How to Grow and Style a Flow Hairstyle

An easy guide for growing with the flow

Co-authored by Janet Miranda and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: May 8, 2024 Fact Checked

The flow hairstyle was popular during the Victorian era, but recently it's been making a comeback. Unlike sleeker hairstyles like the undercut and pompadour, the flow hairstyle is relaxed, rugged, and effortless-looking. To grow a flow hairstyle, first you'll need to grow your hair out to a medium or long length. Then, just style it back and to the side so it looks like it's flowing away from your face.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Growing out Your Hair

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1
Start growing out the top of your hair first. For a flow hairstyle, you want the hair on the top of your head to be the longest. If it's shorter than medium to long length, you'll want to start growing it out, which may take several months depending on how long it currently is and how long you want your flow hairstyle to be.^{[1]
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- The exact length of your flow is a matter of preference, but generally, the top of your hair will need to reach your ears for it to be considered a flow hairstyle.
2
Keep the sides and back trimmed short until the top is 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. With a flow hairstyle, the sides and back of the hair are generally shorter than the top. Before you start growing the sides and back out, wait until the top is longer so they're not all the same length.^{[2]
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- While you're waiting for the top of your hair to grow out, you can keep the sides and back buzzed, or you can keep them tapered by asking for a scissor cut when you go to the salon or barber.
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Grow out the sides and back once the top is 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. Once there's a 3 in (7.6 cm) difference between the top and the sides and back, you can grow the rest of your hair out without having to worry about it being too long compared to the top.^{[3]
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- Once you start growing out the sides, you'll want to avoid having them buzzed whenever you go in for a trim.
4
Continue growing your hair until the top reaches your ears. At that point, your hair will be medium length, and you'll be able to style it in a flow hairstyle. You can continue to grow out your hair if you'd prefer a longer flow, or you can keep it trimmed to that length.^{[4]
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- You might go through awkward stages while you're growing your hair out, but that's normal! You can wear hats or use more product to style and tame your hair while you're waiting for it to grow out.
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Get your hair trimmed every 2-3 months to keep it healthy. It might seem counterproductive, but it's important to trim your hair every few months to get rid of split ends. Untrimmed split ends can travel further up your hair and actually make it harder to grow your hair out.^{[5]
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- Make sure you tell your barber or hairstylist that you're growing your hair out so they don't trim too much off.

Part 2

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Styling Your Flow Hairstyle

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1
Style your hair right after you get out of the shower. A flow hairstyle is easiest to create when your hair is damp. When you get out of the shower, let your hair air dry slightly, or gently squeeze out the excess water with a towel. Make sure it's still a little damp.^{[6]
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- Avoid rubbing your hair with a towel to dry it since that can cause damage.
- Let your hair air dry if possible instead of using a blow dryer since heat can damage long hair.
2
Brush your hair back and away from your face to one side while it's damp. You can use a brush or your hands. The key is to get all of your hair off of your face and brush it back so it's flowing to one side.^{[7]
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- The flow hairstyle is supposed to be effortless and casual, so you don't need to use any products. However, you can use a grooming cream or leave-in conditioner to keep your hair pushed back if you'd like.^{[8]
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One optional component of the flow hairstyle is flipping the ends of your hair out so they look like flowy, wavy wings. If you're interested in the wing look, wearing a hat while your hair dries is an easy way to achieve it. Once your hair is completely dry, take the hat off and run your fingers through your hair to finish styling it.^{[9]
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Limit how often you shampoo your long hair to keep it healthy. Shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, and washing it too frequently can make it dry and brittle. Try to limit how often you wash your hair to once or twice a week.^{[10]
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- If your hair gets greasy in between washes, apply a dry shampoo to the roots to absorb the oils.
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Condition your hair every day to keep it hydrated. Unlike shampoo, conditioner won't strip your hair of its natural oils. Instead, conditioner hydrates your hair and locks in moisture. To keep your flow hairstyle healthy, use conditioner more often than shampoo.^{[11]
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- You can also get a co-washing product, which washes and conditions your hair at the same time. That way, you never have to use shampoo.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How often should I get my hair trimmed when I'm growing it out?

Janet Miranda
Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist
Janet Miranda is a Professional Hair Stylist, Makeup Artist, and the Founder of Be.NYLA. With over 15 years of experience, Janet specializes in makeup and hair for advertising, commercial, editorial, runway, special events, television, and videos. She was trained at Vidal Sassoon Academy and with top hair and makeup artists including MAC Cosmetics and Redken. Janet has worked five seasons of New York Fashion Week and one season on Project Runway. She continues to add brands to her growing client list including Armani Exchange, Neutrogena, and Pantene. Janet’s work has been featured on CBS, Brides Magazine, 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Ireland Image Brides Magazine, and Elle Japan.

Janet Miranda

Professional Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

I always recommend getting it trimmed every 4-6 weeks to help maintain the shape.

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