment, as is black hair. Black hair is quite serious in that once you dye it black, going lighter is tough. Stripping out black can be done with varying levels of success with a product called Effasol, although it can be very damaging to the hair. Going lighter from black is best left to a professional hairdresser, and yes, it will cost you a pretty penny.

However you decide to dye your hair, do follow up with plenty of conditioner after shampooing and even a leave-in conditioner spray. My favorite conditioner is Veganese from Lush, which has a delicious, lemony smell. In regards to leave-in sprays, the Titanium Protector Leave-In Conditioner from Sebastian Collection is a good pick, and is between $11 and $15, depending on where you pick it up. I currently use a detangler and conditioner called Express 2 Phases (from Rickys NYC), which is fairly inexpensive at $6.

Curls

Inspired by the flowing tresses of the woman a Pre-Raphaelite painting? Experiment with curling your hair. Setting it before bedtime can be less damaging on your hair than hot curling irons. Choose soft, foam curlers on freshly washed and dried hair. (If your hair is too wet before going to bed with your rollers, it won’t be dry in the a.m.) Gently comb it out and section your hair from top to bottom. Take your time rolling your hair up to the scalp. When you are complete, a spritz of finishing spray helps the curls set and wrap your hair in a scarf or a hairnet to keep the curlers in place. You can also make rag curls from strips of cloth, which may be more comfortable to sleep in than rollers. A guide for setting rag curls can be found on hairboutique.com

If you don’t have the time to set your hair before bedtime, and you’re curling your tresses before heading out, go section by section on dry hair. Never use a curling iron on damp hair – it will scorch your hair. Take your time and experiment. This is not a race. You could even experiment with a crimping iron and curls for a very 80’s gothic look!

Braids

Braiding is a very versatile way to style medium to long hair. You can achieve very period or ethnic looks in braids. I highly recommend checking out Dreamweaver Braiding; this an amazing site with how-to guides as well as gobs of gorgeous samples.

If you don't have enough length to plait, braid extensions are a great option. Not only can you gain length, but you can braid in a variety of colors into your own hair. For pinky-sized braids, roughly six bags of silky yaky hair (roughly $3 to $5 a bag) will do the trick. The last time my hair was braided, it took a little over five hours for my entire head.

Braids can further be embellished with beads on jewelry wire, ribbons, roses... the sky’s the limit!

Hairpieces

Ragdoll Weave Co. carries a range of hair piece supplies from wefts to bags of silky yaky.

Divaluxe offers straight falls and dreadlocks (baby, layered and glam length). These are very versatile and easy to tie and pin into your own hair. Dreads are great and tend to look better over time. 3/4 falls are also an easy option as opposed to full wigs.

Doctored Locks offers a variety of extension supplies as well as fringe sets, a great way to experiment with bangs without cutting yours.

Accessorize

Barrettes and ribbons can be a great quick-fix for when you’re bored with your hair; it’s also the perfect compliment for Gothic Lolita looks or to hide the bases of your cyber-cool dread hairpieces. Check out Pixie Fashions; she makes incredibly adorable skull and kitty-cat bows. Wicked Smileys also offers fun, unique hair ornaments.