Hairstyle trends seem to come and go before we can even decide whether we're actually brave enough to take the plunge. Curtain bangs, bubble ponytails, mermaid waves, and most recently the slicked-back-bun—which has been popularized by the likes of those we look toward for model-off-duty inspo, but tried by nearly any and almost every name in Hollywood—just barely scratch the surface when it comes to experimenting with your strands. And while celebrities like Kim Kardashian know just how much your hair can truly add another element of storytelling to an already particularly crafted look (see: her 2019 Met Gala wet hair look), French girls take a much simpler approach.
Somehow, some way, it seems that French girls wake up with their hair effortlessly falling to perfection. Not too messy, but not too styled, their hair always seems to blend the perfectly imperfect hair of Serena van der Woodsen and the beachy waves seen in Saint-Tropez. And lucky for you, achieving this Instagramable It girl hair is pretty effortless. L'Officiel breaks down some tips and tricks to help you achieve that unstyled, styled French girl look.
While the Dyson Air Wrap has been flying off the shelves here in America, French girls, like Camille Charrière often choose to style their hair sans heat. Instead of damaging hair with high temps, let your hair dry the old-fashioned way. The result is healthy hair that doesn't look perfectly straight or perfectly curled, giving their tresses a messy, chic vibe.
Another easy way to get the French-girl hair of your dreams is to focus on texture. Instead of making sure every hair is in the right place and looks "perfect," let your hair (and flyaways) fly. Spritz in a wave spray or texture spray, zhuzh your locks, tousle it up, and let it do whatever it wants to do. This is what will give your hair that chic, looks-like-you-didn't-try-but-you-actually-did, relaxed look. Follow it up with a sea salt spray and say Bonjour to beautiful waves.
Instead of trying to fix every curl, bump, kink, or "imperfection," learn to love your hair the way it is. Now, that doesn't mean you have to wear it 100 per cent natural, but it does mean using what you have to your advantage. Writer, consultant, and influencer Camille Charrière emphasized this in a YouTube video with London hairdresser George Northwood. According to her, "It's about like maintaining what you've got and making sure that you're really looking after it, but not overly enhancing it on a day-to-day basis." So, this is us (and Camille) giving you permission to rock your natural hair.
Another oh-so-important part of achieving that free-flowing hairstyle is keeping your hair healthy. Because if your hair is fried, frizzy, and fragile, no matter how you style it or wear it, it's not going to look runway ready. So, while the femmes of France look like they don't try (in a super chic way, of course), they actually do. Invest in your haircare routine and buy quality shampoos, conditioners, and masks that you know will keep your hair shiny, soft, and healthy.
