The Secret Behind Every Met Gala Hair Trend

Trends come and go, but one thing never changes: Healthy hair is what makes any style look good.

No one understands that better than celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham, who works with some of the most high-profile heads of hair in the world. Her job is about making hair look fabulous with color, and a key component of that is making sure hair can withstand the chemical processing, styling, and heat that comes with it.

Styling Tip	What You Should Do	Why It Helps Your Hair
Start with healthy hair	Build your routine around hydration, strength, and daily protection.	Healthy hair holds shape better, looks shinier, resists breakage, and tolerates styling more easily.
Use heat carefully	Always apply heat protectant and keep hot tools around 320–340°F (160–170°C).	Lower heat helps protect the cuticle and reduces dryness, brittleness, and breakage.
Take heat-free days	Avoid using blow dryers, flat irons, or curling irons every day.	Giving hair a break helps protect its internal structure over time.
Don’t overwash	Wash up to three times a week and use a sulfate-free shampoo.	This helps protect natural oils that keep hair hydrated and resilient.
Condition the right way	Use conditioner every wash. Apply roots to ends for curly or thick hair, and focus on the lower third for fine or straight hair.	Conditioner smooths the cuticle, reduces tangles, and helps lock in moisture.
Protect hair while you sleep	Braid your hair before bed and sleep on a silk pillowcase.	Less friction means less frizz, less breakage, and longer-lasting styles.
Avoid tight styles every day	Save slicked-back buns and tight ponytails for occasional wear.	Reducing tension helps protect the roots and lowers the risk of breakage from pulling.
Choose softer color	Stay close to your natural base and choose blended, dimensional color.	Softer color usually means less aggressive processing and less damage.
Support hair from within	Take OMI consistently as part of your daily hair routine.	Stronger hair from the inside can better tolerate styling, heat, and color over time.

You don’t have to give up trends to keep your hair healthy. But you do need to be a little smarter about how you approach them. Here’s how to do both.

Start With This Mindset: Healthy Hair Styles Better

“Healthy hair is easier to style,” Cunningham says. And it’s a point worth emphasizing. When your hair is strong, hydrated, and structurally intact, it holds shape better, reflects light (aka, looks shiny and glossy), resists breakage and tolerates heat and color. When your hair isn’t strong and healthy, even the best cut or color won’t land the same. So even though it might take a little time and effort, making tweaks to your everyday hair care and routine adds up to big benefits in the long run.

Be Strategic About Heat 

From sleek blowouts to polished bobs, most trends rely on heat styling, and that’s where things can go sideways fast.“Flat irons get extremely hot; they can literally burn your skin,” Cunningham says. “So protecting the hair before you use hot tools is essential.” 

Her go-to rules: Never skip applying a heat protectant before you style your hair, and don’t crank your tools to the highest heat setting. Flat ironing, curling or blow-drying at super high temperatures can cause cracks in the cuticle and weaken the cortex. Over time, repeated exposure at 200 C or higher can permanently alter the internal protein structure, leaving hair brittle and prone to breakage.[1] Combining heat protectants with lower styling temperatures greatly reduces the risk of damage to your hair.[2] Aim for 160 to 170 C or 320 to 340 F. 

Another habit Tracey sees all the time? Overdoing it. Using too many hot tools ages your hair, she notes. Translation: You might get the look in the moment, but over time, you’re weakening the hair’s internal structure; leading to dryness and breakage. Give your hair some days off from the heat.

Don’t Overwash 

It’s tempting to wash your hair more often when you’re styling it frequently, but that can backfire. “Even if you have oily hair, you don’t necessarily need to wash it every day,” Cunningham says. Overwashing can strip your hair of its natural oils, which are protective, especially when you’re using heat or color. A few tips for washing your hair: In general, up to three washes a week are enough to keep your scalp cleansed and healthy. Use a sulfate-free shampoo to prevent stripping your hair of its natural oils and always condition! A conditioner helps smooth the cuticle, reduces tangles, and locks in moisture.[3] If your hair is curly or thick, apply conditioner from roots to ends. If you have straight or fine hair, focus on applying it to the lower third of your strands.[4] This helps maintain the moisture balance your hair needs to stay resilient.

Protect Your Hair While You Sleep 

One of the simplest and most overlooked ways to support hair health is your bedtime habits. “I love braiding your hair before bed,” Cunningham says. “And sleeping on a silk pillowcase helps preserve a blowout because it reduces friction.” 

Less friction = less breakage, less frizz, and more longevity from whatever style you created that day.

Be Careful With “Tight” Trends

Slicked-back buns and snatched ponytails look amazing. But if you wear them too often or too tightly, they can stress your hair at the root. “Tight ponytails and buns can be tough on your hair if you wear them all the time,” Cunningham says. Over time, that tension can lead to traction alopecia, a form of hair loss caused by repeated pulling.[5] The key is balance: Save ultra-tight styles for occasional wear so you can give your scalp recovery time.

Color: Softer Is Often More Modern

When it comes to trends, color is where people can accidentally go wrong. “A lot of people are just too blonde,” Cunningham says. “Don’t be afraid to go a little darker.” She also points out that harsh, overly dark color at the root can look unnatural, especially if you’re covering grays. And note, going gray doesn’t age you. “I’m a big fan of gray hair; it’s so beautiful,” says Tracey. 

Her hair color advice: Stay close to your natural base, use a color and process that adds dimension, and consider softer, more blended looks. “The foiled cashmere look is very youthful,” she says. Overall, less aggressive processing means less damage.

Strengthen Hair From the Inside Out

Here’s something Cunningham sees firsthand: “When people take OMI consistently… you start seeing stronger hair over time. It really starts from the inside,” says Tracey. That strength shows up where it matters most; at the root, in new growth and how well hair tolerates styling and color. “When the hair itself is stronger, you can do more with it.”

The Takeaway

You don’t have to choose between trying new hair trends and keeping your hair healthy; you just have to be more intentional about how you do it. The styles that look the best (and last the longest) are built on strong, well-cared-for hair. By protecting against heat, avoiding overwashing and supporting your hair from the inside out, you create the foundation for your hair to look and stay healthy whatever style you choose. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I style with hot tools regularly without damaging my hair?

Yes, but it’s all about how you use them. Always apply a heat protectant, keep tools at moderate temperatures (around 320–340°F), and avoid using heat every single day. Giving your hair breaks from styling is just as important as the styling itself.

How often should I really be washing my hair?

For most people, two to three times per week is enough. Overwashing can strip your hair of the natural oils that help protect it, especially if you’re also using heat or color treatments. Dry shampoo can help extend time between washes.

Are tight styles like slicked-back buns and ponytails bad for your hair?

They’re fine occasionally, but wearing them too often or too tightly can stress the hair at the root and lead to breakage or even traction alopecia over time. Try to rotate styles and give your scalp regular breaks.