3 ‘festival hair’ styles that are easy to do

Live music is well and truly back – and so is expressive hair. Have fun with low-maintenance waves, creative braids and space-age buns.

Part of the fun of going to a live-music festival is deciding how to do your hair.

Celebrity hair colourist and stylist Alisha Mortensen considers the festival hair trend an opportunity for self-expression.

“The thing I like about festival-inspired hair is you can go as natural or as creative as you like – anything from adding braids, colourful hair pieces, buns or a combination,” Alisha says.
“It really is an opportunity to get creative and create a look that you love.”

Below are three top festival hair ideas to try.

Idea 1: Braided tendrils

Hairstylist and colourist Nasser Halbouni is loving braided hair trends.

“It feels like I’m reliving my youth,” Nasser says.

“What goes around comes around, but in my opinion, it comes around way cooler.”

One of the most popular ways to embrace the braided-hair trend is by braiding just the front layers of your hair into small tendrils.

Not only is this trend quick to achieve, it can be worn with the rest of the hair down or tied up in an up-do for a more dramatic effect.

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Idea 2: Space buns

One of the more futuristic festival looks to emerge this spring is space buns – a pair of buns sitting high on either side of your head.

There are a few ways you can wear them:

• You can gather all of your hair into the two buns.
• You can gather most of your hair into the buns, leaving some fetching tendrils at the front hanging down.
• Or you can gather just sections of your hair to create the buns, with the rest of your hair hanging long.

Rosalia, Doja Cat and Lizzo are just some of the big-name fans of the look, with the hairstyle’s popularity set to rise as the temperature soars.

“The pandemic has reminded people that life’s too short not to have fun,” Nasser says, adding the look is “the perfect mix of practical and fun”.

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Idea 3: Beachy waves

To some people, beachy waves (relaxed, tousled curls) are the epitome of low-fuss beauty; to others, they’re overdone and past their prime – it really depends on who you ask.

“Beach waves are alive and well, in my opinion, and I’m loving the variations of techniques people are using to achieve a range of looks,” Nasser says.

“I don’t think this trend will die off any time soon, due to the high level of influence from celebrities such as Hailey Bieber.”

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Nasser’s 4 tips for beachy waves

Clean-section your hair

This will make styling it a lot more manageable.

Keep it simple

When creating effortless textured hair, do not overcomplicate it – less is more.

Use volume powder

After heat-styling your hair, flip your head upside down and apply volume powder to your roots and mid-section.

This will add volume and texture to your hair.

Use a straightener

When using your straightener, opt for an S-bend motion to create the ultimate beachy wave shapes.

Where to get inspo for festival hair

Social media is a good source of inspiration for festival hair, Alisha says.

Of course, you could also seek advice from a pro.

“Don’t be afraid to ask your hairdresser for guidance for a certain look you would love to recreate at home – it’s what we live for,” Alisha says.

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How the pandemic has inspired creativity

The House of Wellness beauty expert Jade Kisnorbo notes the hair and make-up space is experiencing a reawakening right now.

“The pandemic inspired many of us to simplify our approach to beauty and how long it takes to get ready,” Jade says.

“But it has also encouraged more creativity and experimentation – especially when it comes to hairstyles.”

Written by Charlotte Brundrett.