Image Source: Getty / Axelle/Bauer-Griffin, Daniele Venturelli, Jon Kopaloff, Unsplash / Jan Kopriva, Photo Illustration by Becky Jiras
TikTok has become an absolute gold mine for beauty trends, particularly when it comes to hair. The app sparked no-poo movements in the form of “scalp detoxes”, the rise of the “Farrah Fawcett” flip, and countless styling hacks. The latest hair trend to come out of TikTok, however, may be one that you’ve seen before. A video by influencer James Edward went viral after depicting different iterations of the “surfer curtains” hairstyle – a look that was extremely popular in the ’90s.
“The surfer-curtains trend is a cut that is generally parted in the center, or slightly off-center, and worn with a beachy texture,” Kylee Heath, celebrity hairstylist and Hair Rituel partner, tells POPSUGAR. “The cut and style leaves some length in the front that is worn almost like a curtain bang that can be tossed left to right. This look is also great when it is a little tousled with some volume and texture.”
@je2steezy I would honestly die to have this #day12
Though Edward’s video primarily shows the surfer-curtains hairstyle on short hair (the surfer-curtains haircut is particularly popular with men), you can wear this style on long hair as well. “This hairstyle does have a bit of an edge and an overall more tailored look when worn on shorter hair,” Heath says. “Keeping the length a bit longer will give the style a little bit more femininity.”
As for why the hairstyle is gaining popularity again, the short answer: Y2K beauty is back. “Surfer-curtains hair is a real nod to the ’90s and early 2000s,” Heath says. “We have been seeing a lot of that era recently, particularly when it comes to fashion. It is only natural to go back to those hair trends as well.”
If you want to get the surfer-curtains hairstyle at home, Heath has a few tips. “If you have straight to wavy hair, I would recommend brushing your hair when you get out of the shower before air-drying. After the hair is brushed, create a center part and apply Hair Rituel by Sisley The Cream 230 ($110),” she says. After that initial step, apply your favorite volumizing spray – we like the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray ($32) – on top, and scrunch the hair with your hands. Once the hair has air-dried, you may want to add a bit more of the volumizing spray to bump the texture up even more.
This style might look a bit different if you have curly hair, but Heath has another technique that can still give you the surfer curtains of your dreams. “For curly hair, I recommend getting out of the shower and towel-drying the hair to begin,” Heath says. “Apply The Cream 230, but also add a small amount of the Hair Rituel by Sisley Precious Hair Care Oil ($115.) Then scrunch the product in with your hands and push the hair forward at the roots, twisting the length a bit away from the face.” After applying the oil mixture, you can let your hair air-dry or diffuse to save some time. Then leave it as is. This style is great on day-two hair that has a bit of volume.
Hairstyles from the ’90s will no doubt continue to make their rounds, but surfer curtains feel like a particularly classic look that will always be on trend. Make sure to keep these tips in mind if you decide to give the look a try.
