Two seniors in the Cosmetology Technology Campus program, Ashley Costanza and Anna Hill, enlighten students on the newest, trendiest hairstyles to try for prom this spring.

This past year, updos have been the go-to for special occasions, but this can be tricky for people with shorter hair.

“For shorter hair, I’ve seen more half updos, because that’s a lot easier to do on short hair,” Hill said.

Another option for updos with short hair is getting extensions; however, these can be tricky to place in a manner which the clip will not be seen and can also be very expensive.

“You have to be careful with updos and extensions because depending on the updo, the tracts might show,” Hill said. “It also depends on how well they’re done, but those ones are going to be a lot more expensive and I know a lot of high school students couldn’t afford it.”

Braids are also in; they look classy by themselves or as an addition to another style. Costanza recommends curling the hair and throwing in a little braid to compliment the hair style. This hairdo works well with short hair since it does not require extreme length.

Dutch braids are more popular than french braids and pop more in updos since they sit on top of the hair instead of pulling strands from under.

“If you can’t go with the plain french twist, or if you want a little more, dutch braids are something new,” Hill said.

If doing hair at home without products, ask a friend to borrow some or visit the beauty supply store. Although Walmart is cheaper, the products do not last as long as more expensive ones.

Curls can also be done with a straightener, which creates softer, ribbon-like curls.

“I’ve got shorter hair so I think that sometimes, using a flat iron is a little easier,” Hill said. “But I also use a curling wand a lot just because it’s easy and fast.”

When getting hair done professionally, it is important to schedule the appointment in advance.

“You have no idea how long it’s going to take,” Costanza said. “You also have your consultation that you have to worry about, with what you want to do with your hair and what kind of look and style you want, and on top of that, you have to look at all of the other stuff you have to do throughout the day when you go to prom.”

It is important to consider how busy the salons will be that day as well, so leave plenty of time for delays.

It is also important to get hair done as close to the actual dance time as possible, because curls and other styles will sag and likely get messed up throughout the day. Remember to bring a purse-sized can of hairspray along as well.

“If you’re doing an updo, as long as you pin it in a way that’s going to keep it secure all night, then you can get it done at any time [if] you’re not too rough with your hair,” Hill said.

When scheduling at a salon, ask about prices, ask about how long it will take, and make sure they think that they can do it with a specific length and texture of hair.

If planning to color the hair, then do so in advance because vibrant colors wash out quickly and often leak onto clothes. Another thing to be worried about when getting hair done too close to prom is that the dye stains skin. There are also a lot of colors that bleed out if they encounter sweat. Depending on how often the hair gets washed, consider at least one wash at home after getting it done at the salon, just to make sure that there is no extra dye that is going to stain.

One should use heat protectant spray, especially if their hair requires a higher heat setting to curl. The heat from the iron is going to evaporate the protectant before it evaporates the natural oils and moisture from the hair.

“You don’t want to [use] coconut oil because all that does is make your hair shiny,” Costanza said.

Coconut oil doesn’t penetrate the cuticle of the hair, it just sits on the outside layer and makes the hair look soft.

Find a hairstyle that best fits the dress and personality of its model and use resources like YouTube to find tutorials.