Life Features
Air-dried hair is the look for summer
By Maria Fiedler Mar 1, 2012, 3:06 GMT
Berlin - Sun, sand and waves - the perfect combination for a summer vacation and the perfect inspiration for summer hair.
This year the trendy hairstyles will be sun-dried, wind-blown and wavy, replacing those that look like they have been carved out of stone or are otherwise complicated or very straight. Hairstylists are consciously moving away from those looks and in the process are bringing a bit of motion into the hairstyles for the season.
To achieve the styles they are using a method popular in the '80s - tussling the hair while drying it with a hair dryer - or by letting it air dry, which brings out the natural waves the way only the sun can. Curling irons are being used to create waves, said Udo Walz, a hairstylist in Berlin. It can look 'undone,' he said.
The beach look is guaranteed not to look like a hairstyle that took hours of work in front of the mirror.
'It should look like you just emerged from the sea and let your hair dry in the sun,' said Nikolaos Perdikis, a hairstylist for Paul Mitchell in Stuttgart. The hair becomes wavy and is lighter and moves easily. Women who have straight hair should use a product that helps waves form and a diffuser on their hairdryer.
After the red colour nuances that were popular trends in winter come blond and bronze tones. This allows stylists to use the entire palette from highlights to complete colour, said Perdikis. They also can use the so-called tease technique in which a bit of hair close to the head is teased. This makes the rest of the hair look like it has been bleached by the sun and sea, Perdikis explained.
In addition to the beach hairstyles this summer will also see a return of looks from the past. An eye-catching look for women who wear their hair short is the mushroom style of the '60s.
'The top hair is lightly layered and the lower hair is trimmed short using a comb and scissors,' said Jens Dagne of the German hairstylist association Intercoiffeur. The bangs are cut about the same length as the top hair and hang to a point just above the eyes.
'It's important that the hair is cut correctly,' said Franz-Josef Kueveler, creative director of the central association of German hairstylists. The mushroom hairstyle doesn't look good on every woman, he said. The shape of the face must be right - oval and faces with distinctive lines look best with the striking hairstyle. 'A round face can look plump when paired with a mushroom hairstyle,' said Kueveler.
Women who like a bit of a classy look are advised to consider a bob. The hair is cut short at the nape of the neck and shaped longer toward the face, said Walz. Full bangs go along with the style, which looks good in blonde and in chocolate tones.
Medium-length and long hair can be styled to resemble a lion's mane - a look that was popular in the '70s and '80s. Actress Farah Fawcett was the trendsetter in that era. Softly cut medium-length bangs that lay back easily are recommended. Using hairspray to add shine or to make the hair look slick is a mistake. Kueveler said stylists prefer a matte look that comes out by playing with colour.
'Minimalist looks are out,' said Walz, who recommends so-called Botticelli curls. These are curls that begin part of the way down the hair-shaft. The hair closest to the scalp is straight and smooth; the curls can fall in various sizes. Newly inspired swept-up hairstyles also borrow from the past. Walz cites Audrey Hepburn's high-sitting quiff as an example.
In the coming summer men's hairstyles are not expected to change much from the winter season. The so-called undercut will remain popular, said Perdikis. This style is cut short on the sides and at the nape of the neck, while the hair on top of the head is long and often tussled and fixed in place with gel. The hair could also be combed back, a look expected to be trendy this summer.
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