Despite the cozy vibes of the holiday season, this time of year can be deceptively social. From work parties to friendsgivings, family dinners to shopping dates, plenty of opportunities to play with new hairstyles lie ahead!
Excited to show off your latest color? Need some inspiration for seasonal styling? Determined to nail holiday hair trends?
We’re here to help with all of the above! Keep reading for the Colorproof guide to holiday hairstyles for the 2024 winter season, with styling tips and tricks for each look.
Trendy Holiday Hairstyles
The Forward Braid Crown
If your preferred holiday aesthetic is rustic, pastoral, and homely, you’ll love the charm of the forward braid crown. But considering the style’s recent association with Wednesday Addams, it can also feel spunky and creative with the right outfit! Whichever angle you go for, this eye-grabbing style will feel nothing short of festive.
As with all braid-related hairstyles, hair prep makes all the difference for this look.
Before braiding, run a small pump of Fiber Blast Texture Crème through your strands. This will give your braids a bit of grip, ensuring they stay in place all night long.
Next, section your hair into two, then begin braiding on each side, beginning behind the lower part of your ear. After tying them off with clear bands, simply pull each up and over your head, reaching toward the top of the other ear. Lots of pins will help here!
Once your braids are placed, spray them with some Fiber Blast Texture Crème or All Around Working Hairspray — or a bit of both! They’re designed to tame flyaways without too much stick, so use as much as you need to feel smooth and in control.
Pro-tip: if the hair in the back of your head feels loose, a few dabs of Styling Putty can help keep the sectioned-off pieces in place.
Half Up Half Down, Plus Bangs
Half up, half down is finally making a comeback, but this time, the trend is heightened by this year’s bangs and face-framing trend! So, instead of pulling all of those front sections back into your mini pony, simply leave enough pieces around your face to showcase your trendy banks.
We love this look for the holidays because it’s humble and cozy, but has plenty of potential for creative styling. You can accentuate it with bows, sprinkle in some clips, or opt for a sky-high pony placement for a bit of pop!
To maximize this style’s many layers, start by applying Super Plump® Whipped Mousse on damp hair. After blow drying, you’ll notice a boost in volume, body, and shape, especially around your bangs.
As you pull back your mini pony, our All Around Working Hairspray will help with manageability and hold. Once tied back, we also recommend spritzing your hair with the Texture Charge Defining Finishing Spray. It adds density and definition for a thick, voluminous finish!
If you finish the style and notice frizz or flyaways, a few dashes of Smooth Drops will add a glossy glow to your strands.
Slicked in the Front, Voluminized in the Back
Can’t choose between the clean girl aesthetic and the oh-so-trendy blowout? Slicking equally sized pieces of hair behind each ear produces a chic, 90s-inspired look for the best of both worlds! It’s preppy and classy, reminiscent of wintery, dark academia vibes.
Because this style has two distinct sections – the slicked front pieces and the bouncy back – it looks especially good with thick hair. If you wouldn’t describe your hair as naturally thick, meet the Biorepair® Thicken collection! After a few weeks of using Biorepair® Thicken Shampoo and Biorepair® Thicken Conditioner, you’ll have all the fullness you’ve been missing.
Until then, you can tap Biorepair® Thicken Blow Dry Spray to get a fullness boost from styling. Before blow drying, spray it on damp hair with a focus on the crown of your head. It’s heat-activated, helping to increase density while reducing friction for a flowy, fresh finish.
If you need a bit more volume after the blow dryer, you’ll love the instant boost of our Powder Fix™ Spray. It has the same texturizing feel as dry shampoo, but with even more volumizing powder for dry hair specifically.
Now for the slicked-back front! Our Rule Breaker Defining Wax and Styling Putty can help with stick and grip as you comb back your front pieces. Once they’re clipped or pinned around the nape of your neck, a few spritzes of our Humidity Rx® Style Lock Spray will also help lock in the look!
Big Bouncy Glam Curls
If you’re determined to turn every eye in the room at this year’s holiday party, look no further than the bouncy glam curls. Though you’ve seen this classic style before, there’s a reason it’s remained in vogue for decades. Paired with the right outfit, you’ll feel like the main character in a Hallmark holiday romance!
A great place to start is, of course, our fan-favorite Volume Shampoo and Volume Conditioner. This powerhouse duo delivers a root lift with a moisturized, featherlight finish, laying the perfect foundation for a bouncy blowout.
After showering, apply our Lift It® Mousse throughout damp hair, especially around your roots. Then, blow dry with your head upside down! Between the mousse and the gravity, you’ll have an easier time getting a bouncy, voluminous finish capable of holding curls.
Speaking of curls, we recommend using a large-barrel curling iron. This size helps create loose, glamorous curls!
In addition to our All Around Working Hairspray, post-curling, you can lock in your curls with Texture Charge Defining Finishing Spray. Designed to energize your hair with subtle definition, its level 3 hold naturally helps thicken and boost the body of your hair.
Cheers to a night to remember!
Accessory Talk: Bows, Clips, and Headbands!
Looking for one last addition to bring your look home? This winter, we’re loving velvet bows, sparkly crystal clips, and thick headbands.
You can adorn any style with these trendy accessories, but we see chunky bows going well with the half-up, half-down look, and both clips and headbands matching perfectly with the slicked-back front look.
Feeling inspired to tackle your holiday social calendar? With vibrantly colored hair styled for the season’s latest trends, you’ll be unstoppable!
As always, be sure to tag us on Instagram and TikTokand share your Colorproof-powered looks with us using the hashtag #ColorproofHair.
Happy holiday styling, everyone!
Xx,
Colorproof