AIRHEAD

No styling tools, no problem

A shiny, bouncy blowout was arguably the luxury hair symbol of the late 2000s and early 2010s. But the cultural cachet of a $50 blow-dry isn’t quite what it used to be, says Guido Palau, hairstylist and global creative director for Redken. “At one time, a great blow-dry felt super-rich,” he says. “Now, there’s a new luxury: shampooed hair left to dry naturally.”

Palau is just one of many stylists who have been cutting back on styling tools – and, with it, uniformity. “We’ve become so accustomed to grabbing a curling iron that we’ve forgotten what natural hair looks and feels like,” he says. Marjan agrees: “We’ll continue to see more people embracing texture in their hair – big hair, natural hair and individuality in beauty.”

Call it the hair equivalent of the no-makeup makeup trend, with a slew of new products designed to make shower-and-go possible. But this look isn’t meant to be prescriptive, says Palau. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t use styling tools; it’s important to have options.”