I Tried the "Farrah Fawcett" 70s Hair TikTok Trend to See What It's Like in Real Life
Alisha Bhojwani is a Sydney-based digital strategist and content specialist. When she's not reminding her friends to wear SPF, you can find her drenching her face in Vitamin C and consuming copious amounts of peanut butter. You can find her on Instagram here @alishabhojwani_.
Fact: Whatever you wore in your teens will most certainly become cool again.
Like ugg boots. And double denim. And scrunchies, daggy bike shorts and blue eyeshadow. The list is endless.
Right now, the latest decade going viral on social media platform TikTok is the 70s.
From fashion week runways to celebrities and Instagram content creators, the 70s are back and so are flared pants, chunky platform shoes, bold patterns and rock star shag haircuts.
But there's one particular 70s hairstyle millions of people are recreating online, and they're calling it Farrah Fawcett Hair.
Named after actress Farrah Fawcett, a whole new generation is obsessed with the instantly recognisable feathery flicks that turned the original Charlie's Angels star into a style icon in the late 70s.
Think soft curls, BIG volume, and old school glamour that can move with you on a disco dance floor or while rollerblading down the street.
Not convinced? Type #FawcettFlip into TikTok or Instagram and you'll see dozens of different variations of this 70s hairstyle. From soft face-framing waves and short, shaggy layers, right through to full-on hair flicks and cylinder curtain bangs.
So, when my editor tasked me with investigating this 70s hair trend to see what it's like in real life (and in the year 2021), I got to work.
Here's what happened when I tried to get the "Farrah Fawcett" at home...
How to Do 70s Hair.
There’s a reason everyone from singer Lizzo to Gen Z on TikTok are loving this 70s hair trend.
According to Peter Beckett, Haircare Group Creative Director, this particular 70s hairstyle "has a beautiful shape that opens up the face,” making it a fun yet timeless classic that flatters every face shape.
Unlike hairstyles from the 50s and 60s, the volume doesn’t sit at the crown of the head.
"Traditionally, this look was really layered around the face and blow dried with a small brush giving a full face-framing flick."
OK, but how do you do a 70s hair look that still feels modern? Peter suggests a subtle nod to the original version.
"With the Farrah Fawcett look, it could be just the flick of your fringe. A wave that’s wound off the face. A smaller, less intense version of the flick if you have layers. There are so many ways to give [your hair] that 70s feeling."
@lizzo Have you done your intentional act of anti-racism today? 😌❤️
♬ I Wonder If I Take You Home (with Full Force) - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
My 70s Hair Tutorial.
There are a few ways to go about recreating this 70s hairstyle.
If you want to emulate MAX Farrah energy full-time, you’ll need to ask your hairdresser for shaggy layers. Then, you can easily flick each layer in an outward motion using your hair straightener of choice.
For anyone who wants to try the trend without any haircutting (personally, choppy layers are *not* my friend), I've come up with my own 70s hair tutorial after a lot of researching and some trial and error.
It'll take bit of effort, but these four steps will have you feeling as grooooooovy as I was in this 70s hair before and after image below.
Step 1. Oh, Behave!
The key to this 70s look is volume, and the secret to achieving volume? Prepping with a volumising hair product.
Wash hair as usual, then apply Philip Kingsley Maximizer Root Boosting Spray 125ml to the roots and mid-lengths. This volume spray is heat-activated, which means you're guaranteed structure and shine when spritzing on damp hair.
Hot tip: Forget blow drying in sections for this look - flip your head upside down while you're drying to really get that lift.
Peter recommends using a paddle brush like evo Pete Ionic Paddle Brush to add even more volume directly from the roots. (*And not just because they share the same name.)
Step 2. Time for Texture.
Once my hair was 90 per cent dry, it was time to add some grit with a texture spray. This helps waves to hold their shape once gravity sets in.
Split hair into two to three large sections, and then starting with the bottom section, grab a small amount of hair and lightly spray with ColorWOW Style on Steroids Texture Finishing Spray 262ml - bonus, this dry texture spray not only adds instant fullness and volume, but it's also a heat protectant!
Oh, and it's casually one of JLo and Kim K's celeb hair stylist Chris Appleton's favourite styling products.
Step 3. Roller Me Up.
Yes, you can use your regular curling wand for this, but remember when we were talking about retro things making a comeback? It's time to bring out your hot rollers. Or even velcro rollers!
If you’re worried hot rollers will leave your hair looking like an 80s infomercial, think again.
The benefit of recreating this hairstyle with hot rollers is they can give you big, bouncy curls with all the volume, but none of the crunchy, intense vibes of a primary school calisthenics or physie competition.
I used the BaBylissPRO Professional Jumbo Roller Hairsetter 12 pc but you could also just use the larger rollers in a hot rollers set you already own (remember smaller rollers and sections = tighter curls, and the 70s is all about loose volume, so the best hot rollers are the larger size).
This next part is tricky to visualise, so watch this video I put together that goes through the steps and I promise, it'll make more sense.
Grab the section of hair you sprayed with the ColorWow Style on Steroids Texture Finishing Spray and roll the hair around the hot roller away from the face before clipping into place.
Repeat this for the full head, or you can just do the front section of hair for a softer 70s feel. Once you get to the layers that frame the face, brush the hair outwards and up, then roll hair around the roller and pin so it's sitting on top of the head.
Yes, you might look like a 60s housewife, but this step is crucial to achieving that root lift Farrah is known for.
Step 4. Set and Brush.
The best part about using hot rollers is they're literally fool-proof. Once every section has been clipped, leave the rollers in your hair for 12-15 minutes or until they've cooled completely. You can also blast them with your hair dryer on the cool setting.
Have a snack, take a selfie to send to your mum or if you’re like me, complete this look with ice blue eyeshadow.
Once the rollers are cool, unpin and gently brush through the curls using your fingers, a wide tooth comb like the Mr. Smith Comb or the same paddle brush as before. This will add oomph but also break up curls for that feathered finish.
If you have shorter hair, you can do the TikTok-famous Fawcett Flip, but otherwise, gently tilt hair to the side or upside down and do a final spritz of the dry texture spray throughout.
Hot tip: Want more volume? Spray product directly onto the roots while your head is tilted. You can't really use too much of the ColorWow Style on Steroids Texture Finishing Spray because it won't leave hair feeling crunchy.
And voila! That's my interpretation of this iconic 70s hairstyle.
Final Verdict on Farrah Fawcett Hair...
Is doing the full-on Farrah Fawcett hair trend at home easy?
Look - if you don't usually style your hair, then you'll find this is a little challenging. Especially if you have longer hair that's mostly one length as this style is easier to recreate on shorter hair with layers.
With the hot rollers, I found myself having to stop and think, ‘is rolling my hair this way going inwards or outwards’, but once I got into a flow, it all clicked into place.
Would I wear my hair like this every day? No, mostly because working remotely and virtual meetings have taught us PJ bottoms, minimal makeup and a slicked back ponytail are A-OKAY.
But for a night out, I’d definitely pull out all the stops with this 70s style. Case in point, the hair legit lasted a whole night of sweaty nightclub dancing, which really speaks volumes about the styling products and tools I used. Pun intended.
So, thank you Gen Z, for bringing this golden oldie hair trend back and making this millennial feel shagadelic babyyyyy.
P.S. If you don't get the film reference, go watch The Spy Who Shagged Me while I search for my very own Austin Powers.
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