20 Lucky Lunar New Year Hairstyles That Last From Reunion Dinner to Lantern Festival

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Quick answer The best Lunar New Year hairstyles stay polished for days without washing: sleek low buns, braided crowns, half-up styles and smooth ponytails, finished with red or gold accessories. Book any haircut one to two weeks ahead, since many families avoid cuts during the new-year period.

Lunar New Year hairstyles have to last through two weeks of occasions: the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, red-envelope visits, temple trips and Lantern Festival photos on the fifteenth night. Whether your family celebrates Chinese New Year, Tet or Seollal, the season comes with hair customs many households observe.

The usual advice is to get any haircut before the new year, because cutting during the holiday is said to cut away luck. Many families also skip washing on the first days of the year, because the Chinese word for hair sounds like the word for prosperity and washing is thought to rinse good fortune away.

That makes this a holiday you plan for, not one you blow-dry through. The 20 looks below are built to last two or three days without a wash: sleek low buns, braided crowns, half-up styles pinned with red and gold, polished ponytails and a roller-set blowout, plus picks for short, fine, curly and coily hair. Each is matched to an occasion, and one nods to the Year of the Goat.

Jump to a look (20)

1. Sleek Low Chignon With a Red Silk Ribbon
2. Milkmaid Braided Crown With Gold Leaf Pins
3. Half-Up Velvet Bow for Red-Envelope Photos
4. Polished Wrapped Low Ponytail
5. Roller-Set Reunion Dinner Blowout
6. Twin Ram-Horn Spiral Buns
7. Dutch Braids Woven With Red Ribbon
8. Pinned Old-Shanghai Waves for a Qipao
9. Tucked Jaw-Length Bob With a Gold Barrette
10. Textured Pixie With Stacked Gold Barrettes
11. Flat-Twist Low Bun With Gold Hair Cuffs
12. Curly Half-Up Knot With a Red Silk Scrunchie
13. Stretched Braid-Out With a Red Satin Headband
14. Two-Tier Ponytail for Fine Hair
15. Undone Low Knot With Plum-Blossom Clips
16. Hat-Proof Braided Low Coil
17. Twisted Bun With a Gold Hair Stick
18. Red-Banded Bubble Ponytail
19. Day-Two Claw-Clip French Twist
20. Glossy Lantern Festival Waves

1. Sleek Low Chignon With a Red Silk Ribbon

Best for Shoulder-length or longer hair and high-collared outfits

The reunion-dinner classic: a crisp center part, hair brushed back into a smooth knot at the nape, and a red silk ribbon tied in a small bow beneath it. It suits shoulder-length or longer hair of any density and keeps a high qipao or ao dai collar clear.

If a salon sets it, ask for a low chignon pinned flat to the head; texture spray gives freshly washed hair grip. It lasts two days on a silk pillowcase; smooth flyaways back down with a toothbrush and a dab of gel.

2. Milkmaid Braided Crown With Gold Leaf Pins

Best for Shoulder-length or longer hair on no-wash days

Two braids, each started low behind an ear, are lifted over the top of the head and pinned end to end, so the plaits sit like a halo and hide day-two roots at the crown.

It needs shoulder-length or longer hair; on fine hair, gently pull the outer loops wider after braiding. Braid it yourself on New Year’s Eve, then slide three gold leaf pins along one side for New Year’s Day visits. Sleep in a silk bonnet and it usually stays neat through day three.

3. Half-Up Velvet Bow for Red-Envelope Photos

Best for Shoulder-length or longer straight, wavy or loose curls

Pull the top third of your hair back to the crown, secure it with an elastic, then tie a wide red velvet ribbon over the elastic and let the tails fall into the lengths.

It frames the face for red-envelope photos and works on straight, wavy or loosely curly hair from shoulder length down. Tease the crown section lightly before tying so it doesn’t flatten by afternoon. On day two, mist dry shampoo along the part, work it in, re-tie the ribbon, and it looks freshly done.

4. Polished Wrapped Low Ponytail

Best for Straight to wavy hair of medium or thick density

A ponytail at the nape with a strand wrapped around the elastic gives a sleek line that works with a qipao, a blazer or a puffer. It suits straight to wavy hair of medium or thick density, and it sits low enough to wear under a beanie on cold lantern walks.

Smooth a little gel along the hairline, brush the lengths back, then pin the wrapped strand underneath with a bobby pin. Add a red silk scrunchie on day two to hide any slipped wrap.

5. Roller-Set Reunion Dinner Blowout

Best for Fine to medium hair, chin length or longer

Wash on New Year’s Eve morning, rough-dry until about 80 percent dry, then round-brush each section and roll it onto a large Velcro roller to cool. The set gives fine and medium hair root lift that lasts from the reunion dinner into New Year’s Day visits.

Ask a salon for a bouncy blowout set in rollers if you’d rather not do it yourself. Overnight, gather the lengths into a loose high bun with a silk scrunchie, then brush out and mist dry shampoo at the roots.

6. Twin Ram-Horn Spiral Buns

Best for Medium to long hair and Lantern Festival photos

A light nod to the Year of the Goat: two sections twisted tightly and coiled flat at each side of the crown, like soft ram horns. They suit medium to long hair with some grip; on silky straight hair, mist texture spray through the lengths first.

Part down the middle, make two high ponytails, twist each until it coils on itself, and lock the spiral with four U-pins. Tuck a red flower clip under each for Lantern Festival photos, and unpin them that night to ease scalp tension.

7. Dutch Braids Woven With Red Ribbon

Best for Straight to curly hair, shoulder length or longer

Weave a narrow red satin ribbon into one strand as you braid, so a thread of lucky red runs from hairline to ends. Two snug Dutch braids, with the outer strands crossed under the middle, are among the longest-lasting looks here, often holding three days on straight to curly hair from shoulder length down.

Braid nearly dry, freshly washed hair on New Year’s Eve with a little leave-in, keeping tension firm but painless at the hairline. On day three, dust dry shampoo along the part only.

8. Pinned Old-Shanghai Waves for a Qipao

Best for Chin- to shoulder-length hair and qipao outfits

Deep side-parted, S-shaped waves pinned flat along one side bring old-Shanghai glamour to a fitted qipao. They suit chin- to shoulder-length hair, straight or wavy, and medium to thick density holds the ridges longest.

On dry hair, curl small sections away from the face with a one-inch iron, brush into ridges, and clip each ridge while it cools. Unclip after ten minutes, slide a gold comb behind the ear on the part side, and wrap in satin overnight to keep the waves for day two.

9. Tucked Jaw-Length Bob With a Gold Barrette

Best for Fine to medium straight or wavy jaw-length hair

Book a trim one to two weeks before New Year’s Day and ask for a blunt, jaw-length bob with a slight bevel, so the ends curve under and tuck neatly behind one ear. Blunt ends make fine and medium straight-to-wavy hair look fuller in photos.

Tuck one side and anchor it with a gold barrette or red enamel clip above the ear, which also disguises second-day flatness at the part. Rub a pea-sized dab of smoothing cream through the ends each morning to revive the shape without washing.

10. Textured Pixie With Stacked Gold Barrettes

Best for Pixie cuts and very short hair

Short hair can still wear lucky gold: two or three slim barrettes stacked diagonally above one ear turn a pixie into a party look. If you’re cutting before the holiday, ask for a textured pixie with longer pieces on top and a side-swept fringe, so the clips have hair to grip.

A pea-sized amount of matte paste worked through dry hair adds texture that carries through the no-wash days. Book the cut one to two weeks out so the shape is still crisp at the Lantern Festival.

11. Flat-Twist Low Bun With Gold Hair Cuffs

Best for Coily and kinky hair long enough to reach the nape

Flat twists running back from the hairline into a low twisted bun make a protective style that stays sharp for about a week, covering every no-wash day. It suits coily and kinky hair long enough to reach the nape; shorter hair can end the twists in small pinned puffs.

Install it on washed, stretched hair before New Year’s Day, or ask a braider for flat twists swept into a low bun. Slip gold cuffs onto a few twists, lay your edges, and sleep in a satin bonnet.

12. Curly Half-Up Knot With a Red Silk Scrunchie

Best for Wavy to curly hair in 2C to 3C patterns

Gather the top half of your curls into a high, loose knot with an oversized red silk scrunchie, leaving the rest free around the shoulders. It suits wavy to curly hair, roughly 2C to 3C, and disguises day-two curls that have flattened at the crown.

Define curls on New Year’s Eve with cream and gel, then sleep with everything piled loosely on top in the same scrunchie. Each morning, smooth a little curl cream between your palms and scrunch frizzy pieces back into shape.

13. Stretched Braid-Out With a Red Satin Headband

Best for 4A to 4C hair, chin length or longer

A braid-out set on New Year’s Eve gives stretched, defined texture that stays full through several no-wash days, and a padded red satin headband adds lucky color while covering frizz at the hairline. It suits 4A to 4C hair from chin length down.

Braid damp, moisturized sections with a curl cream, let them dry completely, then unravel and separate with oiled fingertips. Each night, gather it into a loose high puff under a satin bonnet, then lift the roots with a pick in the morning.

14. Two-Tier Ponytail for Fine Hair

Best for Fine or thin hair, shoulder length or longer

Stack two ponytails, one at the crown and one just beneath it, so the top tail hides the lower elastic and fine hair looks longer and fuller. Each elastic carries half the weight, so slippery fine hair sags less over a long day of family visits.

Mist dry shampoo at the roots first for grip, tease the crown lightly, and cover the upper band with a red velvet scrunchie. It takes minutes, so take it down at night and rebuild it fresh on day two.

15. Undone Low Knot With Plum-Blossom Clips

Best for Medium to long straight or wavy day-three hair

This loose, slightly undone low knot is built for day-three hair, when natural grit lets it hold with just four pins. Twist the lengths into a rope at the nape, wrap it into a knot, and pull a few face-framing strands free.

It suits medium to long straight or wavy hair and looks relaxed but deliberate for temple visits or tea with relatives. Finish with two or three red or pink plum-blossom clips, a classic new-year motif, and re-twist the knot whenever it loosens.

16. Hat-Proof Braided Low Coil

Best for Medium to long hair under winter hats

A single French braid pinned into a flat coil at the nape sits below the band of a beanie or beret, so a hat can go on for Lantern Festival walks and come off at dinner without crushing anything.

It suits medium to long hair of any density. Keep the crown smooth rather than teased, since a hat flattens volume there anyway. Tuck two spare U-pins and a small brush in your coat pocket to re-sweep the part after the hat comes off.

17. Twisted Bun With a Gold Hair Stick

Best for Long hair with medium to thick density

A twisted bun held by a single gold hair stick nods to the ornamental hairpins of several East Asian traditions and looks polished with both a hanbok and a modern suit. It suits long hair with medium to thick density, which has the bulk to grip the stick; fine hair needs a hidden elastic underneath.

Twist a ponytail into a coil, then push the stick in through the outer edge, scoop it under the base and out the far side. It re-twists in a minute on day two.

18. Red-Banded Bubble Ponytail

Best for Long straight to wavy hair, including layered cuts

A high ponytail banded every two inches with small red elastics, each segment gently tugged wide into a bubble, photographs well and holds through an evening of lantern walking. It suits long straight to wavy hair; on layered cuts, smooth a little cream over each section so short ends stay tucked.

No braiding is needed: tie the ponytail, add elastics down the length, then pull the hair between each one outward. Take it down at night for a soft bend to wear loose the next day.

19. Day-Two Claw-Clip French Twist

Best for Shoulder-length or longer hair of any texture

When the no-wash days catch up with you, a vertical French twist held by a gold or red claw clip hides flat or oily roots in under a minute. It suits shoulder-length or longer hair of any texture; thick hair needs a jumbo clip.

Mist dry shampoo at the roots and work it in with your fingertips, gather everything at the nape, twist upward, fold the ends down over the twist and clamp. Pull out two thin face-framing pieces so it looks intentional at a dinner with friends.

20. Glossy Lantern Festival Waves

Best for Medium to long straight or wavy hair

Many families relax the washing custom after the first day or two, so save freshly washed, brushed-out waves for the Lantern Festival on day fifteen. They suit medium to long straight or wavy hair; at a salon, ask for a blowout with loose, brushed-out waves.

On dry hair, curl two-inch sections around a 1.25-inch wand, alternating direction, and let them cool before brushing out. Tuck one side back with a red flower clip, and sleep on silk so the bend lasts into the next day.

The Bottom Line

The plan that works: book any cut one to two weeks before New Year’s Day, wash and set your hair on New Year’s Eve, then rotate braids, buns and ponytails through the no-wash days. Save loose, glossy waves for the Lantern Festival, by which point many families have relaxed the custom. Keep red as your accent, and skip all-white or all-black hair accessories, which can read as mourning.

One tip: carry a small kit of dry shampoo, U-pins, a red scrunchie and a spoolie for flyaways, so you can fix any look between visits. If you use heat, apply a heat protectant first. Blow-dry on damp hair, but use flat irons, curling irons and wands on completely dry hair only, at about 150C/300F for fine or bleached hair and 180-200C/355-390F for coarse hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you wash your hair during Lunar New Year?

Many families avoid washing hair on New Year's Day, and sometimes the first few days, because the Chinese word for hair sounds like the word for prosperity and washing is thought to rinse good fortune away. It is a custom, not a rule, and many households relax it after the first day or two. Washing on New Year's Eve keeps you covered.

When should you get a haircut before Lunar New Year?

Book it one to two weeks before New Year's Day. Haircuts during the new-year period are said to cut away luck in both Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet traditions, so many people avoid cutting until the festivities end. That gap gives a fresh cut time to settle. Hair grows about half an inch a month, so the cut still holds its shape through the Lantern Festival.

How should I plan my hair from New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival?

Trim one to two weeks ahead and deep-condition the week before. Wash and style on New Year's Eve for the reunion dinner. On days one and two, wear braids, buns or a sleek ponytail with dry shampoo at the roots, and wash again once your family relaxes the custom. Save a fresh blowout or loose waves for the Lantern Festival on day fifteen.

What colors and hair accessories are considered lucky for Lunar New Year?

Red is the traditional lucky color, and gold is a popular partner because it is associated with wealth. Silk scrunchies, velvet ribbons, gold pins and combs, hair sticks and plum-blossom clips all work. Many families avoid all-white or all-black hair accessories during the celebrations, since those colors are linked with mourning in several East Asian traditions.

What hairstyle goes with a qipao or another high-collared outfit?

Keep the neck and collar visible. A sleek low chignon, a twisted bun with a hair stick, or pinned side-parted waves on a bob all keep a mandarin collar clear, and the same styles work with an ao dai's high neckline. Long hair worn down tends to bunch against a high collar, so pin it at least partly up for photos.

Keep Reading

• Sleek New Year’s Eve updos
• How to use Velcro rollers
• Old Hollywood waves at home
• How to do a braid-out
• How to lay edges

Sources

• hko.gov.hk hko.gov.hk
• Vietnamese lunar new year dates animals of the zodiac myvietnamvisa.com