Hair On The Brain

Summer is going to be here before you know it, so now is the time to update your winter haircut. In the colder months, heat styling feels good, but in the summer you just want to unplug. Literally. The last thing you want to do is blow dry an intricate style for 30 minutes! Picking a haircut that is wash & wear, like Kate Beckinsale‘s deliberately “grown out” asymmetrical bob, is a great option.

A longer, grown out bob, like Emily Blunt‘s is great for summer because it’s less precise, doesn’t need to be flat ironed or blow dried, and can be worn wavy. This look still has the shape of an asymmetrical bob, making it far more stylish and interesting than a one-length, shoulder skimming bob. Basically, there is about a two-inch difference between the front and the back, but you can still put your hair up in a pony, which is ideal for hot summer months.

Celebrity hairstylist Laini Reeves told Elle how she created Emily’s Golden Globes look. “It was raining the night of the Golden Globes and Emily’s hair has a natural wave to it, so I needed to use styling products that would enhance her curls but control frizz,” Reeves says. “I applied the Living Proof No Frizz Styling Cream and Living Proof Full Thickening Cream—since there’s no silicone in them the hair doesn’t get sticky and maintains some movement. After letting Emily’s hair air-dry for a bit, I blew it dry and used curling irons to enhance the wave; I used two different barrel sizes to create a more natural-looking, imperfect style.”

Zoe Saldana and Ashley Olsen’s summer bobs after the break!

If you have naturally curly hair, you could go even shorter and just rock the natural curls, like Zoe Saldana. I’m sure Zoe’s look was styled with a curling iron too, but if you’re naturally curly, you could do a more casual day look without heat styling.

Ashley Olsen‘s layered bob will take a bit more effort to look polished, but all you have to do is throw a little product in, air dry for texture and wave, and maybe flick the sections out with a styler, and you’re good to go.

For even more of the Best Summer Hairstyles for 2010 go to Elle.com.