Though the temperamental weather might have us believe otherwise, spring is officially in the air. Cue the leather b0mber jackets and the socks-with-loafers that dominated during Fashion Month, and our determined algorithms ready to serve up a fresh batch of beauty inspiration in the forms of pastel lids, wet-look waves, and spring bobs.
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The latest of which comes courtesy of singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams who, posting a carousel of images on Instagram, revived her signature short crop with messy, undone waves at the first signs of spring.
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'Gracie Abrams' has given her classic bob an upgrade with a little texture through the ends which gives it a less structured feel,' shares Nadia Dean, the Creative Stylist at John Frieda Salons, noting how this less uniform, Californian-style bob is set to become popular in the coming months, superseding the likes of the blunt bob. 'We’ll be seeing a lot more of these cool, effortless Cali bobs through the spring and summer this year and they're already starting to gain popularity in salons,' she adds.
'To achieve this look, you would ideally leave your hair to air dry, spritzing some Sam McKnight Sundaze Sea Spray, then use a large tong, such as the ghd Curve Classic Wave wand to create kinks rather than curls,' she notes. Avoid tonging the entire section of hair and curl in different directions to avoid uniformity. 'If you have naturally loose waves you can skip the tongs and simply apply some Virtue Healing Oil for a bit of shine and weight,' she adds.
For textured hair, acclaimed stylist Charlotte Mensah knows best: this Finishing Mist is a finer version of her beloved Manketti Oil treatment, hydrating and glossing coils and curls without adding weight.
A new favourite of mine, the Naturelab Perfect Shine Oil Mist is one for those with very thick hair to try. There's a marmite-grade floral scent, but the shine it delivers is guaranteed to please. Just be sure to hold the bottle at arm's length before spraying, or you'll end up with greasy patches.
Here's a shine-enhancer with benefits: Bumble and Bumble's reflective mist is infused with UV protection, which is more important for your hair than you may have thought.
Blended with a cocktail of nutrient-rich plant and flower oils, Ceremonia's concentrated oil mist will nourish parched strands while imparting an enviable gloss. It's rich and heavily hydrating, so spray from arm's length, and keep it in your bag for top-ups throughout the day.
Abrams' loose curls also tap into the growing trend, coined 'ghost waves'. 'They're defined by barely-there waves that undulate in a soft "s" shape rather than spirals or coils,' shares trend forecaster and hair expert, Tom Smith. 'The result is an unexpectedly relaxed style for spring that can also be achieved with one’s natural texture if it falls into waves rather than coils.'
He also recommends air drying the hair to create this look, whether you have long lengths or a short bob, and then using a mermaid wave tool (one of the tongs with 3 barrels). 'Be sure to use a heat protection spray and to brush through your ends using a very wide tooth comb–not a brush,' he adds.
This is far from the first time that Abrams has experimented with her bob. For the Golden Globes, she departed from her failsafe chop, adding blunter curls and a sharper edge, meanwhile, she favoured a flicked chop for the Grammy's 2025; in recent months, the That's So True artist has also been making a strong case for insouciant waves that play on her natural hair texture.
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Amelia Bell is the Multiplatform Beauty Director for ELLE UK and Harper’s Bazaar, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and leading beauty content across both sites. Amelia has a particular interest in wellness and longevity, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
![jodie turner smith new bob met gala new york, new york may 05: jodie turner smith attends the 2025 met gala celebrating superfine: tailoring black style at metropolitan museum of art on may 05, 2025 in new york city. (photo by dimitrios kambouris/getty images for the met museum/vogue)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-2213610212-688772f19e73e.jpg?crop=0.500xw:0.750xh;0.257xw,0.0204xh&resize=360:* "Jodie Turner-Smith new bob The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" - Arrivals")
