Byrdie.com

Hair Styling

7 Hairstyles to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Hair can be eco-friendly, too.

At Gabriela Hearst’s spring 2020 show, models walked the runway with slicked-back rope braids. The low-maintenance hairstyle was intentional; the designer banned electricity and hot tools in an effort to reduce the show’s carbon footprint. A hair dryer, on average, emits roughly 57 lbs of carbon dioxide a year (!!!), according to estimates. 

Hearst banned heat styling at her show in an effort to raise awareness about beauty-related carbon emissions, which will hopefully help to recreate some industry standards. “If we can do it, other people can do it,” she said. Including you, as a matter of fact.

That said, you don't have to be backstage at a fashion show to easy to create cool, no-electricity styles. You just need to work with your hair’s natural texture, whether that’s fine, straight, curly, or coily. Here are some ideas for how to pull off no-heat looks on the reg.

Slicked Pony or Bun

Slicked buns and ponies have been a fixture on the runway as of late; this involves “slick, stiff roots, and natural texture throughout the ends,” according to Dani Hauflaire, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. “Douse your roots in hairspray” to start, like IGK's No-Crunch Flexible Hold Hairspray ($27), “and then use your fingers or a fine or a wide-tooth comb to rake hair either straight back, slightly angled, or parted and combed straight down,” she says. Depending on your hair's density, you might need to repeat this process to create that sharp, sleek look. “For a matte finish, apply a dry shampoo once settled,” says Hauflaire. “For exaggerated shine, add a high-gloss gel.” Try Captain Blankenship's Sailor Jellyfish Hair Gel ($15).