Slicked and flicked: catwalks of the world face deluge of wet-look hair

The Trend: Oil Slick

The Inspiration: Just-showered hair, rain-caught hair, humidity frizz, post-gym-sweat hair

As seen at: Jason Wu, Dhruv Kapoor, Giambattista Valli, Ferrari, Ermanno Scervino, N°21

Wet hair is making a considerable comeback on the runways — and we honestly couldn’t be more thrilled. While there is definitely a turn towards experimenting with meticulously coiffed styles such as 1990s blowouts, there is also a mood that’s making room for hair that is more effortless and slightly undone. Taking inspiration from hair that looks as though it has just been caught in the rain or has that slight wispy frizz only coastal humidity could cause, perfection is being thrown out the window in favour of locks that look lived-in, almost as if life has happened to them, as opposed to a perfectly curated piece of hair art.

In previous years, wet-look hair was mainly represented by dual-textured hairstyles, where the front section of the hair was slicked back and the rest was left dry from the mid-lengths to the ends. While dual-textured styles remain on the runways, this season wet-look hair has evolved, becoming more elevated and intentional. Hair is hyper-glossy with a wet, almost oil-slicked visual story that makes it look surprisingly expensive when paired with skin coverage of the same nature. It’s a trend that provides us with a lot of grace, making space for those “bad hair days” when hair is greasy two days away from a hair appointment, or those busy days when you had to forgo the hairdryer and only had time for a wash and go.

GET THE LOOK: 5 WAYS TO DO WET-LOOK HAIR 

You had better stock up on hair gel and slick your way to these runway-approved wet-look styles.

1. JUST SHOWERED

At Dhruv Kapoor, hair mimicked the look of locks that have just been washed and brushed through, as models were sent out with glossy, damp-looking hair parted down the centre and slicked flat against the scalp and temples, with a slight wave at the ends.

2. OIL SLICK

At Giambattista Valli, Ashi Studio and N°21, the wet-look effect went beyond hair and extended to the skin. Taking inspiration from lustrous, gelled hair, skin had a wet, almost oily texture by being diaphanously glossed from forehead to décolletage, glistening with a balmy, melted-in finish.

3. WET AND WAVY 

Wet-look hair styled in dramatic kiss curls and drenched retro waves was the memo at Jason Wu and Giambattista Valli. Models sported hair that was generously gelled until drenched, and then slicked across the forehead and temples to form undulating waves that elegantly framed the brow and cheekbones.

4. OCEAN DIP

The hair at Jason Wu made us crave a coastal vacation, as strands were sleek and looked slightly damp, as if fresh out of the ocean after a dip and left to air-dry. The ends were left to reveal the model’s natural hair texture with strand separation and varying textures, some parts appearing dry and others drenched.

5. RAINED OUT 

Imagine having your hair done and then being caught in the rain ... sounds like a nightmare, right? Not at N°21 and Ferrari, as that seemed to be the hair mandate. Models were sent out sporting hair that was slightly dampened with a broken-apart, wet texture, creating a tousled, frizzy and slightly sweated-out look.

THE KIT

1. Mizani 25 Miracle Nourishing Hair Oil 125ml R385
2. ghd Body Goals Total Volume Foam 200ml R380
3. Eco Style Professional Styling Gel Coconut Oil 473ml R140
4. Clicks Essentials Curly Textured Triple Edge Styler R60
5. Chanel Baume Essentiel in Mermaid Glow R970
6. Fenty Beauty Liquid Killawatt Fluid Freestyle Highlighter in Sidechick R935