Show of hands, how many of you have stretched out wash days and abandoned your heated hair tools over the past year? Not only are the best low-maintenance haircuts easy to achieve but undone French girl styles are trending, so it's hardly surprising that we're dialling down our daily hair routine in the same way that we've abandoned a 10-step skincare regimen.
It's almost like we've had a lightbulb moment and realised that it's no longer necessary to wake up half an hour early in order to steamroll our hair with a straightening iron. Instead, we have something else in mind: haircuts that do all the hard work for us.
A great chop shouldn't need a lot of frills – meaning it should work just as well when we wash and go as when we can be faffed to throw a bit of tonging in. So we asked some of our favourite hairstylists for their edit of the best low-maintenance haircuts:
1. Short, layered cuts
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Not only are short chops widely popular, they're also very chic. "My clients opt for short-layered cuts when they need something low maintenance," reveals celebrity hairstylist, Dionne Smith, who has worked with Venus Williams. "It's good to have the length at the crown but feathered at the front. This keeps hair looking good in between cuts and needs very little styling," she adds.
As for pro products, "for straight hair, a little salt spray, like Jerome Russell BStyled Wave and Salt Spray will work wonders," Dionne says.
2. Shaggy bob
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"The 90’s shaggy bob is perfect for the summer and to show off texture with little styling effort," says Tom Warr at Blue Tit London's Dalston salon. "It’s the ideal low maintenance cut," he adds.
He's not the only one who thinks so. "A short, choppy bob is perfect for summer, as you can leave it to air dry, which will add texture for that undone look," says celebrity hairstylist George Northwood (who counts Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Meghan Markle as clients). His famous signature bob isn’t too precise or polished, so it has longevity and grows out really well.
In terms of upkeep, George recommends a quality shampoo and conditioner, while the Ouai Leave-In-Conditioner will add smoothness and can be left in damp hair to do its thing.
Sexy, bed-head texture.
3. Buzz cuts
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“There's a big move towards low maintenance styles that require minimum effort," says top hairstylist and afro expert, Charlotte Mensah, who is a big fan of a buzz cut. As well as being a bold hair transformation, it's a breeze to look after – just remember to protect your scalp with a spray on SPF such as Clarins plant-enriched Sun Care Oil Mist for Body and Hair.
4. Collarbone cut
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"Most clients with hair that is collarbone-length or longer don't want a corporate-looking, polished blow-dry without a hair out of place anymore," says Ricky Walters, founder of Salon64, who likes a layered collarbone cut “worn with a get up and go attitude.”
Layers are designed to give a disheveled tousled look, he says. "I'd recommend adding in some short layers to anyone who is finding their hair is sitting too block heavy or is fighting their hair with the hairdryer every morning."
Dionne agrees: "A longer-length bob that skims the shoulders or collarbone has all of the style kudos of a blunt bob, but can work in an undone, natural texture or straightened for an effortless style."
5. Lightly layered lengths
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“A longer length with some very soft long layers for some shape and volume at the crown” will be a popular take on a low-maintenance haircut, says celebrity hairstylist Stefan Bertin, who has worked with Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Letitia Wright and Alessandra Ambrosio.
"Too soft and the haircut falls flat, but if it’s not soft enough, the hair will need some manipulation to really look good. Your hairstylist should be able to perfectly match the level of softness to your haircut and type," he says, but essentially a few scattered layers can give you the volume and shape you need whether you choose to style it or not.
We've all had them at some point, but here's how to really the style.
6. The page boy bob
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A ‘60s hairstyle made famous by the likes of Princess Diana and The Beatles, “the traditional pageboy bob featured a rounded, ear-to-shoulder length with inward-curled blunt ends and a heavy fringe,” says Elliot Bute, a stylist at London-based salon Hershesons.
We love Taylor Hill’s version of the pageboy bob because it's super relaxed. “To recreate this look, ask for a short, lightly layered bob that flatters your face shape without looking too structured," Elliot says. "And add soft layers to encourage movement and wave."
When styling the hair, he recommends simply working a mousse or salt spray through damp hair. Whether you choose to quickly dry your hair with a diffuser on minimal heat or let it air dry, just remember to use your hands to scrunch the hair “for that undone, beachy finish.”
7. A ‘crob’
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A crob – a.k.a cropped bob – falls somewhere between a pixie and a bob. According to celebrity hairstylist and ColorWow international creative director, Dom Seeley: “Think: cropped hair that's not as short as a pixie but shorter than a bob, like Natalie Imbruglia's ‘90s hair,” he says. “Or textured, shorter bobs with wispier lengths and movement throughout,” he adds.
The beauty of the crob is that you can simply wash and go. Then when it comes to styling, try pulling a little gel through the mid-lengths and ends for a ready-in-60-seconds wet look.
