The Best Summer Hair Trends of 2025, According to Celeb Stylists

Cosmopolitan

28-05-2025

In April, I hopped on a seven-hour flight to Berlin to attend a two-day hair festival. And it was exactly as fabulous as it sounds. The first-ever Hair by Schwarzkopf Festival brought together hundreds of hairstylists from around the world to showcase the latest trends and techniques in haircare, color, and styling—I'm talking everything from live dimensional cuts to runways painted with vibrant hair colors.
While I was there, I had the chance to chat with some of the biggest names in the beauty world, including Chris Appleton (Kim Kardashian's longtime hair guy), Jacob Schwartz (the colorist behind Bella Hadid and Sydney Sweeney's blondes), and Tracey Cunningham (whose client list is basically a red carpet in itself—Lindsay Lohan, Lana Del Rey, and more). These A-list stylists gave me a ton of insight into all the hair trends that we'll be seeing everywhere this summer.
So whether you are craving a full-on beauty transformation or just want some low-maintenance hair inspo, these are the summer 2025 hair trends to have on your radar—straight from the pros themselves. And don't forget to click here for our full summer beauty trend report.
'For summer 2025, everyone will be wanting to go blonder and blonder,' says Jacob Schwartz. He's Bella Hadid's hairstylist who just helped her debut her creamy blonde color on the Cannes red carpet, so if there is anyone's opinion on blonde that you can trust, it's most definitely his. 'I also recently did Alix Earle, and made her baby-girl blonde—I think a lot of people are going to be going brighter like that,' adds Schwartz.
Now's the time to embrace body, movement, and full-on dimension. 'We're going through more of a layered season with texture and volume,' says Chris Appleton. And the ideal way to do so? The butterfly cut. It's a hair transformation that frames the face with shorter layers while still keeping a long length throughout.
'I'm seeing a lot of layers and a revival of '90s and 2000s haircuts. Bella [Hadid, casual first name basis] always loves that,' says Schwartz. 'When you're blowing hair out, if it's blunt and straight, you don't really get that same bouncy and voluminous effect as when you have layers put in.'
Enhancing and amplifying your natural hair is a low-lift way to switch things up for summer. 'Getting my clients to look like they have virgin hair is the goal,' says Tracey Cunningham. 'I like to give them whatever hair color naturally suits them."
When it comes to choosing a hair color, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Appleton tailors his clients' shades 'according to face shape, skin tone, eye color, and so much more.' That might mean dialing up the brightness if you're blonde or embracing your natural undertones if you're brunette. So before committing to a full-on transformation, consider this: your perfect hair color might already be growing out of your scalp.
In the era of glassy nails and high-shine lips, it only makes sense that our hair is getting the drenched treatment too. This summer, we're fully embracing the wet hair movement—whether you've just emerged from the ocean, finished an overly sweaty game of tennis (because who will be able to tell the difference?), or are faking it with some mousse. Salty beach waves, glossy curls, and slicked-back ponies are wet-hair looks that anyone can pull off this summer.
'I love platinum bleach on short pixies and short haircuts,' says Schwartz. And Cunningham single-handedly ignited a cultural phenomenon with the blondes on White Lotus season 3—she was the colorist behind the famous trio. Her work basically defined an entire friend group and fueled the widespread obsession around Leslie Bibb's iconic bob. We think that's pretty freaking worthy of a summer hair trend.
A glossy cuff or sculptural claw clip is the easiest way to elevate any hairstyle. It's basically like taking a plain outfit and throwing on some fun jewelry but for your hair. We're loving everything from seashell-inspired clips, enamel barrettes, and pins that double as accessories.
Our experts are staying loyal to long bangs for summer. 'I think if people want bangs, they should always do them longer,' says Cunningham. They're easy to manage, and the grow-out period over the summer doesn't require trims or upkeep. Whether you're opting for curtain bangs or blunt bangs, having the shortest point at least hit your eyebrow is what the pros are loving on their clients for both style and simplicity.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You'll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it's usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles' entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.