Scrunchies Your Hair Will Thank You For

The easiest (and comfiest) addition to any outfit or hairstyle, scrunchies in every size, style, and material have found their way back into beauty routines. The accessory reclaimed its trending status with multiple red carpet appearances (Lizzo, we see you and your bedazzled scrunchie) and endless styling possibilities.

“They’ve helped people and it feels fun and exciting to play with them again,” said Siobhan Quinlan, attributing feelings of nostalgia, fun, and even hair health benefits for scrunchies resurgence. Quinlan, the creative director at Art + Autonomy Salon, says she personally has a ton of scrunchies and wears one every night while she sleeps to prevent dents in her hair.

With materials such as silk, velvet, and quick-drying elastane (aka what's used in workout clothes) the modern scrunchie is equally as beneficial as it is fashionable. The typical makeup of the product is gentler on your hair than the common elastic hair tie that can harm hair, tugging on it and causing damage or breakage to strands. Scrunchies, Quinlan describes, are looser, especially when made with softer, higher-cost fabrics, “so [your hair] is not breaking when rubbing against it so much.” The growing variations in scrunchies allow you to pull back your hair stylishly while showing it some TLC. The popularity of this resurrected ‘80s trend combined with hair health revelations act as proof: the scrunchie trend is back and better than ever.

With unique designs, textures, and advantages to consider (not to mention the wide price range), the scrunchie market can seem overwhelming. That's where an expert comes in, offering advice to make your scrunchie search as easy as 1-2-3. I present to you the modern, must-haves of the scrunchie revival: