3 expert tips for healthy-looking long hair
The only hair trend worth worrying about in 2025 TBH
As we welcome in the new year, many of us make resolutions that prioritise the health of our bodies.
But in 2025, folks are forgoing expensive gym memberships and meal subscription services in lieu of more achievable (read: affordable) goals.
From finding free ways to stay fit, to navigating the effects of the cost of living crisis on our hair appointments — we're juggling our pursuit of fulfilment with a serious lack of funds.
In the last 12 months alone there has been a 21 per cent increase in search interest for the term 'hair health', revealing just how much the general attitude towards beauty trends is shifting away from fleeting aesthetic fancies.
"Gone are the days of style over condition," Marie Nieuwoudt, CLOUD NINE Group Hair Educator, tells BEAUTYcrew. "In 2025, expect to see more products and tips for caring for your hair and scalp. This trend marks a turning point towards prioritising our hair’s condition for the long term, rather than choosing styles that look good temporarily, but can cause damage."
If you too are feeling pulled to re-examine your priorities when it comes to your hair, keep scrolling, here BEAUTYcrew seeks the top tips and tricks of hair experts for getting healthy-looking long hair.
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Return to your natural hair colour
Ever since the pandemic, people have been finding alternatives to regular salon visits to maintain their hair colour. But 2025 is looking like the year that we all finally bite the bullet and return to our roots predicts Salon Owner and CLOUD NINE Ambassador, Mathilde Heather.
"In salons, we’ve already seen clients take the plunge to swap their bright highlights and platinum blonde shades for warmer tones like cowboy copper," she tells BEAUTYcrew. "Now, it seems like natural looks and products are here to stay for another year."
Rather than attempting to strip your colour at home, we suggest talking to your hair dresser about the best options for you, such as finding a transitional hair cut or hair colour that allows you to grow out your natural hair.
"It’s important to consider the impact of certain trends on our hair’s long-term condition," Heather went on to say. "To keep your hair looking and feeling its best in 2025, avoid hacks that involve harsh or rough treatment and heavy products."
Image via: @dualipa
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Stick to 'healthy heat' styling options
Just because you're trying to get healthier looking hair doesn't mean you have to completely forgo modern conveniences such as heat styling. Instead, try to use heat styling tools that consider hair health by offering lower styling temperatures that are less likely to damage the hair follicle.
"If you want to upgrade your hair health in 2025, I recommend using the CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator," Nieuwoudt recommends. "After a short series of questions about your hair type, texture, colour and condition, this innovative online tool provides your unique hair profile, including the ideal heat to use your straightener to maintain healthy, shiny
hair."
Obviously, there are hair tools that use air rather than heat to style strands (read: Dyson Airwrap), but you don't have to throw out all your hot tools, says Nieuwoudt. "Heated brushes use less heat than the typical straightener, making them perfect for touch-ups, but the key is to use straighteners with variable heat settings to suit your unique hair type."
Think: Bondi Boost's Airburst Styler ($110 from Bondi Boost), Cloud Nine's 2-In-1 Contouring Iron Pro ($399.20 from The Iconic), or Dyson's Airstrait ($749 from Dyson).
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Use a reparative hair treatment
"While there is no quick fix for extensive damage, over time and with the right treatment, your hair can recover to its former glory," Nieuwoudt tells BEAUTYcrew.
"My top tips for anyone looking to revive hair in 2025 are to turn down the heat, use deeply moisturising masks and leave-in products, and choose gentle, low manipulation hairstyles that reduce the risk of breakage," she advises.
For example, if you can't imagine a world without the clean finish of a slicked back bun, we recommend working a hair mask or leave in conditioner into the hair to smooth fly-aways, wrapping your hair into a neat chignon at the nape of your neck, and securing it with a claw clip.
"Claw clips are a great choice for quick, easy styling with little risk of damage," explains Heather. "Unlike tight elastic hair ties, they hold the hair gently, but securely, ensuring your style stays put all day without causing avoidable breakage."
Think: Cloud Nine's Magical Remedy ($50 from The Iconic), Olaplex's No.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum ($43.19 form Oz Hair & Beauty), and Kérastase's Nutritive 8h Magic Night Serum ($78 from Oz Hair & Beauty).
Can't decide whether to cut your hair or grow it long? Perhaps the predicted hair trends for 2025 will sway you.
Main image credit: @dualipa
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Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).
