Real Simple March 17, 2022
Real Simple
Hair
6 Fresh Spring Haircuts to Try This Season
Forget spring cleaning, spring snipping is where it’s at.
If you're anything like us, there's nothing like a change in seasons to inspire a fresh new hairstyle (or hair color!). And this spring, it's all about keeping it easy and embracing your natural texture and hair type. "In today's environment, people are requesting low-maintenance looks that are simple to care for and style at home. They are all chic cuts that require minimal or no heat styling, which also improves the health of the hair," explains Amy Abramite, creative director and stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, Ill. That being said, people are also craving a change. Ahead, six cuts that will be trending this spring.
Bixie
A cross between a bob and a pixie, "the bixie is more textured than a bob, but not as cropped as a pixie," explains celebrity hairstylist and UNITE Ambassador, Graham Nation. "It's messy and free, with less shape and more texture." When styling a shorter hairstyle such as a bixie, it's all about creating volume and weightless texture. "The key to this style is a lifting root spray and long-lasting texture spray," says Graham. "I love to prep the hair with BOOSTA Volumizing Spray to lift and volumize the roots before blow drying and then finish with TEXTURIZA Spray for airy texture and fullness."
Bob/Lob
On that note, don't worry: Stylists say the bob is here to stay. More variations have been popping up in salons, however—the most popular being the lob since you don't have to commit to a completely shorter length. If you're tempted by shorter silhouettes, have fun with the length and vary the cut between chin and shoulder length.
Octopus
Pinterest predicts that "hard-to-miss hair"—from mullets to shags—will be the most-requested styles at the salon. Case in point: The octopus haircut. The trendy style (which has taken social media by storm) has been dubbed as such because of its plethora of choppy layers, said to resemble octopus tentacles. "It's a more modern take on the shag, with shorter layers throughout the front and concave, short to long layers throughout the back," explains Jarrod Shinn, a pro colorist and stylist. The finishing element? Bangs, either curtain style that hit above the brow, or longer, cheek-grazing fringe, he adds.
Bottleneck bangs
Shorter in the center and longer on the sides, bottleneck bangs are the newest edition of curtain bangs with a feminine flair. They can be added to pretty much any haircut, work well on all hair textures (though are especially flattering on thicker, wavier types), and are relatively low-maintenance to maintain compared to full fringe. Ideally, bottleneck bangs should start around the same length as the tip of your brows and gradually angle down to reach the same height as your cheekbones.
One-length cut
Tired of layers? Single-length, clean, crisp shapes are big this spring, and the absence of layers actually creates thicker-looking hair, says Abramite. The other nice thing: You can score this look on any length, whether it's a shorter bob that hits at the collarbone or hangs longer down your back. Ask for a one-length cut with blunt ends; to style, add a little bit of mousse on damp hair and let it air-dry for extra fullness, says Abramite.
Shaggy layers
Abramite says this look is great for those with naturally wavy textures with medium density. It's ideal for an easy, low-maintenance look, since all you have to do is mist damp hair with a sea salt spray to play up and coax out your natural texture, and it looks great air-dried, she adds. Ask your stylist for short to medium layers that begin around the cheekbones and soft, feathered ends. Like the one-length cut, this is easily achieved on any length hair, adding lots of movement if you have long hair, but also adding visual interest to shorter cuts.