Goodbye dead ends, hello swingy layers and amped up shine. There’s not much else that feels quite as good and fresh as a newly chopped hair cut. Whether it’s a regular trim, or a full-fledged life-changing haircut, a new cut keeps hair healthy (whether your hair type is fine, thick or curly).

But the truth is, hair starts to lose its lustre after a while and that fresh-from-the-salon feeling fades (and no amount of product will change it). The secrets to making that fresh hair cut feeling last longer? With a few styling secrets from the experts, your hair can look better, longer, in-between haircuts. We checked in with Nina Farrauto, Garnier styling and colour expert, and Cody Alain, hair stylist and makeup artist for Page One Management for their advice.

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Hair tips: Maintenance

It’s like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Same goes for your hair. “People commonly assume there will be a catch-all miracle product that will provide them with great hair,” says Farrauto. “Having great hair is about utilizing what you’ve got to work with, and is as much about the work you put into your hair and the products you use. Your brushes, how you brush your hair, heat styling, colour, chemical treatments, all of these hair activities should be treated with consideration and care,” she says.

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When it comes to finding a hairstyle that looks great and doesn’t require hours of maintenance, both Farrauto and Alain agree: Long hair, long layers and no bangs is the way to go. “
Bangs and short layers tend to require demanding styling, like having to wash bangs every day or blow drying and heat styling layers,” says Farrauto. If your hair is curly, she recommends shorter hair and layers (around collarbone- or jaw-length) for an easy to maintain cut that will style itself naturally.

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Hair tips: Best hair products for easy hair maintenance

A great cut may be the first step to enviable hair but once you’re at home, left to your own devices, it doesn’t hurt to have an arsenal of hair products to help. Here’s what the experts recommend:

For cleansing

Marc Anthony 2nd Day Clear Dry Shampoo

For moisturizing

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil

For heat protection

Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray

For strengthening

Redken Extreme Strength Builder Conditioner

6 dos and don’ts when it comes to maintaining your hair cut on the next page …
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Hair tips: Bangs

Even though our experts agree that bangs are definitely a high-maintenance look, we still can’t help loving them. So if you have bangs or are just thinking about them, remember that the best way to maintain them is to see your stylist regularly. Make your stylist your new BFF. “Regardless how many YouTube videos you watch, I’ve yet to meet someone who can cut their own bangs properly,” says Alain. “At most salons, [bang trims are] free, take five minutes and you usually don’t have to schedule an appointment. If you want bangs, it should be considered in to your maintenance schedule.”

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Hair tips: 6 hair maintenance dos and don’ts

Cody Alain dishes up the following six dos and don’ts that will ensure gorgeous hair every day in between visits to your stylist’s chair.

Do use an appropriate shampoo and conditioner for your hair type and if necessary use a weekly conditioning treatment.

Don’t overstyle your hair. Try to find different styles like buns and braids to avoid using too much heat on the hair.

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Don’t tie your hair up into a bun when wet, especially if you have bleach blonde or highlighted hair. Hair (despite your actual hair type) is most fragile when wet and can stretch and break.

Do try using dry shampoo to extend the time between washings

Do use a heat protection product, especially if using a curling iron or flatiron. Just make sure the product doesn’t interfere with the end result and weigh the hair down.

Don’t cut your own bangs or your hair.

Read more:
Hair care: How to work with your hair texture

Top 5 fall hairstyles
11 rules for bang hairstyles
The top 5 flat iron mistakes