A standard approach to minimizing a cowlick in a haircut is to cut it short, making it less noticeable by preventing the hair from sticking up as much.
That's one method, and it works well on layered curly hair — but Sam Villa Ambassador and Redken Artist Becka Bradshaw shares a pro tip that involves keeping the hair long.
“If you have growth patterns you can’t get to lay down, rather than take them short where sometimes they can explode, keep them longer and texturize them to soften their presence and help them blend,” Bradshaw says.
How To: Cut
Keep the section of hair with the cowlick longer and slide cut through in the direction of the growth with a 14- tooth point cutting shear (Bradshaw uses Sam Villa's).
This takes the pop out of the growth pattern and mellows it out so it lays flatter to the head.
How To: Style
When styling a cowlick, use a fine-tooth comb to move hair from side to side, focusing mostly on the opposite direction to where the cowlick grows. This redirects the roots so they don’t create a bump.
A flat iron can also be used to flatten the volume; securing with a clip and letting it cool is even better.