3 Holiday Hairstyles I’m Pinning to My Winter Mood Board

One of my favorite parts about the holidays is getting all dolled up. I love adorning myself with festive jewelry and slipping on a glitzy party dress, but there’s nothing better than sitting in front of the mirror, testing out a new makeup look and hairstyle. Jamie Schneider, senior beauty editor at Who What Wear, agrees. “For the holidays, I love testing looks I wouldn’t necessarily consider in my regular rotation,” she told me. “I tend to opt for a tousled beach wave over a super-polished, old-Hollywood curl. But there’s something about the holidays that inspires me to step outside my beauty comfort zone.”

So, what hairstyles are on Schneider’s holiday mood board? “I’m envisioning a slick-back bun with a sleek, glass-like shine, and gorgeous swoopy waves,” she said. “I also love to play with hair accessories during the holidays. Shiny bits and baubles just add a touch of joy.”

Lucky for me, Schneider shared how she creates these holiday-ready hairdos, and her secret to nailing these elegant styles every time is Aveda. It’s number one in her book for efficacy, naturally-derived ingredients, and versatility. “A lot of other formulas are clean and natural but they don’t actually, well, work,” she admitted. “I love that I don’t have to sacrifice performance for high-quality, botanical-derived ingredients.” She also applauds the brand for having something for literally every hair type and styling goal—from luxurious curls to sleek updos. Keep reading to learn how to re-create her looks and get a peek at the Aveda products that are currently on her vanity.

“I’ve been seeing French twists everywhere this season, and I only expect them to continue soaring. Calling it now: The French pin is coming for your classic claw clip. The style is just so effortlessly elegant.” — Schneider

“I started with the smooth infusion perfect blow dry™. I like to spray it into my hands, gently emulsify, and then rake it through my hair. It doubles as a heat-protection spray, which is essential any time I pick up a hot tool. I also love how soft and shiny it makes my blowouts. Next, I dried my hair using a blow-dry brush and dried my bangs upwards and outwards to achieve an effortless Bardot-like bang. Once my hair was completely dry, it was time to twist. I will say, it takes a bit of practice to nail the twist. I’m not above watching a TikTok tutorial (or seven)! I basically gathered my hair into a ponytail, twisted the ends around the pin, then twisted the pin two rotations before securing it at the crown of my head. The result should look perfectly undone. I gave my whole head a spritz with the air control™ light hold hair spray to ensure everything stayed in place. Finally, I massaged the ends of my bangs with a little bit of the control paste™. Voilá!” — Schneider

Shop This Hairstyle

“I’m predicting that old-Hollywood waves will dominate the holiday season. This vintage-inspired, voluminous look is everywhere, from backstage at fashion week to celeb-studded red carpets.” — Schneider

“I began by giving my damp curls a spritz of the be curly advanced™ curl perfecting primer and raked a healthy dollop of the be curly advanced™ curl enhancer cream through the length of my locks to add some extra smoothness. The definition and shine this cream gives is unmatched! I then dried my hair with a blow-dry brush and did a few passes with a 1.25-inch curler to create those swoopy, defined waves. After waiting until each curl had cooled down, I gently brushed each side of my hair to soften the wave, and set the sections with duckbill hair pins and creaseless hair clips. I gave each section a good spritz of the air control™ light hold hair spray to provide hold, while still keeping my strands soft and flexible. Here’s a tip: Spray a tissue until it feels wet, then gently wipe it on top of your hair to smooth down flyaways. I can personally attest that this hack works like an absolute charm. Once my hair was completely cool, I removed the pins. I swooped my hair to one side (very old Hollywood, IMO) and gave my face-framing pieces an extra pass with the curling iron. I then added on a bit of control paste™ to define the waves and smooth out any flyaways.” — Schneider

Shop This Hairstyle

“A chic, slick-back bun never goes out of style. Sophisticated and timeless, it exudes classic glamour.” — Schneider

“To create this look, I first applied a nickel-sized amount of the botanical repair™ bond-building styling creme to my hair to really nail that smooth, frizz-free finish. I gathered my hair into a ponytail and secured it with an elastic, then twirled the ponytail around itself to create a twisted bun. Next, I applied control paste™ all along my hairline to smooth down my flyaways. Nothing has staying power like this paste. Finally, I sprayed air control™ light hold hair spray directly onto my boar bristle brush before giving my hairline an extra pass. This step is key—it really gives the slick-back look that glass-like shine! This is one of the best hair sprays I’ve ever tried—it seriously smooths down every last baby hair without making my hair feel crunchy or stiff. I can easily brush out my style at the end of the night without feeling like I need to wash my hair. Plus, it smells divine. I decided to finish with a pink jumbo scrunchie to give the look a little something extra.” — Schneider

Shop This Hairstyle