How to style your hair with a face mask
Meghan Markle's messy bun is potentially her most well-known look.
Sarah Young
For people who consider make-up to be an art form, wearing a protective face mask poses quite a problem, taking up a fair amount of facial real estate and, theoretically, removing half the canvas.
The same goes for those who enjoy experimenting with their hair, as masks threaten to alter the overall silhouette of precise cuts, flatten voluminous do’s and cause breakage. Likewise, while not touching our faces has proved essential advice during the outbreak, the temptation to move hair out of your eyes or tuck flyaway strands behind your ears will surely only heighten as coverings become the new norm.
So here are some hairdos to style with your mask.
Meghan Markle-inspired messy bun
Wearing a face mask can create excess heat around the face which can be uncomfortable. To prevent this, Paul Percival, the co-founder of haircare brand and salon Percy & Reed, says simple updos like the messy bun are going to be key.
“You might find that you are more inclined to want your hair off your face more, especially if you have long hair. I suggest having fun with texture, a messy bun with volume and undone-fly always is always a nice style,” Percival says adding that it is important to use volumising products such to give the hair volume and texture no matter what length it is.
The look has been a favourite of the Duchess of Sussex, who has sported a messy bun on several occasions, including for her wedding reception in May 2018.
George Northwood, the hairstylist behind the look recently told Vogue that the style came off the back of “making the hair both appropriate and adhering to royal protocol, and modern at the same time.”
“We wanted it to be up, because a lot of the time it was appropriate for it to be up, but we didn’t want it to be too formal,” he said. “We always wanted it to be refined imperfection – that’s what sums her up.”
The half-up half-down styling trick
From complaints of straps rubbing the back of hair and strands getting caught in them, it is important to know how to style your tresses for minimum irritation, especially now that failure to comply with wearing one could lead to a hefty fine.
According to Peters, you don’t have to sacrifice your normal hairstyle to wear one. Instead, he suggests mixing up the way you tie your mask to prevent it from flatting the hair. “If you are wearing a face mask that is tied behind the head and still want to wear hair down, I would recommend sectioning the hair from the temple to temple (as if you are doing a half up half down hairstyle),” he says.
“Then secure the top half of the hair into a pony tail or with a clip, tie the face mask behind the head, and let the top half of the hair down over the mask fastening.”
The super-high ponytail
Super-high ponytails are a favourite look among celebrities on red carpets, including Hailey Bieber and, of course, Ariana Grande. But according to Peters, they are also a great hairstyle to adopt if you want to ensure your face mask doesn't slip.
First, figure out where your ponytail is going to go and pull it back to that point before using hairspray and a bristle brush to smooth all around it and secure with an elastic. Next put on your mask and loop the ties around your hair fastening. You can cover up the ties by taking a small section of hair from underneath the ponytail and wrapping it around the base, before securing it with some pins.
For a laidback look, keep the ponytail loose or, if you really want to stand out, opt for a bubble braid by adding another elastic every two inches down the length of your hair.
Bows, bands and barrettes
Wearing your mask all day long can cause painful rubbing and pulling on the backs of your ears but, with the help of a couple of accessories, that needn’t be the case.
South Florida-based hairstylist Olivia Smalley, recently shared an ingenious hacks that involves using hair clips to hold back the straps of the mask.
“Since going back into the salon, I've been wearing my mask for long periods of mine and noticed how raw the backs of my ears were getting,” she recently told Allure. “I've toyed with different ways to protect my ears, and it hit me to just let the barrette hold it in place for me. I'll never leave the house without it.”
As well as helping to protect your ears, the addition of hair accessories means you can still retain your individual sense of style while wearing a face covering. “I think wearing a mask will definitely leave some wanting to show more of their personal style whether that’s fun headbands, hair bows, statement earrings or layered necklaces,” says fashion stylist Emily Sanchez. “I’ll definitely be sporting ribbons in my hair.”
For ultimate style points, look for oversized hair clips covered in pearls, pile on the gemstone pins and invest in jumbo-sized headbands in floral satin prints.
The Independent
