Back-to-school season is upon us, which means it’s time to figure out what hairstyles we’re sporting on campus and which products we’re stocking up on for the semester.
With the pressure on, we chatted with our favorite influencers on Tiktok and Instagram as part of our Mane Campus campaign. The collegiate ladies shared their best hair advice, teffortless hairstyles they love, and the hair #TBT stories of back-to-school season’s past that are totally relatable (and will probably make you giggle!). Plus, their pro stylists spilled the tea on how to get their look and the L'Oréal professional products you need to replicate it.
So, don’t fret over your back-to-school look because you’ll find everything to stay on-trend below.
Bailey Nicole
Follow: TikTok @baileeyy_nicole, Instagram @baileeyy_nicole
Hair Type: “I have a lot of hair but it’s fine. So, it tends to get oily and usually hard to hold waves.”
Hair 101 Tip: “Keep styles authentic to yourself. I definitely tried a lot of styles, especially in middle school. We all had the flat iron phase, and crazy wand curls were a thing, but I'd say definitely now I'm learning how to embrace my natural hair type more instead of trying to make it into something it's not. Familiarize and play with your hair till you find what's natural.”
Back-to-School Hair Horror Story: “I was 14 and it was the peak of the dip dye hair trend. My mom finally let me after months of begging her, and then I decided I was gonna do the at-home Kool-Aid DIY. It dyed my hair blue, but then it turned green. It was like that forever and I had to cut half of my hair off.”
The Vibe: “Effortless, but still chic.”
How to get the look
“For this cool girl model off-duty type of wave, I used Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner to prep the hair,” stylist Bradley Leake explains. “It instantly detangles, adds shine, hydrates the hair, and prepares it for heat styling. After the hair dried, I used the L'Oréal Professionnel Steampod Straightener + Curling Iron to create bends and movement. I love using a flat iron versus a traditional three-barrel curler because it allows for versatility and you can customize the waves to your features. Make sure that you keep the grip on the iron loose, so you don't create any sort of kinks in the hair when you work your way down the strands.”
“The key product to finishing the look? The Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Oil to add shine, eliminate frizz and help to tame any dry brittle ends,” he says.
Steampod Hair Straightener + Curling Iron
A flat iron for fast, smooth styling on all hair types.
Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil
Nourishing treatment and anti-frizz oil that blends Argan Oil and Marula Oil to add shine, hydration, and strength to all hair types and textures.
25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
A lightweight leave-in conditioner with heat protection that detangles, calms frizz, and treats damage and dryness.
Pro tip: “The right professional hair products are key to style longevity,” says Leake.
Abby Wright
Follow: TikTok @madampresidentabby, Instagram @abbywright0616
Hair Type: “Naturally very curly. It's kind of difficult to work with sometimes, but thankfully I’ve found the products that work for me and so it's easier to tame the mane.”
Hair 101 Tip: “Be you. For a long time, I didn’t listen to my own hair texture. I straightened it every day or I curled it every day. So, I think the best thing you can do for yourself is just to embrace who you are and what your hair looks like. Sometimes that’s just wearing it natural.”
Back-to-School Hair Horror Story: “I cut bangs in my hair one time myself. It was really bad and was not for me. So, maybe don't cut bangs yourself. Let professionals do it for you.”
The Vibe: "Confident and trendy.”
How to get the look
“Braids and ponytails are a great way to get hair out of your face when you're in school all day because they’re so simple,” says stylist Kim West. “What you shampoo your hair with is really important, so I started by using Biolage Hydra Source Shampoo, which has aloe and is really moisturizing. Abby's hair is actually really curly and has a little frizzy texture, so the hydro source was perfect because it helped moisturize all of that.”
“I use the Biolage All-In-One Intense Dry Shampoo, my favorite product,” she says. “The reason is that you can use it in many different ways. Let's say you went and worked out in the morning, and now you're running late to class. It will absorb all of those oils in your hair and reshape it, giving it a better flow for the day. Plus, it adds some undone texture and a lot of body to the hair.”
All-In-One Intense Dry Shampoo with Rice Starch
Multi-benefit dry shampoo made with rice starch to deeply cleanse, prime & refresh.
Pro tip: “Definitely properly prep the hair before you style,” says West.
Haley Sluss
Follow: TikTok @haleysluss, Instagram @haleysluss
Hair Type: “Fine and silky.”
Hair 101 Tip: “Definitely use dry shampoo [if your hair type is similar to mine] so your hair doesn't look oily and a paste to calm my flyways.”
Back-to-School Hair Horror Story: “I would always wear my hair and pinky tails with bangs because my mom would always style my hair like that. But one time she took me to get my bangs cut at Walmart—it was bad.”
The Vibe: “Cute, comfy, sporty, professional and well put together.”
How to get the look
“I wanted to expose her face completely and not have a single hair out of place,” says stylist Martìn Plascencia. “I used Pureology Style + Protect Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray as a prep to the overall style. It's an anti humectant, it’s anti-frizz, and it's going to help with heat protection. I blow-dried that into the hair and once the hair was dry and smooth, we then went in with the Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo Spray because even though we went with a tamed ponytail, we wanted the hair to have some grit, a sort of natural volume. The hero product was the Pureology Style + Protect Shine Bright Taming Serum, a cream that almost turns almost into an oil when you start to emulsify it into your hands. I was very generous with the application and used it in a controlled fashion where I divided the hair into three sections before I started saturating it. Next, I used a brush to distribute the product evenly into each section after creating a center part.”
“With the back section first, I elevated everything to the high point of the crown,” he explains. “Then, I married the two sides, starting with the left and moving on to the right. This technique is just a way to control the hair, ensuring you're not getting a ponytail with bumps at the roots, the most problematic area. I finished the look with Pureology Style + Protect Texture Finishing Spray on the ponytail from the point of the elastic on, so the hair isn’t living together, and the ponytail doesn't move as one piece. Pureology Style + Protect Soft Finish Hairspray was used to lock up the entire look.”
Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray for Color-Treated Hair
A multi-tasking leave-in treatment with 21 essential benefits for color-treated hair.
Style + Protect Shine Bright Taming Serum
A lightweight serum for color-treated hair that adds shine while taming frizz and flyaways.
Style + Protect Texture Finishing Spray
A lightweight texturizing spray for color-treated hair that adds body and shine without crunch or buildup.
Style + Protect Soft Finish Hairspray
A fast-drying, brushable, flexible-hold hairspray for color-treated hair.
Pro tip: “Don’t be afraid to come out from behind your bangs and face framing fringe in a style that exposes your beautiful face completely,” says Plascencia.
Keilani Naipo
Follow: Tiktok @keilanihair, Instagram @keilanihair
Hair Type: “My curls are between type 2B and 3A.”
Hair 101 Tip: “Don’t just brush your hair 24/7 if it’s really voluminous like mine. Really work with products because I used to have a fluff ball of hair by doing that. I didn't know how to style it, but I taught myself to embrace my waves…I like to finger roll my hair to really pop the curls.”
Back-to-School Hair Horror Story: “With long hair and especially hair with a lot of volume, if I put on lipstick or gloss and it was a windy day I would have hair just sticking to my face. That's never fun.”
The Vibe: “Lots of personality.”
How to get the look
“I liked the hairstyle because it's modern, and she had these beautiful waves that I just wanted to play around with,” says stylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew. “I used the Matrix Total Results A Curl Can Dream Light Hold Gel to define her wave slightly without leaving it crunchy or hard. So it kept the hair really soft, and then I followed it up with the brand’s Mega Sleek Blow Down Frizz Control Leave-In Cream for added fullness and moisture.”
“Next, I went in with a diffuser for more fullness and that effortless, undone look,” she explains. “I parted the hair, combed the top part into a topknot and secured it. I added a part down the middle and let the two little pieces at the front fall.”
A Curl Can Dream Light-Hold Gel for Curly and Coily Hair
Flake- and crunch-free Manuka honey extract-infused light-hold defining gel for curls and coils.
Total Results Mega Sleek Blow Down Frizz Control Leave-in Cream
A smoothing leave-in cream that provides frizz control.
Pro tip: “Make sure the hair is damp,” Sturdivant-Drew adds. “If it's dry, it's not going to give you that effortless look so just leave it a little damp and then you can add the products.”
Hannah Lane
Follow: TikTok @concepthannah, Instagram @_hannah_lane
Hair Type: “Fine and soft.”
Hair 101 Tip: “I remember in middle school I always had that one piece of hair that was not straight on my head. So, just double check before you leave [for any cowlicks].”
Back-to-School Hair Horror Story: “The day before I started my freshman year across the country, I wanted my hair toned a bit. I had just bleached it and it was the blondest I've ever gotten my hair done. Then, I went to tone it myself and it turned green. I had just paid a ton of money to get this color and messed it up. My mom had some hair dye under the sink and I was like, I'm gonna have to do it. It was like 11 o'clock at night and I was leaving at six in the morning. There was no other option, so that's why my hair is dark right now actually.”
The Vibe: “Comfortable and confident.”
How to get the look
“We're getting a lot more advanced with the braiding techniques but simplify them for our guests to do at home as well,” says stylist Steffan Tricoci. “If you want that tasseled undone look, you'll need L'Oréal Professionnel Tecni.art Next Day Hair Dry Finishing Spray—it's a hair spray and a texture spray in one. The more you use it, the more grit strands build up. I used that before the L'Oréal Professionnel Steampod Straightener + Curling Iron, which produces 91% less breakage on the hair than a traditional flat iron. Plus, it leaves hair almost feeling conditioned afterward. I also used the L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Blow Dry Fluidifier before the Steampod.”
“With the Steampod I did a curling technique,” he explains. “The Steampod has an actual comb built into it which is nice for maneuvering. Because Hannah has such incredibly long and dense hair, the comb not only helped me keep and maintain control over the hair, but as I was twisting it around it, it also helped to detangle it.”
Tecni.Art Next Day Hair Dry Finishing Spray
A dry texturizing spray that creates a weightless, tousled, second-day, disheveled look on all hair types.
Steampod Hair Straightener + Curling Iron
A flat iron for fast, smooth styling on all hair types.
Serie Expert Fluidifier Blow Dry Cream
A multi-benefit, heat protecting blow-dry cream for all hair types.
Pro tip: “Have fun with your hair, it’s hair,” says Tricoci. “You know you can always change your style tomorrow. You can throw it up in a ponytail if it doesn't come out quite the way you wanted but have fun with it.”
Lindsiann Shi
Follow: Tiktok @lindsiann, Instagram @lindsiannshi
Hair Type: “Fine and falls flat.”
Hair 101 Tip: “Less is more a lot of times for the first day back to school. Sometimes, I would feel the need to go all out with crazy braids or something to stand out, but honestly, just keeping things effortless will give off that cool girl vibe.”
Back-to-School Hair Horror Story: “My grandma used to always cut my bangs and she would do it over the kitchen sink. They would be a straight across line—that was my hairstyle all the way until the ninth grade. So, I'm permanently scarred from bangs.”
The Vibe: “Cool and casual, but still versatile.”
How to get the look
“I wanted to do a look that’s really bouncy and fun with a little bit of sophistication,” says stylist Hannah Moore. “The best part is this blowout can be refreshed easily. The Redken Quick Blow Out Heat Protecting Blow Out Spray is really great for refreshing the ends of the hair in the morning, you could just spritz and quickly put those same velcro rollers back in. Then take it all out once it's dry and finish with a texture finishing spray.”
Quick Blowout Heat Protecting Blowdry Spray
A lightweight spray that helps reduce blow drying time
Pro tip: “If you like your bangs to go towards your face, then put the roller underneath and roll it down,” Moore explains. “That goes the same with styles like a ‘90s blowout when things are going in towards your body, when you want the curve to go inward. But if you want that ‘70s look with lots of volume, you'll put the roller on top and roll up.”
Ready to add all the expert and influencer hair favorites to your cart for back-to-school season? Find all the professional products they love at Hair.com.
25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
A lightweight leave-in conditioner with heat protection that detangles, calms frizz, and treats damage and dryness.
Steampod Hair Straightener + Curling Iron
A flat iron for fast, smooth styling on all hair types.
Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil
Nourishing treatment and anti-frizz oil that blends Argan Oil and Marula Oil to add shine, hydration, and strength to all hair types and textures.
All-In-One Intense Dry Shampoo with Rice Starch
Multi-benefit dry shampoo made with rice starch to deeply cleanse, prime & refresh.
Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray for Color-Treated Hair
A multi-tasking leave-in treatment with 21 essential benefits for color-treated hair.
Style + Protect Shine Bright Taming Serum
A lightweight serum for color-treated hair that adds shine while taming frizz and flyaways.
Style + Protect Texture Finishing Spray
A lightweight texturizing spray for color-treated hair that adds body and shine without crunch or buildup.
Style + Protect Soft Finish Hairspray
A fast-drying, brushable, flexible-hold hairspray for color-treated hair.
A Curl Can Dream Light-Hold Gel for Curly and Coily Hair
Flake- and crunch-free Manuka honey extract-infused light-hold defining gel for curls and coils.
Total Results Mega Sleek Blow Down Frizz Control Leave-in Cream
A smoothing leave-in cream that provides frizz control.
Tecni.Art Next Day Hair Dry Finishing Spray
A dry texturizing spray that creates a weightless, tousled, second-day, disheveled look on all hair types.
Steampod Hair Straightener + Curling Iron
A flat iron for fast, smooth styling on all hair types.
Serie Expert Fluidifier Blow Dry Cream
A multi-benefit, heat protecting blow-dry cream for all hair types.
Quick Blowout Heat Protecting Blowdry Spray
A lightweight spray that helps reduce blow drying time
