Farewell slick buns! Kylie Jenner’s stylist on the unexpected new ‘fuzzy’ hair trend taking off across the globe: ‘Wild’

For years, the definition of ‘good hair’ has been smooth, glossy and perfectly styled, preferably with the kind of bouncy ’90s blowout that requires a round brush, several hot tools and a considerable amount of time.

But according to the celebrity hairstylist behind some of Hollywood’s most famous heads of hair, our obsession with perfection could finally be coming to an end.

Clayton Hawkins, whose A-list clientele includes Kylie Jenner and Olivia Rodrigo, said hair is heading in a decidedly more undone direction, with natural texture, frizz and even a little ‘fuzz’ making a comeback.

Better still, the season’s coolest hair could also be its easiest to achieve. 

Speaking to lifestyle and wellness influencer Arielle Lorre on her Well with Arielle Lorre podcast, the hairstylist predicted we’re moving away from the ultra-polished looks that have dominated in recent years.

‘I think that we’re kind of going into a little bit more of an earthy, wild, unkempt sort of vibe,’ Clayton said.

‘It was very structured the past couple years, even just the way we were curling hair… everything was very clean and sleek.’

Instead, he predicted we’ll be seeing hair that feels ‘fantasy-ish’, ‘feathery’ and ‘fuzzy’, pointing to Zendaya’s more voluminous, textured styles as inspiration.

And for anyone exhausted by the hours-long pursuit of the perfect blowout, the timing couldn’t be better.

‘Maybe [it’s about] embracing more of our natural texture, not doing the full-on ’90s blowout that usually takes hours,’ Arielle suggested.

Clayton agreed, adding that even increasingly hot weather could influence how willing people are to spend time blasting their hair with heat.

The shift doesn’t mean the classic blowout is dead, however.

Clayton still considers a ‘beautiful blowout’ and a ‘slick, clean updo’ timeless, particularly for major occasions such as weddings or awards ceremonies.

But for everyday hair, he’s firmly in favour of having a little more fun.

‘I kind of feel like… who cares?’ he said of trends becoming dated.

‘Do what feels good to you. Have fun. Be inspired. But again, be inspired by different things.’

The trick to making ‘undone’ hair easier

Perhaps the most unexpected takeaway from Clayton’s prediction is that embracing natural texture doesn’t necessarily mean ditching hair extensions.

In fact, he argued the right extensions can make hair lower maintenance, provided you’re matching them to your own texture.

He said extensions have come a long way from the mismatched, overly straight styles of the past, where someone’s natural hair could be frizzy or wavy while their extensions remained conspicuously ‘bone straight’.

Instead, extensions are now available in everything from waves and curls to beachy textures, allowing stylists to create a much more believable blend.

Clayton, who works with hair extension brand Donna Bella, said he will even mix different textures on the same client.

‘I’m doing someone tomorrow, and we’re doing like half wavy, half curly that we’re going to install.’

‘If you do it like that, then you actually can let it air dry, and you’re not just putting so much product and trying to curl it.’

‘It’s counterintuitive, but if you get the right extensions, it can be low maintenance,’ he added.

It’s a welcome development for anyone whose attempts at a ‘heatless summer’ usually last approximately until the first humid day.

Rather than fighting every wave, kink or hint of frizz with a straightener or spending an hour recreating a salon-worthy blowout, the new approach is about working with your hair texture instead of against it.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to abandon your favourite blow-dry brush for good.

Clayton stressed that not every hairstyle needs to be timeless, immaculate or even universally flattering.

In fact, he likes being able to look back at old photos and immediately recognise the era from the hair.

‘It shows that you’ve been living in the moment.’