There’s a lot of things about the late ’80s and ’90s that we love: Saved By the Bell, Caboodles and roll-on body glitter just to name a few. And, while some of the most beloved beauty trends of the ’90s have, unfortunately, made their way to the beauty graveyard, others have resurfaced from time to time in a more modern version of the original. The latest resurrection of the moment: hair crimpers. “Hairstyles are always recycled, just like fashion. Crimped hair was originally popular in the ’70s, it was a huge trend in the ’90s and now it is having a comeback. I love the bold graphic lines and texture you can get, it’s very different from a standard beachy wave,” says TRESemmé stylist Jeanie Syfu.
You May Also Like: 8 Beauty Products From the ’90s That Are Back and Better Than Ever
Seen all over the red carpet—Ariana Grande, Emmy Rossum and Gigi Hadid have all sported it—and the runways, crimped hair is back, yet again. But as Christa Goldstein, Director of Education for FHI Brands explains, this time around it’s more about adding texture and volume to the hair than ever before. “Texture is trending. Crimping the hair easily adds texture and is also a great way to add hidden volume and fullness to the hair,” she says. “The crimping technique can be used to add volume on the crown of the head, much like teasing but without any of the tangling.”
If you’re going to rock crimped hair, Goldstein says you’re going to want to do it on dry, straight hair and concentrate the iron work around the crown of the head and on just one to two inches of hair that’s closest to the base of the head. “Make sure you leave about ½ inch of straight hair out at the part line to camoflauge the added texture.”
Once you’re all finished, you can wear your hair down or up or even braided. “One of the benefits to crimping the hair is that it allows for a fuller and stronger foundation when you’re creating a formal upstyle,” Goldstein says. “Product is also key here so that you don’t end up with excess frizz. I’d say to go with an alcohol-free liquid satin treatment, like Stylus Sheer Remedy ($25), which reduces frizz and gives shine.” You can spray a heat protectant spray, like TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray ($6) or Rene Furtherer Lissea Thermal Protectant Smoothing Spray ($32) on dry hair to protect against any heat induced damage.
You may be kicking yourself right now and wishing that you saved your crimper from almost 20 years ago. But then again, hair tools have evolved so much over the past two decades and what we have to choose from today is gentler on the hair than before. “The crimping irons used today feature advanced technology so you can create the look without frying your strands. Many of them also come with different shaped plates to create various styles,” says Syfu.
