Hairstylists warn against Sofia Richie’s viral ‘lazy girl’ updo: ‘My least favourite for damage’

‘Wet hair is incredibly fragile and susceptible to breakage,’ hair expert warns

Hairstylists on TikTok have warned their followers of the damage Sofia Richie’s viral “lazy girl” updo can potentially cause to their tresses.

Earlier this month, the quiet luxury-style muse answered the prayers of her devoted fans when she posted a highly requested video tutorial on TikTok, demonstrating how to perfect her “sleek lazy girl bun”. And while many rushed to try the effortless look, a few beauty experts warned against her methods.

The 25-year-old socialite started the tutorial with wet hair. She moved on to spritz Unite-brand detangling spray throughout before parting her hair down the middle. “Strong center part,” Richie advised.

To help slick back long locks, she told her followers to add “any regenerating hair mask” from the roots to the ends. Richie sectioned her hair into three parts, starting from her scalp down to the back of her ear on both sides.

“This is the moment you decide where you want your bun to live,” the fashion mogul proclaimed before indicating that she planned on crafting a high updo for the night.

She slathered Oribe hair lotion on the tops of her front two side sections and the underneath of her back portion of hair. With two miniature claw clips holding the front two pieces separate, Richie combed the portion into a high ponytail.

Using more of the lotion, she matted down the little hairs on the front sections. She then took one side out of the claw clip, combed it back with a bristle smoothing brush, and secured it in the ponytail with another hair tie. Richie replicated the same steps on the other side.

Once all her hair was tied back how she wanted, the social media star pulled out all the bands and twisted her locks into a bun.

“So I’m going to hold it all in the back, and I’m just going to twist... round, round, tie that down,” she proclaimed. “And honestly, because it started wet, it is so secured onto your head. It is like, truly like a helmet without being sticky and hard - I hate that.”

While Richie was seemingly confident in her technique of beginning the process with wet hair, a few TikTok users were quick to point out how damaging the hairstyle can be.

Hair health expert and influencer Abbey Yung, who describes herself as a “trichologist in training,” said: “Wet hair is incredibly fragile and susceptible to breakage.”

Yung posted her video in response to Richie’s tutorial to further explain why she recommended women don’t follow suit.

The influencer added: “But even when our hair is dry, brushing, pulling, and twisting on it, is what ultimately causes our hair to snap off. So the potential for breakage just become so much worse when you’re doing all of those things to super wet hair.”

“One of my favourite hairstyles to look at, but one of my least favorite for damage,” her caption read.

Rachel Valentine, a hairstylist and colourist, agreed with Yung’s warning in a TikTok of her own, where she claimed the hairstyle would be “so damaging”.

“Yes it looks amazing, however, this is going to be so damaging if you do this to your hair,” she said. “Our hair is like an elastic band and when it’s wet it’s really stretchy and if you think about the more your going to be stretching that elastic band and putting it under stress, the more likely it is to break.”

The Independent has reached out to Yung and Valentine for a comment.