Survive the Back to School Rush: Time Saving Hair Tips

Summer is on its way out and it's time to look forward to back-to-school and refreshing your routine. A back-to-school hair care routine is a classroom essential in our book! We've put together time-saving hair care hacks for teens and young adults - whether you're in middle school, high school or college - these tips are easy to work around your classes with effortless style to carry you from first period to lectures to the lab.

We're giving everyone an A+ in style this year. Get started with these back-to-school hair tips! 

Start With a Trim

Get rid of split ends leftover from summer and start the school year with a bold, fresh look.  The summer sun can leave behind a lot of hair damage. Now is the perfect time to go in for a trim and walk out feeling healthy and confident. New hair is the perfect way to hype yourself up for the new school year ahead. 

A word of caution; avoid big, dramatic changes right before the semester starts. Opt for a trim, some layers, try bangs, change your part, or create a subtle look to avoid back-to-school hair regret. If you are planning to go for a big change (like long locks to a pixie cut), do it at least two weeks before school starts. Hair can often go through a stage called "cut shock" right after a trim. By preparing in advance, you'll have some time to grow into your new look and learn how to style it.

For back-to-school hair inspo, don't just focus on the styles you like, but look for photo references with the same face shape and skin tone as your own. This will help to give you a better idea of what cut and style best suits your back-to-school hair.

Add a Pop of Color

We're going back on our "no big changes before school" rule - just a little. What better time to experiment with fun, bold fashion colors than now? Your hair is young and resilient! Give your back-to-school hair a pop of color or go wild with all-over pinks, blues, and electric greens. We do, however, recommend leaving the coloring to the professionals. A professional colorist will be able to properly assess your hair type, determine the degree of lightener needed to lift your hair to the appropriate level, and offer in-depth knowledge of the color wheel to ensure your hue stays true. This means you won't have to risk frying your hair or ending up with the wrong color. 

However, if you're set on the DIY dye process, we highly recommend conducting a patch test first. A patch test involves snipping a small piece of hair from the nape of your neck and applying lightener and dye directly to the strand. Allow the hair time to process and check to make sure the results are what you were dreaming of. To further prevent any last-minute hair fails, leave a week between your big color change and the start of school just in case your hair needs any color correction treatment.

Organize Your Mini Salon

The first step in creating a routine you can stick to is getting organized. We've picked some of our favorite ways to make your own home hair care space. These hacks are great for maximizing bathroom space in a dorm or at home. Plus, these organization items are wonderfully aesthetic! We're firm believers in the idea that the more organized and visually appealing something is, the more likely you are to actually use it. 

Vertical Shelves

Hanging shelves are a classic space-saving hack. Rather than using your limited horizontal space, scale up with simple space-saving bathroom furniture. This is a great way to prevent counter space clutter.

These oak shelves by Wayfair are perfect for storing products and styling tools. Floating shelves are another must-have and can be found on a budget at Amazon like this chic set.

Get Colorful Storage Tubs

Plain storage bins won't exactly inspire you to get out of bed and get your back-to-school hair ready to go. Stock up on stackable, color pop storage bins instead. You can match your color scheme to your bathroom theme, go with a rainbow aesthetic, or keep it light with simple pastels. Choose a design that inspires you! 

Reuse Cups and Jars

Mason jars are perfect for storing bobby pins, hair ties, and hair clips. Stay organized and reuse the items you already have on your own to create convenient little cubbies for small hair care items.

Stylize With a Label Maker

Label makers aren't just functional, they're ideal for keeping you organized in style. A basic label maker is inexpensive and comes with a variety of custom font templates so you'll never have to guess where you put your styling products or hair items. These are also a great way to keep your hair products separate from roommates or siblings as you begin investing in high-quality hair items.

Learn Your Hair Type and What Products to Use

The right products for your hair may not be the same products your friends or roommates are using. This is the time when you'll start learning what products work well for your unique hair and how to prep for your best back-to-school hairstyle. Read up on the differences between hair types and determine your hair's porosity. This will help to guide your styling journey and inform which products will work best. Next, invest in gentle, nourishing products that are free of sulfates, parabens, and additives. Natural hair products are the way to go when it comes to locking in moisture and keeping your locks soft and youthful.

A few of our back-to-school hair essentials include:

• Butter 

  If your hair needs a little extra nourishment, natural hair butter can give it the edge it needs to sine.

• Oil 

  Olive oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, and coconut oil are among the best for textured hair!

• Hair Masks

  Treating your hair with a mask once a week is an essential part of back-to-school survival. Try a DIY hair mask to give your hair a little self-care throughout stressful weeks.

• Hydrating Conditioner 

  No matter your hair type, a moisture-rich conditioner is a must for keeping back-to-school hair healthy and vibrant.

• Protein Rich Shampoo 

  Strengthening shampoo is the best option for preventing hair loss during stressful times throughout the year. This will keep your hair strong and frizz-free, even on days when you can't give it as much love.

• Clarifying Shampoo

   If your scalp is prone to flaking and build-up, working on a clarifying treatment is the best way to keep stay balanced.

What are your back-to-school hair essentials? Make your own list so you don't forget hair care during your back-to-school shopping.

Go Easy on the Heat

Thankfully, we've learned that burning your hair into the style you want isn't the way to go. We're all about embracing your natural hair and working with it, not against it. 

Try low heat styling tools this year and make healthy hair a priority. Now is the perfect time to preserve your hair's youthful beauty. The damage done in our teen and young adult years can often linger, causing dullness, frizz, and breakage. Take care of your lovely locks by minimizing flat ironing, curling, and high heat blow drying. Try heatless curls instead of using the wrapping technique. Rather than battling your hair, look for style inspo that matches your hair type and won't require straightening or relaxing.

When it comes to blow drying, our reverse air technology is an A+ solution to saving time without compromising style. The innovative technology of reverse air power allows you to dry your hair 3x faster than traditional hair dryers without the high heat. Imagine frizz-free hair in minutes! Students swear by their trusty RevAir for getting their style together on late nights and early mornings. The compact design of the New RevAir makes it ideal for dorm rooms too.

We're ready to get back to the books and celebrate the best of back-to-school hair. Go into your new year with confidence and a trusty hair care routine. Keeping your hair healthy, trendy, and radiant is at the top of everyone's mind as summer winds to a close. There's no need to stress about time management and keeping up with your hair care routine. These back-to-school hair tips for teens and young adults capture it all, from saving time to looking flawless.

Let us know what your favorite back-to-school hair tip is! Your style is always at the top of our honor roll.