Can You Pull Off Short Type 3 Hair? By Kathryn Desplanque

PICTURED: @DRESSES.CURLGRAM, CUT BY @EVANJOSEPHSALON MAKEUP BY @CHEYHAIR

Since I cut my 3C hair short, I've never thought about growing it long again. I've rocked everything from a

3C pixie cut to a modern afro to a curly lob, and I love it. But is short type 3 hair for everyone? It's really up to you! If you love it, you should absolutely do it.

There's a short hair style out there for everyone – a curly mohawk, a bob, a lob, bangs, no bangs, a pixie, a crop. And there are no shortage of guides out there for straight haired women to guide you to hair cuts that might suit your face shape. Most importantly, there are no rules to cutting your hair, only recommendations.

What they don't tell you is whether or not short type 3 curly hair will save you or drive you up the wall. Only you have the answer to this question. 

Here are a few things to think about before you decide whether short type 3 hair fits your lifestyle or your personal style.

                        PHOTO FOR NC BY@DELEIGHHERMES

The Pros

Everything Will be Easier

If you aspire to have low fuss hair, short type 3 hair might be for you. Pineappling, a satin cap, and some light reviving in the morning could be all you'll need before walking out the door.

Your Curl Pattern Will be at its Coiliest

Those with type 3 hair know that our curl pattern is really responsive to length and weight. Your curl pattern will be weighted down and elongated the longer your hair is, with your curls at their coiliest at your tips. If you aspire to get your type 3 curl pattern at its coiliest, with defined ringlets, then you'll find it much easier to achieve with shorter hair.

It Could Suit your Style Perfectly

I think it's worth carefully considering whether your style of dress and make up would be well suited to the short hair cut you envision. Think of your hair as another accessory – is this an accessory you can picture yourself wanting to wear every day, with every outfit in your wardrobe.

If you're looking for a style overhaul and already plan of switching up your wardrobe and make up routine, and shorter hair is a piece of this puzzle, this advice might not apply to you. Otherwise, make sure the short type 3 hair you're pining over is well suited to your favorite outfits, and not just some of them.

The Cons

Your Hairstyle Options Will Narrow

Depending on the haircut you're lusting after—very short, or above the shoulders—you might find that the range of hairstyles available to you will narrow rapidly when you cut your hair short. But if you do start to get really creative with hair bands and hair pins, you might also run into some nuisances. You may find yourself needing to co-wash or refresh your hair daily if you're pinning part of it back and flattening out your curls. If this is already a part of your daily routine, then you have nothing to worry about! But if you're hoping for wash-and-go short type 3 hair, you'll have to be strategic about how you style it day-to-day.

Your Hair Will have A Mind of Its Own

While shorter type 3 hair is also more coily and ringletted, it also has more of a mind of its own. Expect to have less control over how you hair responds to humidity and rainy weather or blustery and windy weather. You'll no longer have gravity on your side to help weight your hair down and keep it relatively in place.

Type 3 Hair Takes a Long Time to Grow Out

All of us with type 3 hair know that we suffer from a serious optical illusion: our curly hair grows just as quickly as straight hair, but it appears to take much longer. If you want to make the leap to short type 3 hair, think very carefully about these pros and cons before making the choice. It could take a year or years before your hair grows back to the length you had it before.

So do you have the itch to cut your hair, or are you rocking a short Type 3 cut now?

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