Hailee Steinfeld's Hairstylist Spills Her Top 5 Coachella Tress Tips

5 Hair Tips for Coachella and Festival Season From Celeb Hairstylist Laura Polko

’Tis the season for denim shorts, unicorn makeup and flower crowns. Yes, that’s right, Coachella 2019 is just a week away. And if you’re preparing to make the trip to the Palm Springs desert to see Ariana Grande and all the other fierce performers the dual-weekend event has on tap, you’re likely in need of a little boho beauty inspo.

We caught up with celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko (the mane woman who works with babes like Hailee Steinfeld, Chrissy Teigen and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to name a few) to get the scoop on festival season hairstyle trends and tips that are easy to DIY but anything but basic.

“Lately, I’ve styled sporty ponytails, cute topknots and a double braided half-up looks with waves,” she tells Us of her go-to tress moves. “These styles aren’t super intricate, but they can definitely be used as inspiration for a more elaborate and wild festival look by adding things like colorful bands or big barrettes. It’s all about keeping it easy but also doing a look that you wouldn’t do in your normal day to day life.”

The key to Coachella glam is figuring out how to make it last in the desert heat, and Polko is a big fan of Batiste Dry Shampoo for its ability to revive and transform any look.

“It’s my favorite on both clean and dirty hair because it provides hair with an instant refresh,” she shares. “I love using dry shampoo to style hair because it doesn’t get sticky, and it provides the best texture and volume.”

So whether you’re heading to Coachella or one of the other musical events 2019 festival season has in store, keep scrolling for all of Polko’s desert-essential hair tips!

1. Try a Trend

While Polko admits that braids — like the undone weave she dreamed up for Lindsay Vonn for the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party — “will always be a part of festival season,” she has a few ideas for breathing new life into the tried-and-true style. “This year, I think it will be a variation of different braids mixed in with easy, messy textured hair and chunky hair accessories,” she says. 

2. Elevate Basics

Just because you’re rocking a ponytail, top knot or braid (like the epic center-part plait she created for Hailee Steindeld at the 2019 Fashion Trust Arabia Prize) doesn’t mean it has to feel basic. “An easy way to elevate a braid is to add twists or smaller braids in your hair, before pulling it back into a single braid,” she shares. “I recommend using small rubber bands or bobby pins to keep those smaller details in place. This way, the shorter pieces of hair that might fall out later in the day, stay put. Plus, you can even use neon or super colorful bands to make it more fun and colorful for festival season.”

3. Add an Accessory

As Poppy Delevingne proves, a hair accessory adds a playful touch to any look, and Polko believes “anything is possible” when it comes to the extras. “I love adding a few colorful hair ties or ribbons to a normal ponytail and turning it into a fun bubble pony,” she says. “Clips, neon bobby pins and oversized barrettes are so trendy right now, and they are great to add against your hairline to push hair to one side with flawless waves or to keep fly-aways at bay in a textured pony or topknot.”

4. Quick Refresh

Since it’s highly unlikely perfectly touseled waves à la Debby Ryan will emerge unscathed from a day in the desert sun, Polko recommends traveling with a travel-sized dry shampoo (Batiste has an array of options!) for quick touchups. “It’s perfect to have on-hand to maintain your look during the festival because it helps absorb any oils that build up after a long day outside,” she explains. Oh, and the dry shampoo is also the best way to ensure your cute pins and barrettes stay in place. Polko says one of her favorite tricks is to “spritz dry shampoo directly onto bobby pins to add some extra grit and hold.” Noted. 

5. Make It Last

So what is the secret to styling a ‘do that will look as cute at the end of the day as it did at the start? Skipping a hair wash, apparently. “Since hair is actually easier to braid when it has some texture and grit, a second- or third-day braided look is perfect for beating the desert heat,” she tells Us. Another option? “I also recommend styling your hair into space buns or a high ponytail [see: Elizabeth Chamber's perky pony] for the beginning of the festival, and then trying French braids or even a fishtail other days,” she shares. 

References: usmagazine