Bored With Your Hair? Here’s 5 Ways To Get Out Of A Hair Rut

Feeling bored with your hair? You’re not alone. Whether it’s flat, lifeless, or just dull and lacking shine, it’s easy to fall into a hair rut. But don’t worry—even just some minor tweaks to your cut, color, or routine can rejuvenate your hair without a drastic makeover. In this post, I’ll share 5 simple and effective ways to get out of a hair rut and make you fall head-over-heels in love with your hair again.

Personally, I find myself falling into a hair rut with the change of the season. I am wholeheartedly a seasonal gal, so I find it extremely refreshing to implement even just a minor change several times a year.

What to do if you’re bored with your hair

1. Change your look with a new haircut

Since our hair grows 1/4″ to 1/2″ a month, it can get out of shape relatively quickly if we don’t maintain regular haircuts. And while growing it longer is not a bad thing, it can lose its style if we don’t do anything to spruce it up as it grows.

Below I’ve listed 5 different options for changing your haircut without necessarily losing your length.

A hefty trim

If it’s been awhile since you’ve had a few inches off, then this may be a good starting point to get out of your rut. A hefty trim will clean up your ends and make your hair look and feel so much healthier and fuller.

It will also add volume by removing the lifeless dead pieces on the ends. I like to think of it as cutting ties with the negativity that is no longer serving you!

Bangs

Bangs are always an option for a fresh change, and they don’t have to be extremely short either. You can do a cute side-swept bang or curtain bang that will switch up your look completely without committing to a full-on above the eyebrows, straight bang.

I always recommend having the shortest piece of your bangs begin at your favorite facial feature. This will accentuate and draw attention to that feature. So if you have gorgeous eyes, have them start near your eye. Or if you have a cute nose, start them a little lower. Everyone is different, so experiment to find what works best for you!

Face Framing

If you like the idea of bangs but don’t want to lose much length in the front, face-framing is a great option. This gives you a little movement and spruces up the front while keeping the majority of your hair long. I like to pull these pieces out when I wear my hair up so I don’t feel like one of the founding fathers.

Face framing can either be connected to your bangs (if you have any) or started at or below the chin. This is typically dependent on how long the rest of your hair is, since you may not want to give yourself a mullet!

Layers

If your hair is feeling heavy and weighed down, layers are a great way to give yourself a pick-me-up. Layers will remove weight and add volume & movement without losing any length to your cut.

You can have your layers short and shag-like, longer layers, or even an undercut to make the hair lay under instead of flipping out.

To learn more about the difference between layers, texturizing, and thinning, see my post here.

Totally new haircut

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, I recommend trying something completely new. Have you always wanted a bob but have never given it a chance?

One wonderful aspect about hair is that it always grows back if you don’t like it. I think that everyone should give short hair a try at least once in their life. What better way to get out of a rut with a completely new shape?

You can always start by taking off 3 or 4 inches if you’re too scared to do a massive chop. Sometimes going from a long cut to a mid-cut is just what you need!

2. Refresh your hair color

One of my favorite aspects about hair color is that you can be as drastic or subtle as you wish. The possibilities are endless.

Below I’ve listed several options to choose from to switch up your current hair color.

***Since I’m sharing the products that I love to use with you guys, this page includes affiliate links to these products. If you take action and purchase a product through clicking one of my links, I’ll make some commission money from it at no extra cost to you. This enables me to be able to continue giving you awesome hair tips, so thanks! ***

Semi-permanent hair color

If you’re worried about fully committing to a new color long-term, then trying a semi-permanent color is your best option! This can easily be done yourself from home.

This will give you change right off the bat but also a chance to try something new without having to live with it permanently. Semi-permanent colors can come in natural shades, or something fun like pinks, purples, or even unicorn hair!

I recommend trying a Colorwash or Colorditioner by Celeb Luxury! These are shampoos and conditioners that will temporarily add color to your hair, and will gradually fade out when you stop using them.

Keep in mind that they won’t affect darker colors, only light browns and blonde pieces. The color you choose has to be darker than the current color of your hair in order for it to take.

Highlights or balayage

Highlights can be a great way to get out of a hair rut by adding a little pop into your life.

You can add just a few peek-a-boos underneath, some lighter pieces painted around your hairline, low-lights for dimension, or balayage for a brightened and sun-kissed look.

The great thing about highlights is that you are leaving some of your natural hair while adding some brightness. This normally really brightens up the face, giving you a new glow while still feeling like yourself.

Find some pictures of highlights that you like and bring them to your stylist to find the best option that works for you and your maintenance needs.

To determine what highlighting technique is best for you, see my post here.

Totally new hair color

Trying out a completely new hair color just might be the change you need if you’re feeling bored with your hair.

If you’ve been bleaching or highlighting your hair for a while but are sick of the upkeep and damage that comes with it, then try going darker or adding some deeper dimensional pieces to it!

You may end up being way happier because you don’t have to put as much effort into your hair color.

I will say though that it may be best to start with semi-permanent colors before committing fully into a dark color–just in case you don’t like it! Going lighter again from dark is not as easy as the alternative.

If you have dark hair and want to go lighter, just know that it can be pricey and time-consuming, and may not happen overnight depending on your current hair and goals. Always listen to your stylist’s recommendations based on your individual situation.

To learn more about going from dark to light see this post here, and to learn about going from blonde to brown see this post here.

3. Experiment with hair extensions

Hair extensions can be an easy way to change your look if you want to grow your hair out and it’s just taking too long. They’re a great option if you want to add length, volume, or even change the color without the damage.

I’ve often changed the shape of my haircut by adding extensions to sections of my hair and not the full head. It’s not uncommon for the front of your hair to take longer to grow, so adding some extensions here can help to create balance in your cut.

I’ve also added extensions just for pops of color or highlights. I once put a black tape-in extension to add a bold peek-a-boo so that I didn’t have to color my blonde hair black.

Below I’ll talk about the differences between temporary extensions and permanent extensions.

Temporary extensions

Temporary extensions are removed at the end of the day and are often used as-desired and not necessarily all day every day.

Clip-ins or halos are great options for temporary length every once in a while. This is also a good option if you are short on cash as permanent extensions are expensive.

I still recommend bringing them to your stylist to have them cut and shaped to your hair so that they look as natural as possible. Good extensions are ones that no one can tell when you have them in!

Permanent extensions

Permanent extensions are installed by a professional and worn 24/7. They are much more expensive and are rather high-maintenance.

They come in a variety of different methods, depending on what you’re looking for as well as your hair type. Micro-bead, tape-ins, fusion, and hand-tied wefts are some of the more popular extension methods today.

The best method for you will vary depending on your hair situation. Talk to your stylist about what they think is best for you based on your goals. You may need to visit a separate extension specialist if your stylist doesn’t specialize in extensions.

4. Play with new hairstyles

It’s human nature to fall into the same routines and habits, especially when it comes to our hair. This can be helpful when implementing a hair care regimen, but it can often leave you feeling bored with your hair.

If you’re not interested in (or can’t afford to) change the length of your hair or the color, you still have plenty of options to switch up your look.

Switch the side of your part

This is probably the most overlooked, yet possibly my favorite option for getting yourself out of a hair rut. If you’ve been parting your hair in the same place your entire life, try switching it up!

Believe it or not, just from doing this minor change people will notice that something is different and will compliment you on your hair. Since the hair is used to laying in one direction, it has a little lift to it when it switches to the other side. This is what makes it most noticeable to others! It creates a ton of volume and is actually super important for the health of your hair!

Now depending on how your hair is cut, you may need your stylist to do a slight trim on those front pieces so that everything lays properly.

Explore Pinterest or Instagram

Exploring social media for new ideas on how to wear your hair is the most inexpensive way to give yourself a spruce up because it’s completely free!

Try learning a new braid, adding an accessory, or wearing it half up rather than a messy bun. Or if you wear your hair straight all the time, add some loose waves or curls to it, or vice versa!

Your options are truly limitless here. Check out my Pinterest board for some inspiration on new styles to experiment with!

5. Try new hair products

Believe it or not, sometimes even just switching your shampoo up can make a world of a difference when feeling stuck in a hair rut. Your hair gets used to the same products used on a regular basis and can become limp and lifeless without some variety.

Personally, I like to switch the brand of shampoo I’m using each time I buy a new one. This allows me to test different products, and it’s always a pleasant surprise when I find one that I like more than an old favorite!

Adding something new like a texture or shine spray is also a great option to enhance a look you’re going for–either messy and piecey or sleek and smooth!

If you’re interested in my wash day routine to see what I’m currently using on my hair on a regular basis, see this post here.

Conclusion

Hopefully, one if not all of these methods will give you the spruce-up that you need if you’re feeling bored with your hair and stuck in a rut! Here’s a recap of all the options you have available to change your look.

1. Get a haircut
   • Bangs
   • Face framing pieces
   • Layers
   • A hefty trim
   • A totally new cut
2. Add some hair color
   • Highlights or balayage
   • Temporary hair color
   • A whole new color
3. Extensions
   • Temporary (halo or clip-ins)
   • Permanent (micro beads, tape-ins, fusion, sewn-in wefts)
4. Experiment with new styles
   • Switch the side of your part
   • Try different styles (braids, curls vs. straight, half up)
5. Test out new products
   • Shampoo, texture spray etc.

If you have any further questions for me on getting out of a hair rut, be sure to leave them for me in the comments. And make sure you subscribe if you want to make every day a good hair day!