Low-maintenance hair doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, some styles can be head-turning, and just think, you don’t have to put in hours of work to get the perfect style. It’s a win-win, right?
Personally, I’m always looking for easy ways to style my hair that require minimal effort—hey, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to my hair. I only recently learned to curl my hair two years ago (and I’m still not really sure if I’m good at it or not).
So if you’re like me and in need of hairstyles, cuts, and colors that are easy to pull off and don’t require much time, I did some homework and asked hairstylists and colorists for the trending low-maintenance styles for 2022. Take a look below and bring them to your next hair appointment.
“Short hair is definitely a trend and taking off this year,” says Takisha Sturdivant-Drew, a celebrity hairstylist and Matrix Brand Ambassador. “If you are looking for a fresh new look, consider cutting your hair short because short hair is here to stay! A lot of celebrities and non-celebrities have gone short with not only pixie cuts. But I like to call it a ‘mixie cut’ because it’s in between both short and medium. For example, Ariana DeBose is wearing that style right now on every red carpet of hers. Her latest mixie was a shaved-down look on the right side and all of her hair mixed with highlights to her left side. To keep her naturally curly hair pattern, I used Matrix A Curl Can Dream Shampoo, infused with Manuka honey extract makes the hair nice and smooth. Then I follow it up with Matrix A Curl Can Dream Rich Mask. It’s a deeply hydrating mask that leaves the hair frizz-free with a beautiful shine. You can see for yourself!”
“Copper tones are all the rage right now and I see them lasting into fall,” says Guy Tang, #mydentity brand founder. “If you are a brunette, adding blended copper highlights is a simple way to brighten and enhance your color. If blended well the colour will grow out easily allowing you to extend your time between salon visits.”
Celebrity hairstylists Glen Coco and Laura Polko both recommend blowouts. Coco, who’s also an Augustinus Bader Brand Ambassador, says clean bouncy blowouts are super simple and very 90s—and the 90s are definitely having a moment right now.
“A classic low maintenance hair trend is a simple blowout, which is great for people who regularly heat style their hair,” says Polko, an Aquage Brand Ambassador. “To best achieve this look, apply the Aquage Uplifting Foam all over damp strands, flipping hair upside down to make sure product is worked in thoroughly throughout. From there, take the T3 AireBrush Duo and rough-dry until you get the look you want. This is a great basic style and can be worked into a slicked-back look on day two or three.”
“Bangs this season are low=maintenance and natural—a full fringe, curtain bang, or wispy pieces,” says Bailey Englert, a hairstyle at Fekkai at The Mark. “Whether your hair is straight, wavy, or curly, the natural texture is best. No-fuss and less perfection allow more movement through the spring and summer as more crisp lines come into the clothes we are wearing. Apply smoothing product through all of the hair, let it air dry, diffuse, or rough-dry with hands or a paddle brush for the best finish.”
If you don’t want to fully commit, try clip-in bangs. “A clip-in to create a curtain bang is a really low-maintenance fun way to switch up your looks without fully committing to it,” says celebrity extensionist Priscilla Valles. “If you have a couple days old hair you can put in dry shampoo and add a clip-in bang with your hair up or down, which is a cute low-maintenance style. “
“The signature bob is a powerful bob and is forever trending!” says Sturdivant-Drew. “Kerry Washington just wore it on the red carpet, [for]this bob, I cut and styled TSD Hair Extensions with water and Matrix A Curl Can Dream Lightweight Oil. It was the perfect finisher for this signature powerful flip bob!
“Warmer hair colour is super trendy—taking your hair slight warmer, but only one to two shades lighter is low maintenance, plus when you’re in the sun it tends to go warmer so you’re not combatting hair by dipping too cool. By adding warmth, it also brightens the base,” says Coco.
“Lobs are the perfect mid-length haircut style. Add some texture with a spray to make it easy to wear straight or wavy. This type of haircut grows out easily so you can extend the time between haircuts,” Tang says.
You can always accessorize. Polko recommends the trendy jaw clip. “It continues to gain momentum as one of this season’s easiest and hottest styling trends,” she says. “To get the look, I like to mix together the Aquage Transforming Paste with the brand’s Finishing Spray and use this blend to slick hair back, using a fine-tooth comb to smooth strands. You can secure hair with an elastic, although they can be stressful and damaging to strands, so I typically forgo that step, twist hair up, and put the jaw clip in. This style also looks cute with two front pieces left out for a face frame.”
And it doesn’t just end with jaw clips. Try any kind of hair accessory to mix things up. “Scarves, headbands, claw clips, pins, and scrunchies are a great way to add something extra to a hairstyle while maintaining the natural feel of the hair,” Englert says. “They are also a great way to disguise a bad hair day or a post-gym style, or to keep a soft look to show off the natural texture while getting the hair off the neck on hot days.”
Coco recommends trying out a sleek, tight bun. “Like ‘Model Off Duty’ vibes. You can use a hair treatment, like the Augustinus Bader The Leave-In Treatment, or hair oil, like the Augustinus Bader The Hair Oil, to slick it back—that way you are getting a treatment and looking really snatched,” he says.
“Warmer tones are being embraced this year which makes this the perfect shade of blonde from spring through summer,” Tang says. “This type of blonde has a darker root with blended golden sun-kissed highlights so that the grow-out is seamless, making it low maintenance.”
“Ponytails have made the biggest comeback of all styles,” says Star Tutson, stylist of Upgrade. “Definitely a client favorite. There have been so many variations to this style so it’s easy to switch it up. You can make it big and curly for a formal event or sleek and chic for an everyday look. For bed, a simple scarf around the edges will do. The best part is they are great for my gym-goers.”
“Short curly hair with slicked-down sides is a major trend that’s going to keep trending,” says Sturdivant-Drew. “Everyone is embracing their natural curls today and styling it each and every bold way. When I style my natural client’s curly hair, I apply Matrix A Curl Can Dream Light Hold Gel on damp hair leaving the curls defined, shiny, and soft.”
“We want to see the natural texture this season and that means we want shine,” says Englert. “Starting with major conditioning in the shower or shampoo bowl and following up with a leave-in conditioner or styling cream on towel-dried hair helps encourage the natural texture of the hair without too much fuss. Diffuse or let air dry with minimal touching to keep frizz down and maximize shine.”
“Another cute low-maintenance look that’s great for people who like to airdry their hair is adding a couple of baby braids in the front,” Polko says. “This gives opportunity to play with how hair is styled in the back—whether it’s worn up or down, adding the baby braids is a stylish spin on an otherwise easy style. To ensure my baby braids stay in place, I like to put the Aquage Curl Defining Creme into my hand, warm it up with my fingers and then tap it into the strands as I’m braiding, using the remaining product to smooth over the actual braid once complete. This is a great way to ensure that the shorter pieces, especially any bangs that are braided, do not pop out. Lock in the look by applying a hair spray.”
Next, 6 Easy Hairstyles That Will Make Your Hair Look So Much Healthier
