Heat Wave? These 12 Summer Hairstyles Are the Move

1. Loose Double Braids Summer Hairstyle

Equal parts cute and practical, double braids are the ultimate hot-weather hairstyle. They keep hair off your face and neck, hold up through humidity, and somehow look even better as they loosen throughout the day. To get the look, create a center part, then divide hair into two sections. Braid each side starting  just below the ears, and secure with elastics.

2. Top Knot with Bangs Summer Hairstyle

This elevated top knot puts all that gorgeous volume and texture on full display—making it the perfect style for everything from beach days to brunch dates. To achieve this look, gather curls into a high ponytail at the crown of your head and loosely wrap them into a bun, letting the natural texture create shape and volume. Secure with a hair tie or pins, then pull out a few curls around the face for that effortless, cool-girl look.

3. Wet Hair Summer Hairstyle

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The wet-look pixie is sleek, chic, and practically made for summer— whether you're heading to a rooftop party, date night, or just trying to beat the heat in style. To create it for your next day party serve, work a lightweight gel or styling cream through damp hair, combing it back while leaving a few face-framing pieces loose in the front. Use your fingers to create soft separation and texture, then finish with a shine-enhancing product for that fresh-from-the-beach effect.

4. Chic Hair Pins Summer Hairstyle

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This pinned-back bob is equal parts polished and playful, keeping hair out of your face while adding a little extra personality to your look. Bonus: it's practically heatwave-proof. To get the look, create a center part, then tuck the front sections behind your ears and secure them with a few statement bobby pins or hair clips on each side. Then, leave the rest of your hair natural.

5. Updated ’90s Bun for Summer

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No one leads a trend like Paris Hilton, and this flowy, messy bun is like if that ’90s-era bun got a little upgrade. Hilton’s topknot has thicker front pieces that frame the face and allow for a glam moment by being perfectly coiffed and waved around the eyes. Instead of looking like a top knot, the top bun looks uniform and full, allowing for a more elegant take on this decades-old hairstyle.

6. Braided Bun Summer Hairstyles

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If you want to see what’s going to be trending for summer 2026 (so long, brat summer), we’d pay close attention to Doechii. She not only cleaned out this year’s Grammy Awards, but her impressive nail art, hairstyles, and makeup looks have been absolutely fire. If you like being able to throw your hair up at a moment’s notice, consider getting micro braids for summer. They easily pull back into the perfect, effortlessly chic bun, as evident by Doechii on the red carpet. 

7. Goddess Summer Updo

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The key to nailing this style is looking like you just stepped out of a Grecian fairytale, à la Christina Aguilera. And the good news is, you can do this with any hair length. Section half of your hair in the middle, and pull the top half back into an elastic. Secure any flyaways with a lightweight serum (we love the easy-to-use wand of INH Hair’s Quick Slick). Then, wrap the ponytail you tied back around the base of the elastic a few times, and secure it with bobby pins to create a bun. From there, curl any remaining hair and spray with a beach waving spray.

8. Summer Bob Hairstyle

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One of the chicest, no-fuss hairstyles for summer is to chop it all off into a bob that lands just below the ears, like Lily Collins’ seen above. Summer is the perfect time for a haircut refresh, and this style is easy to maintain, even as it grows out.

9. The Modern Pixie for Summer

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Everything from the contrasting roots to the razored edges of Delilah Belle Hamlin’s hairstyle says ‘It Girl.’ If you already have short hair, rough up the edges with a razor blade (being very careful of course—you might want to leave this part to the professionals). Instead of pixie cuts of the past that have short pieces all over, this one has its longest pieces just above the ear, and has a shaggy look across the nape of the neck. It’s perfect for staving off heat waves or for the moshpit at your favorite band’s show. 

10. Pinned Back Waves for Summer

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Don’t have time for a full style? Who does? In the summer, you’re stacking up plans longer than your to-do list! To preserve the blowout or curls you did earlier in the week, and add a chic hair clip, like musician/model Gabbriette. Just pull back the hair that’s sticking to your forehead sweat (IYKYK), and secure it with a few flower clips. Feel free to leave a few pieces out in the front as you wish, or pull everything back for an effortless look that’ll keep hair out of your eyes. 

11. Bubble Ponytail for Summer

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Disney+

To replicate Tessa Thompson’s bubble ponytail, pull your hair up and back into a high ponytail, then slick back the sides with a flexible hair gel, like the COLOR WOW HAIR Pop + Lock Frizz Control and Glossing Serum to tame any flyaways. Then, using clear elastics, "bubble up" the hair in the ponytail by placing the rubber bands an equal distance apart from each other, tugging each section slightly once they're in place to boost volume and give the ponytail some movement.

12. Piecey Summertime Bangs

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Because it’s just too hot for full bangs, amirite? Musician Lisa absolutely nails the piecey bangs look. Before your bangs have a chance to get sweaty and greasy, coat them in crunchy gel or hairspray, and divide the bangs into a few chunky pieces. Another helpful hack is to pin bangs out of your face as they’re wet and have them dry in a soft part. This will keep them from sticking to your head, and allow you to piece just a few bangs at the center of your forehead while most of them stay out of the way.