Modern beehive hair is always on trend – here’s how to get the look at home

If there’s one hair trend that pops up time and time again, it’s the modern beehive hair do. Made famous in the ‘60s by the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Bridgit Bardot and Aretha Franklin, this iconic updo continues to be a popular look amongst the celebrity set today.

While we undoubtedly have Amy Winehouse to thank for the ‘60s beehive hair resurgence of the ’00s, in the past five years or so this style has been spotted on modern-day A-listers Anya Taylor-Joy, Dua Lipa, Adele, Beyonce and Aimee Lou Wood.

So if you want to trial the style yourself, Patrick Wilson – the hair guru behind Aimee's modern beehive hair (pictured below) – tells us how to get the look at home, while Francesca Spirito, stylist at the Neil Moodie Studio, answers your most frequently asked beehive hair questions.

Plus, we've rounded up a selection of our favourite celeb-worn beehives. Enjoy!

"The inspiration for Aimee's look was drawn from the '60s – think Brigitte Bardot, beehive silhouettes," Patrick says. "The dress was Miu Miu and the minute I saw the collar, I knew it had to be a hair-up. I wanted to create something with a nod to Brigitte, but that still felt ‘Aimee’."

On the modern beehive as an emerging trend, Patrick commented: “I think that women are wanting to wear their hair differently. I feel we all need something fun right now and this is exactly what I wanted to achieve with Aimee's hair for the BAFTAs.”

How do you tease your hair?

Teasing, also known as backcombing, is a combing technique that's used to add volume to the hair (hence why it's the backbone of any good beehive). Using a fine tooth comb, “take a section of hair and hold it away from the scalp,” says Francesca – “then comb in a ‘c-shape’ down towards the scalp.”

How do you do a beehive ponytail?

“You can achieve a beehive ponytail hairstyle by sectioning the hair into two horizontally, and tying the bottom section off,” says Francesca. With your top section, tease the hair to create lots of volume. “Then take the top section and use a soft brush to comb it back and add it to the first ponytail.”

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How do you make a beehive hairstyle without teasing it?

You don’t have to tease hair to create a beehive (we know how it is, backcombing can be a faff to detangle). Instead, use products like Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist, £27, or Oway Volume & Texture Hair Puff, £28, to add volume and tousled texture. “Apply at the root and then pull hair back into a beehive look,” suggests Francesca. You can also use hair donuts to add structure to the back.

How to create modern beehive hair

Patrick breaks down how to achieve Aimee's beehive hairstyle below:

1. I prepped the hair using Tigi Bed Head Superstar Queen For A Day (£8.65) and blow dried using the ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer (£159), blow drying the hair with a round brush.
2. I directed the bangs back to flick away from the face with the ghd Soft Curl Tong (£129).
3. Once the prep was finished, I added the Oribe Dry Texturising Hairspray
   (£45) to the roots, backcombing the hair to add height to the style.
4. Using my Mason Pearson Hair Brush (£97), I brushed the hair back and rolled the hair into a french roll. Then I manipulated the shape with my fingers to make the look more lived-in before securing.
5. Top tip: this look is all about the prep. If you fail to prep the style, it won’t last. My advice would be to use a moose to hold the look in a place, and using two mirrors to check the balance and shape from behind helps, too.

Celebrity beehive hair looks we love…

This soft, beehive hair do combines sweeping side bangs with a voluminous french roll at the back. Top tip? Use a texturising product to create that cool, lived-in look.

Go big with an oversized beehive hairstyle a la Dua Lipa. Our advice? Hair donuts can add shape and structure to fine hair.

Recreate this ultra-glam beehive updo using hair rollers to add volume at the root. Then, secure the hair back in a twisted bun before teasing strands loose for a chic finish.

Take your cue from Adele and go for a timeless sleek, polished beehive. You'll need lots of hairspray and a soft bristled brush.

For a fresh take on the retro style, experiment with a stiff, structural updo adorned with a black velvet ribbon at the base of the hive.