Get the Wet Hair Look, The Latest Red Carpet Phenomenon

When Kim Kardashian West emerged on the 2019 Met Gala red carpet, dripping crystals like Aphrodite rising from the ocean, the world was blown away. The iconic nude look was intended to look like a “California girl who just stepped out of the water,” and every detail of the look was pulled together to embody that vision. From the tight, textured, nude-coloured gown attached with crystals to mimic droplets of water, to the glossy, bronzed, makeup, Kim looked incredible. Yet, what was perhaps the most intriguing aspect of her look was not the makeup or the dress, but her hair. Kim Kardashian West with her slicked back, glossy, wavy hair, single-handedly boosted a hair trend that had before been popular, but now was all the rage.

The wet hair look is not particularly new, neither did Kim Kardashian West invent it. It had already been floating around in editorial looks and red carpet looks, always seen as a little avant-garde. But now, the look is officially mainstream. Recent years have seen a myriad of wet hair looks, from Zendaya’s Dune promotion looks, to Elle Fanning and Tyla’s Met Gala hairdos, the ‘Wet Hair’ look is officially in vogue.

StyleSpeak asked Rohan Patel, Creative Director at R & G Spalon, Surat, and Wella Professional Brand Ambassador to shed some light on the popularity of the trending hairstyle. Rohan says, “For me, wet looks have been a timeless way to style your hair. The current generation definitely vibes with it, and it’s always glam to go around with a good natural texture like glossy waves.” Elaborating on the popularity of the look, he adds, “Everywhere in the world, celebrities and influencers have always been trend setters (for the wet hair look). Celebrities like Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, the Kardashians, from Europe to South America and India, wet hair waves are working perfectly.”

Yet, the wet hair look is notoriously difficult to achieve. A self-explanatory reason is that wet hair doesn’t remain wet for very long. This style must be durable for long periods of time, while also maintaining the effortless, glam effect. The stylist’s products and techniques can make or break the look. StyleSpeak decodes the best products and techniques to create this look.
“It’s always important to know how wet your hair should be to get that style. It’s not supposed to be styled right out of the shower. It’s more important to know what kind of product you chose to style your hair, because many kinds of waves can be achieved with a mix of many hair products such as mousse, wave creams, leave in conditioners or soft gels with some diffused air or soft twisting. This leaves natural moisture in the hair.

I always prefer to use a combination of a soft gel and semi moist curl cream to have that soft shiny texture for semi to medium wavy hair. Always top it up with some natural argan oil to lock the style in for a longer time. Avoid using serums with too many chemicals. For soft wavy hair or thin texture waves, I go with medium short haircuts and style with light weight volume foam and finish with lightweight shine spray.”

Rohan Patel’s Product Recommendations for the Perfect Wet Hair Look

1. Sebastian Professional Thickefy Foam
2. Sebastian Professional Potion 9 Lite Spray
3. Sebastian Professional Potion 9 Leave-In Styling Treatment Cream
4. Sebastian Professional Mousse Forte
5. Wella Professionals Glam Mist
6. Wella Professionals Extra Volume Strong Hold Mousse

So, does Rohan have any inspirations for wavy wet hair looks? While most of us might think modern with Zendaya or the Kardashians, Rohan went old-school, citing late-90s, early 2000s Julia Roberts as one of his biggest hair inspirations. “I always feel that texture is always a more dramatic way to add needed change to clients,” he says, remarking on both Julia Roberts’ voluminous, wavy natural hair and her wet hair looks on red carpets and in certain movies.

With the style’s perennial popularity in both the past and the present, this style is not just a trend but a constant winner, and it is not likely to go away soon. Instead, we can look forward to seeing more of our favourite stars, both Indian and otherwise, sporting the glossy, chic style in the years to come.