Amidst quarantine, lockdowns, and remote semesters, many have seized the opportunity to experiment with their hair by trying bolder, brighter colours. With the rise of the e-girl aesthetic came the height of the e-girl hair: two bleach blonde streaks framing the face. But one of the boldest hair trends to emerge this season are 90’s inspired, brightly-coloured, chunky streaks.
From more neutral honey-tone browns and blondes to electric neon hues, celebrities are revitalizing the in-your-face hair trend. This trend, like Dua Lipa’s exposed roots, was previously viewed as cringe-worthy and better left in the past. Recently, however, Instagram model and founder of Wildflower cases, Devon Lee Carlson, was spotted with fiery, lava hair streaks courtesy of editorial hairstylist Evanie Frausto. Her inspiration for the hairstyle came from 90’s pop legend Christina Aguilera – if we’re going by the recent picture Carlson shared of Aguilera in the music video for “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)”.
Bella Hadid, one of Carlson’s long-time besties, was recently spotted in New York City embracing a similar look – featuring bright red, clip-in extensions in her very 90’s up-do. However, this style is nothing new for Bella; she also wore colourful extensions for the Versace’s fall 2017 runway show.
This trend has been popping up all over Instagram for the last few months. It was spotted on @bleachlondon, a design gallery and salon Insta featuring colorful creations curated by @alishadobson, @georgiabluebassett, and @emmadavisonhair. The salon has seen a significant increase in demand for experimental colors since lockdown began. By the looks of their insta, it’s been serving neon hues all around.
“[Streaks] are one of my favourite looks to create, and they’re so simple,” says Alex Brownsell, Bleach London’s co-founder and creative director. “The application process is obviously very quick and the maintenance is even speedier, as there isn’t much root to touch up.”
But why is this unusual look becoming so popular?
“It’s always been quite alternative, perhaps a bit witchy even,” says Brownsell. “It’s kind of had a gothic connotation, and that sense has come through its interpretations over the years. It can be both very bold and very subtle. It’s a great way to add light around the face and looks different than normal highlights. It’s a more interesting placement of colour.”
And even better news: this style is super easy to DIY.
According to Brownsell, “It’s… a really easy, low-maintenance way of having color in the hair without having to commit to it all over, and it’s pretty striking when it’s contrasting colours.”
Her tip? Section out the hair well, and make conditioning a priority.
“As your hair is being stripped back, it’s important to replace what it needs to be healthy. I recommend doing this as you bleach in the first place.”
So whether you decide to try streaks on your own or at a professional hair salon, there’s no denying that this new, chic trend is here to stay and will be the look of the season.