Goodbye Blowouts! Bedhead is the hair trend taking over 2026

Forget perfectly sleek hairstyles that take hours to style. Beauty rules are changing, and finally in our favor. As a member of Gen Z, I feel honored to bring you the latest news. Not only have we left the clean girl aesthetic behind, but the micro-trend of the messy girl has finally made its way into the beauty community. Perfectionists put up a strong fight, but my generation, carried by a wave of ease and individualism, proved more determined this time.

What does this mean when it comes to hair? In a beauty world that has spent years insisting on perfection through flawlessly smoothed styles, polished ponytails, and tightly defined slicked-back buns, a quiet yet significant shift is taking place for all of us who experienced hair styling as a kind of sentence. After an era of controlled aesthetics and visual discipline, the beauty scene is turning toward something more honest and relaxed. Messy hair, with all its disorder, texture, and movement, is becoming one of the key beauty trends of 2026.

The point of this trend is not messiness for its own sake, but a pursuit of a look that feels alive. Hair no longer needs to appear frozen in time, perfectly fixed and static, but instead to have movement and to respond to touch, wind, and the day as it unfolds. Messy hair celebrates styles that change throughout the day, that carry traces of motion and the moment, hair that looks as if it has a rhythm of its own. Within that sense of liveliness lies a new definition of beauty, one that allows imperfection while preserving presence and authenticity.

Photo: Getty Images

She’s back…

Although opinions on Sex and the City have always been divided, do not give me the side eye when I say that I am almost certain last year’s renewed boom and controversy around Carrie Bradshaw contributed to this trend. Realistically, we may not like her character in the series, but every one of us has at least once searched online for how to achieve that effortless main character look when it comes to hair. And it seems designers have too, as the Fall Winter 2025 2026 runways were full of models wearing exactly that look.

It is important to emphasize that messy hair does not mean neglect

On the contrary, this trend requires an understanding of texture, the right choice of products, and a subtle styling technique. Lightweight volume sprays (volume! volume! volume!), wave-defining creams, and products that mimic the hair’s natural texture become key allies in achieving this look. Along with the courage to ask your hairdresser for layers and the hope that it will turn out exactly as you imagined.

The goal is not perfectly messy, but a hairstyle that feels dynamic and authentic. Hair worn with more freedom, allowing texture to speak for itself, whether through natural waves, slightly tousled strands, or intentionally broken silhouettes.

Beyond styling hair worn down, this trend also brings stylish updos!

You know those hairstyles that turn you into a young Pamela Anderson when literally no one is watching, you did not plan for it to turn out that good, or you are about to step into the shower? Well, that is currently the biggest hit or miss both on the streets and on the runways of major fashion houses.

Photo: Getty Images

And before you get lost in tutorials and tricks for achieving this look, remember that messy hair emerged precisely to make mornings that do not have 33 hours a little easier. More importantly, this trend reminds us that attitude, confidence, and healthy hair are often far more powerful beauty allies than battling every unruly baby hair.