10 Tips for Military-Inspired Hairstyles

The military look is chic this year! From materials like canvas and leather, to shoes, to colors, to hairstyles, the military-inspired look is here to stay…. which is perfect since tomorrow’s Veterans Day!

This year, Suave is committed to donating 10,000 products to men and women in uniform overseas. As an American brand of 75 years, Suave wants to celebrate the women who bravely serve our country. In order to do so, Suave is also asking the public to be part of the effort by sharing their own military-inspired looks using #ShareBeauty.

Check out this cute video from huge beauty blogger and veteran, Dulce Candy, on how to quickly create an updo that is beautiful, utilitarian, and takes it’s cues from the military. I’ve got short hair (as you can probably tell from my pictures), but if I had long enough hair, I’d be crazy about these easy bun ideas. They’re sophisticated… and did I mention easy?

Ready to snap a sweet #ShareBeauty selfie? I’ve got some hair tips for you!

Hair Bands

• You can really damage your hair with hair bands if you’re not careful. Buy ones that are metal-free.
• And use ones that are meant for hair. That means, no picking up a regular rubber band and using it as a tie.

Bobby Pins

• Don’t open bobby pins with your teeth or a finger. They’re created to slid into your hair without being pulled apart. (When you do this, you can ruin your pins so they don’t hold hair.)
• Spray dry shampoo on your hair for a little extra grip if your hair is very fine.
• Lock bobby pins by pushing them in against the direction of the hair and then rotate the pin so it is going in the same direction as your hair and push it the rest of the way in.

Fly-Aways

• My hair gets super, super frizzy in humidity, or (let’s be honest) whenever it feels like it. There are quite a few products out there that help to tame that awkward stage of hair, so you can look sleeker and put together. When my hair is especially annoying, I use Suave’s Weather Proof Cream and a flat iron to keep crazy hair at bay.

Keeping it Up

• If you regularly wear your hair up, make sure that you’re not pulling it back too tightly, using the right products, and giving yourself some (hair) down time. Hairstyles can actually cause traction alopecia (just ask dudes with man buns) which can lead to baldness, in extreme cases.
• Make sure your hair is dry before you put it into a bun or top-knot. Putting it up wet can damage your locks.
• Be kind to your hair. If you regularly use hot tools like blow dryers and curling irons, give yourself a break from time to time. The same goes for keeping your hair up. Your hair will thank you (and be less prone to damage, thinning, and breakage.)
• Don’t pull your hair back severely. The tension can not only hurt your scalp in the short term (ouch!), it can lead to thinning hair over time.

I’ll be showing off my #ShareBeauty ‘do tomorrow on Instagram to celebrate female military members, past and present. It’s such a little nod toward their bravery and trailblazing, but it’s one that I hope will help to remind people that women serve with honor and integrity in our Armed Forces too. I hope to see your selfie, too!

If you’re a woman on active duty or a female veteran, and you’ve got tips for how you kept your hair in regulation, please leave your ideas in the comments! I’d love to hear them! (I know you’re out there! Don’t be shy!)

We want you! Wear your military-inspired hairstyle on Veteran’s Day, share using #ShareBeauty, or both, to support Suave as they donate 10,000 products to troops overseas.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Suave via MSB New Media. The opinions and text are all mine.