When it comes to yearbook photos, it can be hard to resist the urge to try a new hairstyle. Everybody wants to look their best in these photographs, after all, and switching up the mane often is the most dramatic way to undergo a major aesthetic shift. The unfortunate fact with dramatic hairstyle changes right before school photos is that a haircut or a coloring can go horribly wrong with little time to course correct. Considering the permanence of yearbook photos, that is not a risk most students should be willing to take.

Five Strategies for Changing Hairstyles Before Yearbook Photos

Just because a dramatic haircut, styling, or coloring is a bad idea close to yearbook photos, however, does not mean that there aren’t some lower-risk things students can do to switch up their hairstyle for yearbook photos. Here are a few tips:

1. Don’t Be Dramatic

School photos are not the time to begin experimenting with your hair. Getting bangs for the first time or chopping off several inches of locks are perfectly fine when the stakes are not quite so high. For photographs, though, talk yourself out of doing anything too over the top.

2. Trim & Deep Condition

The good news is that you don’t need something drastic to improve the way your hair looks. Just getting a trim to rid yourself of dead ends, followed by a shampoo and deep conditioning is enough to give hair more body and a more vibrant look. Healthy ends make hair fuller and healthier and it really can improve the overall look of one’s hair.

3. Highlights

While it might not be smart to go from dark hair to blonde, or from blonde to pink, some gentle highlights can brighten your hair, especially in front of a camera. Once again, a huge contrast between your natural hair color and the highlights has the potential to be regrettable, so if this is the path you choose, make sure that your highlights are subtle rather than stark and obvious.

4. Ask Your Beautician

In terms of styling, a great place to start is your beautician. They are going to know what styles are best for your hair and face shape, so they should be able to give you some ideas and even show you how to go about putting the hairstyle together at home.

5. Practice Makes Perfect

Getting it right, though, means practicing a few times before picture day. Trying a new hairstyle the day of yearbook photos means there is a lot of potential for disaster, so even if you loved it at the salon doesn’t mean you will get it right the first time you try it yourself. Spend the week before pictures working out the kinks until you’re an expert with your new hairstyle.

You want to look your best for your school photos, which sometimes means doing something out of the ordinary with your hair. While it isn’t the best idea to go too over-the-top, these tips could help make your yearbook photos look fantastic, not only this year but for the rest of your yearbook’s life.