The freshness a new year brings is often paired with two things – a list of resolutions for the year that may or may not last until February, and the desire for a new look, often linked with a change in hairstyle. How often have you heard the term ‘new year, new me’? A cut, a colour, a short-lived love affair with a fringe—they’re all instrumental in creating a new mood for you.
So, how revolutionary is 2023 going to be for hair? “I feel the next 12 months will be a bigger shift to a more natural texture and less done-up hair,” says hairstylist Rod Anker.
Less about effort and more about authenticity – we’ll get to be more playful with hair in the most natural way possible. So bid adieu to your straightener because, as Anker puts it, “the most irrelevant is smoothened and straightened hair, and possibly the most damaging too. It’s going to be almost gone in the next 12 months, thankfully.”
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Here’s presenting some fun ways to perk up your hair in 2023, with advice from some of India’s coolest and most sought-after hair stylists and artists.
Shaggy is the new sexy
We’re seeing a big revival of retro styles— think new avatars of Farah Fawcett’s iconic bangs and layers, and even the dreaded mullet rom the ‘80s. An increasingly popular emphasis on texture could largely have come from the time we spent locked down at home during the pandemic, where we were forced to fall in love with outgrown hairstyles, DIY trims and months spent without a professional haircut. No regular salon appointments meant a new relationship with your hair and perhaps that is why the fuss-free shag is a big hit.
“It has been big for over 12 months and is still popular, along with the mullet utilising natural texture,” says Anker.
Short hair is also coming back in a big way. The wolf cut—a combination of the shag and mullet, a little shorter, layered look on the top and then a slightly longer mid-length cut with texture and movement—is quickly becoming a hot favourite. Tsapatori is seeing “retro revivals—a lot of ’90s as well as ’70s layers with big bouncy curls,” he says.
“I feel like sexy hair is back,” adds hair and makeup artist Mitesh Rajani, “and I think we’ll see undone volume, retro ’90s fringes and hair with a lot of sharp ends.”
Colour outside the lines
The good old balayage continues to shine, thanks to its subtle nature. “It’s easy to maintain, and adaptable for all. It’s now simpler than ever, very ‘wash-and-go’ friendly,” says Anker.
Brunette-but-blended shades and subtle tones look best, suggests Rajani, who believes highlights will blend in more than ever with a global colour. “Like caramel or honey for example. You can also go red globally, but it’s that one colour and a little balayage of darker going into lighter, but nothing extreme,” he adds.
We’re probably going to still play around with hair colours, though. “Think warmer tones,” says hair artist Yianni Tsapatori. “And less colour,” adds Rajani. “Not too many highlights and streaks.”
Style mantras to stand by
So how does one style natural textures and shags? Experiment and make it your own once you’ve figured out your style and colour. Play with it, says Tsapatori. “Remember that for any haircut, for round faces, you need to add length. For square faces, you need to add fullness and little length and possibly bangs, and for oval ones, you need to have a little length and less fullness.”
The experts agree that while trends may be attractive, haircuts largely depend on one’s personality and confidence to pull them off. So, while your haircut should ideally complement your face shape, it’s more important for you to be comfortable with it. However, don’t let this word of caution spook you. Hair grows out, and if you end up with a cut that you don’t particularly love, it’s only going to be a temporary bump on the road.
Cover Image: Instagram/@justinemarjan
Article Image: Instagram/@chrisappleton1
