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
