short hairstyles and medium hairstyles for summer

Our Top 4 Summer Hairstyles For Short To Medium Length Hair

Jackie Summers

August 01, 2017

Wondering how to style your short hair this summer? Matrix Artistic Directors Michael Albor and Daniel Roldan have you covered! Here are their favorite short to medium-length hairstyles for every summer occasion, along with their pro hair tips and how-tos!

1. Loose and Textured Hairstyle for Short to Medium Hair

Great for: Work, weekends, casual evenings.

You’ll need:

Blow out cream
Volumizing mousse
1-inch barrel curling iron
Texturizing hairspray
Creamy hair wax
Salt-infused spray

Do this:

Apply blow-out cream to damp hair.
Blow dry in horizontal sections with a round brush.
Apply volumizing mousse and comb through until dry.
Wind sections of hair around the curling iron, away from the face, while holding the ends. Allow each curl to gently drop.
Work up the back and through the sides in this manner.
When hair is curled and cool, tip your head to the side and comb through from underneath to loosen the waves.
Mist with texturizing hairspray.
Apply creamy hair wax to the ends with fingers while separating strands.
Create a side part and mist and scrunch the ends with salt spray.

2. Messy Bun for Short to Medium Hair

Great for: Weddings, summer parties

You’ll need:

Hair finishing spray

Do this:

Create three sections--a triangular section at the fringe area and another parting around the crown. The third section is created by directing the sides back into a ponytail at the nape and securing with an elastic. Spray with hairspray.
Create a horizontal subsection above the ponytail. Backbrush to create a cushion and smooth the section.
Work up the head using horizontal subsections, backbrushing for hair volume, smoothing and unifying sections until reaching the fringe section.
Sweep the right side of the top section towards the left side of the ponytail. Pin it in place above the elastic.
Sweep the left side of the section towards the right, create a fold and secure with a pin.
Using hair from the ponytail and the top section, separate into sections.
Starting on the left; fold, roll and knot each section to create a casual, low bun. Anchor with pins.
At the fringe section, create a side part, gently backbrush, drape over ears, direct the section back and pin into bun. Spray with hairspray.

3. Expanded Braid for Short to Medium Hair

Great for: Anything from a festival to a fancy-dress affair!

You’ll need:

Hair smoothing cream
Hair finishing spray

Do this:

Create a parting on the right side. Separate out three strands and apply smoothing cream.
Begin creating an inverted braid along the front hairline. Separate out pie-shaped subsections from the top of the head and feed them underneath the center strand.
Work along the top of the head.
When you reach the ear, begin taking sections from top and bottom. Continue to the center back and secure with elastic.
Repeat on the other side.
Criss-cross the two braids and pin to secure.
Mist with hairspray and loosen the braids.

4. Polished and Sleek Hairstyle for Short to Medium Hair

Great for: Dinner dates, the club or anywhere fashion-with-an-edge is required.

You’ll need:

Thermal Protection Spray
Hair finishing spray
Flat bristle brush

Do this:

Separate out a triangular section at the top.
At the back and through the sides, spray individual diagonal subsections with thermal protection spray, and flat iron all sections on a diagonal, which allows the iron to get closer to the scalp.
In the triangle section, create a ¼-inch horizontal subsection along the front hairline. Spray with thermal protection spray and flat iron.
Move to the next subsection and crimp it from the scalp to 1 ½ inch down the strand. Flat iron the remainder of the section.
Continue working back through the section, alternating flat-ironed hair subsections with crimped/flat ironed subsections.
Spray the hair with hairspray.
Create a vertical subsection behind the ear, spray with hairspray at the base, brush back with a flat bristle brush in sections. Use narrow subsections to ensure saturation of the hairspray.
Work towards the front hairline and clip to hold.
Repeat on the other side.
When complete, direct both sides to the back, twist, knot together and pin in place.
Move to the back of the triangle section at the top.
Working in horizontal subsections, backbrush the base to create a cushion.
Gently smooth the surface of each section to mask the backbrushing.
Work to the front hairline, forming the backbrushed subsections into a modern pompadour.
Smooth the hair with a styling brush, maintaining hair volume, and spray with hairspray.