Your Spring Break Hairstyle Guide

Top priority for any getaway is making sure your hair looks cute every day, with close to zero effort. Here are seven ways to nail spring break hair with ease, so you can focus on what’s really important— making memories!

Crop It

If you’ve been toying with the liberating notion of a cropped haircut, now’s the time! You’ll be able to shampoo and go throughout your vacay! And, if you happen to get caught in a spring downpour, who cares? Just tousle your short hair with a spare t-shirt and you’re done.

If you do decide to embrace your inner gamine, consider some high-impact hair color to elevate your cut into something really special. Platinum pixies and cropped hair are everything, and when you lighten it a lot, it’s easy to keep short hair healthy than longer lengths. Or, experiment with a fun pastel shade like mint or pale pink. Watercolor and pastel hair colors are perfect choices this season!

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Cropped hair is cool when it’s tousled and piece-y. So pack a product that multi-tasks—part hair paste, part hair cream and part hair wax. It will give you a ton of options in one little tub!

Wave It

Beach waves have been the “It” texture for a while now, and this season they’re softer and slinkier than ever. Good news for vacationers; because they’re so minimal, they can be done in no time!  The #beachwavegoal here is subtle movement, unstructured shape and soft hair. To get the look, divide your hair in large vertical sections, slide a flat iron in at about eye-level, wind the hair around the iron once and slide it down the strand. Release the iron before you reach the ends to prevent them from getting too curly.

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Ocean water would do the trick, but refreshing your waves with an airy texture spray will be much gentler on your hair color, and much easier to control. Just mist and scrunch.

Smooth It

Is your natural texture toothpick straight? When you curl your hair, does it droop within an hour? Does humidity make it do the big deflate? Then embrace it! There’s a totally cool Summer in the City ‘70s vibe to satiny strands with a center part. So let it be, or sleek-ify it to perfection with a few quick passes of a flat iron. While your friends are fussing over their waves, you’ll be enjoying an extra hour on the beach.

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This hair style MUST be shiny, and dry hair cannot be shiny. So even though you’re on vacation, don’t skip the conditioner. Find a conditioner that loves your hair texture (fine, medium or coarse hair) and apply it faithfully, concentrating on the middle and end sections if your scalp gets oily. 

Knot It

No time to dry and style? That’s when a knotted bun becomes your best friend. You can air dry, twist and pin, or form a loose knot while your hair is still damp. When you take it down later, it will be beautifully waved! Add an accent braid if you’re feeling under-coiffed, and don’t worry if a few pieces remain unsecured—the more casual the better when you’re away!

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Work a styling cream into damp hair before knotting to give your strands some structure and to control frizz when you let your hair down! 

Set It Free

Spring break is the perfect time to lay off of the heat, so if you’re naturally curly, leave your irons and dryers at home. Let your coils dry naturally, or do a quick twist set before you hit the beach.

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Curls get thirsty in warm weather so be sure to bring a rich, conditioner that can pull double duty as a conditioner and a setting cream.

Braid It

Nowadays braids are like snowflakes—there are millions and no two are exactly alike. Dutch braid, French braid, two strand braid, four-strand braid, five-strand braid, figure eight braid, crown braid—there are so many ways to do the twist! Give your hair over to braids during your holiday. They can serve as an easy, low-impact styling option during the day and a dress-up strategy with Bohemian flair for evening. For a modern spin, pull braids apart on the sides to loosen and fluff the texture. And don’t fret if a few pieces fall free here and there—it’s perfectly fine for holiday hair!

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Braids do better when they aren’t ultra-smooth and slippery. The pro secret for giving hair some “grit” for braiding is dry shampoo. Divide your hair into sections and spray or sprinkle it on. Wait a minute until it settles, then braid away! 

Match it To The Sea

Why should the Mediterranean be the star of the show? You can captivate with your own ocean-inspired hair color. Turquoise, azure, navy—any blue is a perfect spring break hair color! If you’re not keen on a root-to-tip shade, try a few sea-colored highlights or peek-a-boo panels to pay homage to the deep. Just remember that all of this color can compromise your strands, so keep your hair out of the sun and out of the pool. (UV rays and chlorine don’t do your color any favors!)

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Pack a super-rich deep conditioner and wear it like sunscreen. Slick it on in the morning, comb through and keep your hair under a hat or scarf, or gather it into a braid or bun. The conditioner will drench your hair with moisture and other goodness all day long, and when you rinse it out each evening, your locks will be soft as butter!