The best Christmas hairstyles match your hair length, the event and the weather: a sleek low bun or soft waves for the work Christmas party, a loose braid for Christmas Day and a polished updo or glam waves for New Year’s Eve (NYE). In an Australian summer, a good style also needs to beat humidity, sweat and the odd dip in the pool, so lightweight hold and off-the-neck shapes win. A summer Christmas turns your hair into a science experiment: humidity against hairspray. If you’d rather not wrestle a curling iron in a hot house, a local stylist can come to your home for a blow dry or an updo.
The morning of a big event is busy enough, so hair at home means a mobile stylist handles your hair while you finish your outfit.
Christmas Hairstyles by Event
Different events call for different hair, and one style rarely fits all of them. The table sorts Christmas hairstyles by event and shows roughly how long each one holds, which depends on your hair type, the weather and your products.
| Event | The style | How long it usually holds |
| Work Christmas party | A sleek low bun or soft waves | A full evening, with a light touch-up |
| Christmas Day | A loose braid or a messy half-up | The whole day, heat permitting |
| NYE | A polished updo or glam waves | The whole night with the right hold |
| Boxing Day get-together | A low ponytail or a soft twist | The afternoon, and a bit longer |
The Work Christmas Party: Neat and Easy to Wear
The work party look should say I made an effort, not I booked an hour of hairspray. A sleek low bun, a smooth ponytail or soft waves look polished and stay put through chatting, dancing and a long evening. Christmas party hairstyles at work are best when they look neat and still let you move.
Christmas Day: Loose, Easy and Photo-Ready
Christmas Day hair needs to survive the heat, the prawns and about a hundred photos. A loose braid, a messy half-up or a pinned-back style keeps hair off your neck and out of the potato salad. A braid is the most reliable Christmas tradition after the pavlova, and it pairs well with the light, glowy face in Christmas makeup looks built for a hot summer.
NYE: Glam That Lasts Till Midnight
NYE is the night to go big, with a polished updo, a high sleek ponytail or Hollywood waves. These styles need good prep and a strong hold, since the night is long, warm and photographed, and NYE hair and makeup at home plans the hours before midnight.
Boxing Day and Other Gatherings
For a backyard cricket match, a beach lunch or drinks with friends, a low ponytail, a soft twist or loose curls look relaxed and pretty. They hold for the afternoon, and a velvet bow or a glittery pin makes them feel festive, and festive hairstyles don’t need to be fussy.
Hot-Weather Hair for a Summer Christmas
Christmas hairstyles in the heat have a different job: keep you cool, keep frizz down and keep the style standing. A few habits make a big difference.
Beating Humidity and Frizz
Humidity is hair’s least favourite houseguest. A lightweight anti-frizz serum on the ends, a bit of leave-in conditioner and a light hold spray keep strands smooth, and sleek styles often hold up better than big, loose ones. Avoid piling on heavy products, since sweat plus hairspray equals a very festive helmet.
Off-the-Neck Styles That Keep You Cool
Ponytails are an air conditioner for your neck. High ponytails, top knots, braided crowns and low buns lift hair off your skin, and they all look pretty with a velvet bow. If your hair is long, pin it up before the outdoor lunch and let it down for photos.
Pool, Beach and Sprinkler Hair
Pool hair is chlorine’s Christmas present. Wet your hair with fresh water before you swim, so it soaks up less chlorine or salt, and braid it loosely afterwards. A leave-in conditioner after the swim helps, and a swim cap isn’t a style, but it saves your style.
Sun and Heat Protection
The sun dries hair out fast, so a hat, a UV-protectant spray or a silk scarf helps. Keep heat styling to a minimum on the day, and give your hair a moisture mask a day or two before the festivities.
Christmas Hairstyles by Hair Length
Hair length decides what’s possible, so it helps to pick a style that suits the hair you have. Holiday hairstyles look different on short, medium and long hair, and each of these holiday hairstyles has an easy winner, so choose holiday hairstyles that match the hair you actually have.
Short Hair
Short hair works well with texture, a pretty clip or a tucked-behind-the-ear look. A little texture spray adds body, a slim headband adds a festive touch and a side part with soft waves looks polished. Short hair is wonderfully easy in the heat.
Shoulder-Length Hair
Shoulder-length hair is the happy middle: you can curl it, pin it half-up or tie it into a low twist. A half-up style with soft curls is a crowd-pleaser, and a small braid across the crown adds a festive detail without much effort.
Christmas Hairstyles for Long Hair
Christmas hairstyles for long hair have the most options, and the best Christmas hairstyles for long hair balance looks and weight, from Hollywood waves to a high sleek ponytail to a braided crown. Long hair also has the most weight, so a good hold matters, and an updo takes the heat off your neck. Long hair can look like a movie scene, but it also gets caught in zips, straps and a cousin’s elbow, so pick Christmas hairstyles for long hair that you can sit in comfortably.
Curly and Textured Hair
Curly and textured hair looks best when you work with the curl, not against it. A defined curl set, a high puff, twists or a pineapple updo all look festive, and a silk scarf keeps frizz down. Moisturise the day before, and let your natural texture be the star.
What Works for Fine, Thin or Thick Hair?
Fine hair often needs volume and a light hold, so a texture spray and a few pins do wonders. Thick hair can take heavier styles like big braids, and a good hold keeps them from slipping. Whatever your hair is doing, a stylist can pick a style that suits it.
Easy Christmas Hairstyles for Busy Days
Easy Christmas hairstyles take ten minutes or less, and they’re perfect for mornings with a long to-do list. These easy Christmas hairstyles suit almost any length, and the easiest Christmas hairstyles are the ones you can do half-asleep.
The Low Bun
A low bun is quick, neat and easy to dress up with a pearl clip or a velvet scrunchie. Pull the hair back, twist it into a bun and pin it, and add a few loose strands at the front for softness.
The Half-Up Style
A half-up style takes a minute, and it’s the easiest of all easy Christmas hairstyles: gather the top half, secure it with a clip or a bow and leave the rest loose. It works on every length and looks festive with a bit of curl.
The Side Braid
A side braid is a classic, and it holds well through a busy day. Keep it loose and a bit messy, and it looks relaxed and pretty. It’s one of the easiest festive hairstyles for a long lunch, and festive hairstyles don’t need to be fussy.
The Pinned-Back Look
If you just want hair off your face, two pins or a slim headband will do. Add a small glittery clip for a hint of sparkle, and you’re ready in a minute.
Bows, Ribbons and Velvet
A velvet bow or a ribbon turns any simple style into a Christmas style. Tie one around a ponytail, a bun or the end of a braid, and keep it in red, green or champagne for a festive finish, and finish the look with simple and classy Christmas nails.
Christmas Party Hairstyles That Last the Night
Christmas party hairstyles need to stand up to dancing, hugs and the midnight countdown, and a few reliable choices do the job.
The Sleek High Ponytail
A sleek high ponytail looks sharp and lifts the whole face. Smooth the hair with a bit of serum, wrap the base with a strand and add a dash of hairspray. It suits the office and NYE, and it holds beautifully.
Hollywood Waves
Hollywood waves are smooth, glossy and old-school glam. Brush the curls out gently, pin one side behind the ear and add a hint of shine spray. They look expensive, and they photograph well.
The Polished Updo
A polished updo, like a chignon or a twisted bun, is the sturdiest of all Christmas party hairstyles and a classic among holiday hairstyles. It keeps hair secure through a night of dancing, and a good stylist can also add a hint of volume at the crown, and hair services at home make an updo much less stressful on the day.
Hairstyles for Different Necklines
Your neckline helps pick the style. A strapless or off-the-shoulder dress shows off an updo or a high ponytail, a high neckline suits hair worn down in soft waves and a V-neck looks lovely with a half-up style or a loose side braid. If you’re unsure, try the hairstyle with the outfit before the big day.
Accessories That Make It Festive
Pearls, glittery pins, velvet bows, jewelled clips and a thin gold headband add sparkle without much fuss. Pick one statement piece and keep the rest of the style simple, so the accessory stands out.
Hair Care Before the Silly Season
Healthy hair holds a style better, and a little planning in the weeks before Christmas pays off. A trim keeps ends tidy, a deep conditioning mask adds shine and softness and a gentle shampoo avoids stripping your hair. If you’re getting colour, aim for a week or so before your biggest event, so it has time to settle. Christmas hairstyles always look better on happy hair.
How Long Do Christmas Hairstyles Hold?
How long a hairstyle holds depends on your hair type, the weather and your products, and a few habits stretch it out. Holiday hairstyles that last start with the right prep, and the best holiday hairstyles use a little hold, not a lot.
Prep: Start With the Right Hair
Day-old hair often holds styles better than freshly washed hair, which can be too slippery. If you wash it, use a texture spray or dry shampoo at the roots to give it grip. Dry fully before you style, since damp hair droops.
Products That Help a Style Last
A heat protectant protects your hair, a light mousse or texture spray adds hold and a flexible hairspray finishes the job. Avoid heavy product, which can look stiff and sticky in the heat. Hairspray is the one decoration that goes on after the tree.
Can You Sleep on a Christmas Hairstyle?
If you want your hair to last into the next day, wrap it in a silk scarf or use a satin pillowcase. Loosely braided or pinned hair holds its shape overnight, and a quick spritz of water and a finger fluff can revive curls.
Touch-Up Kit
Keep a small pouch with bobby pins, a mini hairspray, a fine-tooth comb and a spare hair tie. It takes up almost no room, and it saves you in the bathroom mirror before the group photo.
Matching Your Hair to Your Makeup and Nails
A finished look includes your face and your hands. A polished style with the right lip colour looks like a complete outfit, and a matching manicure finishes it, so think of hair, makeup and nails as one outfit.
Getting a Stylist at Home for a Blow Dry or Updo With Blys
The hours before a party are busy, and a stylist who comes to you lets someone else hold the hairdryer.
Why At-Home Beats Rushing to a Salon
Heading to a salon before a party means a hot trip, a tight slot and a half-ready outfit at home. With a mobile stylist, the appointment comes to you, so you can finish your outfit, your wrapping or your drink around it, with the air con on. Blys lists hair and makeup services at your home, and a hair and makeup visit gets both done in one sitting, with bookings from 6 am to midnight, seven days a week.
How It Works
Arrange your appointment through Blys, pick the service and time, and a local provider comes to your door. You’re not charged until a provider confirms your booking, and same-day times depend on availability. The silly season fills up fast, so arrange early and check availability for the day of your event.
What to Set Up Before Your Stylist Arrives
Clear a spot by a window with good light, set out a chair and a mirror, and make sure there’s a power point nearby for a hairdryer. Have your outfit picked, wear a button-up top so you don’t need to pull anything over your hair and keep inspiration photos handy.
What to Put in Your Booking Notes
Put the event, your hair length and type, the style you want, the time you need to be ready and any allergies or sensitivities. Add whether you’d like makeup done too, and your outfit neckline. Your stylist arrives knowing what the day calls for.
Same Stylist for the Whole Season
If you have several holiday events, you can set visits to repeat and ask for the same provider each time. The stylist arriving then already knows your hair, your style and what holds on you.
Once the calendar fills up, hair at home is one task you can cross off without leaving the house, and the fan can stay on.
Party Tonight? Arrange a Blow Dry or Updo at Home →
Christmas Hair Questions, Straight From the Esky
These are the questions people type into search once the silly season starts.
How do I stop my hair frizzing in the heat?
Use a lightweight anti-frizz serum on the ends, keep heavy products to a minimum and choose sleek, off-the-neck styles like a ponytail or a low bun. A light hold spray finishes the job, and a silk scarf helps in humid weather.
What’s the best hairstyle for a Christmas party?
A polished updo, a sleek ponytail or soft Hollywood waves are the classics, and the best one is the style that suits your hair length and your outfit. If you’ll be dancing, pick something with a secure hold.
How do I make curls last all night?
Curl hair that’s fully dry, let each curl cool before you touch it and finish with a flexible hairspray. Day-old hair holds curls better, and pinning the curls up while they cool helps them set.
Should I wash my hair before a party?
Many stylists prefer hair that’s a day old, since it holds a style better, but clean hair can work with the right products. Use dry shampoo or texture spray at the roots if your hair is too soft or slippery.
How early should I get my hair done?
A few hours before the event is usually best, so the style has time to settle and still looks fresh. For a big night like NYE, allow a buffer for photos and travel.
Can a stylist come to my house before a party?
A mobile stylist can come to your home, but availability varies, and December mornings and evenings fill up fast. Arrange early, check availability for the time you need and put your deadline in your booking notes.
What Is Blys?
Blys is a mobile wellness and beauty marketplace that connects you with local providers who come to your home, office or hotel. You can arrange massage, nails, hair, makeup, waxing and more, plus physiotherapy, with bookings from 6 am to midnight, seven days a week. You pick the service and time, and you’re not charged until a provider confirms your booking. See what’s on offer across Blys beauty services and the rest of the range.
