10 Holiday Hairstyles for Short Hair + Styling Tips

With the holiday season approaching, your calendar is likely filling up with gatherings and celebrations. No doubt, you want to look festive and polished all throughout the party season! Thankfully, pixie cuts, shoulder-length bobs, and other short haircuts are very popular right now, and they’re super easy to style! 

From beautiful accessories that add a touch of glamor to simple twists and half-up, swept-back styles, there are lots of ways to make short hair look fabulous - even when you only have minutes to spend on your hair!

Here are our top styling tips, plus a roundup of effortless and elegant holiday hairstyles for short hair to inspire you.

Holiday Styling Tips for Short Hair

If you recently took the plunge and got that new short haircut you’ve been itching to try, you might be wondering how to make short hair look glamorous for the holidays. Learning to style short hair is often easier than you might think, and we’ve got some tips to help you get started.

Learn to Work With Your Hair’s Natural Texture

Embracing your natural texture will make styling short hair so much easier on a daily basis and for special occasions. It also saves time and wear and tear on your hair, since you won’t be subjecting it to heat styling as often. Look for multi-tasking products that will enhance your hair’s natural texture. 

For example, Texturizing Wave Spray adds hold and definition without stiffness, so it’s perfect for enhancing naturally curly and wavy hair or fine hair that needs volume. Honey Infused Hair Oil adds shine and hydration and fights frizz, making it perfect for styling straight hair or curly hair that needs hydration.

Start Your Styling Routine the Night Before

Creating a functional, bedtime styling routine is a smart way to save time in the morning, especially during the hectic holiday season. Sleeping with your hair in foam rollers, pin curls, braids, or even a bun will add varying amounts of curl, wave, and texture, depending on the look you’re going for. 

Scrunching in a bit of Texturizing Wave Spray before and after your chosen curling method will give even more definition and volume, while also providing hold. When you release your hair in the morning, run your fingers through it gently and apply a few drops of Honey Infused Hair Oil for added hydration, shine, and frizz control. Wear it as is, or use it as a starting point for your favorite updo or half-up holiday hairstyle.

Change Up Your Part

If you’re struggling to create new looks with short hair, consider changing up your part. Middle, side, and deep parts take seconds to achieve, and they can change your look entirely, whether it’s pixie short or longer.

To change up your part, start by applying Texturizing Wave Spray to the roots. Then blow dry and style in the direction you want it to part. Feel free to straighten, curl, or even spike up your hair to create your own signature, special occasion look.

10 Effortless and Elegant Holiday Hairstyles for Short Hair

Here are ten holiday hair ideas for short hair to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and try something new!

1. Side Twists

Perfect for naturally curly hair, this look involves creating a row of chic side twists on one side of your head. The twists are easiest to create on freshly washed, still-damp hair. Start by spritzing your curls with our Leave-In Conditioner, followed by a few drops of Honey-Infused Hair Oil for softness, shine, and frizz prevention.

Use a comb to create a small side section above your ear. Turn that section into three or four small twists starting at the front of your head and going about halfway to the back. Secure each twist with a clear elastic. Add some sparkly bobby pins to finish off the look and secure the twists close to your head.

2. High Bun

If your hair is bob length or longer and you can’t be bothered to curl or straighten it, a high bun is the perfect holiday style for you. Air-dried hair is ideal for this look because it gives the hair a bit of texture to create a more edgy, messy look. 

Spritz your hair with Texturizing Wave Spray to add some grip, then gather it into a high ponytail on top of your head. Begin wrapping the pony with a hair band, but on the final wrap, pull the hair only about a third of the way through to create a loop. Loosen the loop to give it texture.

Wrap the ends around the hair band and secure it in place with a bobby pin. Pull out a few face-framing pieces and add a festive accessory to glam up the look, if desired.

3. French Twist

A French Twist is the perfect look for bob length or longer hair, especially if you’re into the model-off-duty vibe. This look is easy to dress up for the holidays with some sparkly hair accessories, too. The look starts with dry hair and a clean center part. Use our Texturizing Wave spray and our Curling Tool to create messy volume.

Then, gather your hair into a loose ponytail at the nape of your neck. Roll your hair up the back of your head, tucking in the ends as you go. Use bobby pins to secure the roll in place, then pull out a few small sections to frame your face.

This style is classic and beautiful as is, but you can glam it up even more with a pretty hair comb or some decorative hair pins.

4. Half Up with a Bow

If you’re all about super easy, extra cute looks for the holiday season, this hairstyle is for you. The look starts with messy curls, so it’s perfect for second-day hair, too. 

Spritz your hair with our Texturizing Wave Spray and scrunch for extra volume. Gather a section of hair at your crown, teasing it underneath to create lift. Now add a small section from the front on each side to create a half-up, half-down ponytail and secure it with a clear elastic band.

Tie a red ribbon around the elastic and you’re ready for any holiday party!

5. Braided Tiara

This easy braided look is the perfect half-up holiday hairstyle for short hair when you want to look elegant and sophisticated. Start with your hair curled into loose waves using our Honey-Infused Hair Primer to provide frizz-free, workable hold.

Take a small section of hair above and behind each ear and braid it to the end, securing the end with a bobby pin. Tug the braids apart gently to add volume, then pull them over your head to the other side and pin them in place behind your ear.

Now create a second braid on each side, right behind the first. Secure with a bobby pin, loosen, and wrap it around your head, pinning it behind the first one to create the illusion of a tiara.

6. Braided Bun

If your hair is chin length or longer, a braided bun is an easy holiday hairstyle that’s super fun to create. All you need is a hair donut, some tiny hair elastics, and our Texturizing Wave Spray for extra hold and grip.

Start by scrunching the wave spray into your hair and splitting it into two equal sections. Clip the top section out of your way and pull the bottom section into a low bun using the hair donut. Now let down the top section and create two or three dutch braids on either side of your head, going towards the bun and securing with a clear hair elastic.

Now tug carefully on the braids to loosen them and add fullness. Wrap the ends of the braids around the bun and tuck them underneath to keep them in place. Feel free to use bobby pins if needed for extra hold.

7. Creative Hair Accessories

Hair accessories can add a touch of glam to curly, wavy, or straight short hair in seconds. Start by running a drop or two of our Honey Infused Hair Oil through your hair to add shine and fight frizz. 

Get creative with a fun metallic headband, pull back the hair on one side with a sparkly hair comb, or pull your hair back into a half-up style with a rhinestone barrette. If you’re feeling extra creative, you can make your own holiday hair accessories by gluing tiny trinkets like bows or presents onto bobby pins and using them to pull your hair back to one side.

8. Voluminous Fauxhawk

This edgy holiday hairstyle is ideal for naturally curly, chin to shoulder length hair. Often called the pineapple technique, this style is achieved by simply pulling your curls into a high ponytail on the top of your head.

To get the look, start by spritzing your hair with our Texturizing Wave Spray. Scrunch as needed to add volume and definition to your natural curls. Now gather your hair into a high pony and wrap it loosely with a large ponytail holder to create extra volume. 

Finish off the look by pulling the front section forward to create a faux fringe and edgy mohawk vibe that’s perfect for holiday parties! 

9. ‘60s Flip

The ‘60s Flip is easy to achieve and it’s glamorous enough for even the dressiest holiday occasion. This look requires a bit of heat styling, so you’ll want to start by applying our Propolis Infused Heat Protecting Spray.

Now section your hair into two sections. Starting with the bottom section, use a flat iron to straighten the lengths of your hair, adding a twist at the ends to flip them out. Once your entire head is complete, part as desired and tuck your hair behind your ears for a ‘60s vibe.

Run a few drops of Honey Infused Hair Oil through the lengths of your hair to amp up the shine, then spritz the ends with a bit of Texturizing Wave Spray to hold the flip in place. A velvet or satin headband adds the perfect finishing touch to this look.

10. Slicked Back Hair

It’s easy to achieve the ultra-chic, wet look of slicked-back hair when your hair is short. This look is ideal for straight hair that’s a pixie, bob, or lob length and adds instant polish to any outfit. Start with freshly washed hair, spritz with Heat Protectant Spray, and blow dry. Use your straightener to smooth out any waves or curls.

Now, use a comb to section off your crown and tease gently to add lift and fullness. Brush your hair straight back and use a dime-sized amount of our Propolis Infused Polishing Primer to hold the hair in place. Add a few drops of Honey Infused Hair Oil to add shine and tame baby hairs. Smooth out the hair with a fine-toothed comb and you’re done!

Wrapping Up

With the right products and styling tips from Gisou, holiday hair styling options for short hair are virtually limitless. Whether it’s styling your hair in a completely different way or simply adding a fun hair accessory, we hope we’ve inspired you to try something new this holiday season!