E! Illustration/Courtesy of Liane Hentscher/Prime/IGKWhile we wait for Off Campus‘ season two to finally come back to our screens, why not recreate our new main character’s hair? Allie Hayes’ hair might as well be a character of its own—bangs included! Luckily, you don’t have to wait until next season to get the look. We got the styling secrets and the exact products the stylists used—which plenty are already on sale ahead of Prime Day!
Played by Mika Abdalla, there’s something about the textured, slightly messy, and voluminous hair with the killer bangs and golden honey highlights that captured the hearts of everyone online (not just our favorite blonde hockey player).
And now, plenty of the hair products used by her hairstylists to create the iconic look are on sale, ahead of Prime Day. We’re talking up to 35% off smoothing sprays, sea salt sprays, and more. In other words, you can have this iconic style for way less.
We took a break from rewatching the Prime Video original series and tapped the originators of the hairstyle to get all the details of how to recreate the look at home. E! spoke with the actor’s long-time hair stylists Marisa Mitchell, her stylist and dry cutting specialist, and Madison Alexis, her colorist, at HEAVEN Studios in LA.
“I feel like people like the undone, kind of free-spirited look that the cut embodies. It’s not self-serious; it’s cool without trying; it’s imperfect.” Mitchell told E!.
“Everyone wants to see a little more of that in themselves, even if it’s just for a night,” Alexis told E!. “Somehow, it’s reinventing something we’ve seen for years and love, but it is presented in a way that seems more tangible to everyone.”
Keep reading to learn more about how they created, styled, and protected the color of this iconic look.
- To achieve Allie Hayes’ hair look,start with the IGK GOOD BEHAVIOR Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray (26% off) as a leave-in spray and heat protectant.
- Add some bounce and wake up your waves with the Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse.
- Layer two texturizing sprays to create beach waves and add that messy volume: IGK BEACH CLUB Volumizing Texture Spray (22% off) & SACHAJUAN Ocean Mist Sea Salt Spray.
- For the bangs, use a rounded blow dryer and lock it in place with hairspray: Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System (35% off) + COLOR WOW Cult Favorite Firm + Flexible
Off Campus Season 1
You can watch Off Campus on Amazon Prime Video with a 30-day free trial.
How Did You Create Allie Hayes’ Off Campus Hair?
While Mitchell and Alexis were the hands behind Allie Hayes’ iconic hair look, the idea came straight from the actor herself.
“Mika has always come in with a plan,” Mitchell told E!. “She said she wanted a really drastic shag. Short layers, especially through the crown, and a heavier bang. After she explained Allie’s character, this plan for the cut made perfect sense.”
As for the color, placement is everything. The goal is to make the layers stand out. “Mika really wanted to showcase her haircut and bring it to life by adding contoured highlights and dimension,” Alexis told E!.
“Super layered cuts, or even lightly layered cuts, can read really flat both in person and on camera without having ribbons of dimension. We really wanted you to see the movement her hair has even when not in motion.”
How Can I Style My Hair Like Allie Hayes from Off Campus?
If you already rock the layered shag look Allie has on the show, you’ll still need to style your hair as she does. Mitchell told us it’s all in the layering of texturizing sprays and taking your time with diffusing.
Her go-to products for Allie’s look were IGK’s ‘Good Behavior’ as a leave-in conditioner and heat protector, Oribe’s Curl Mousse, finishing off with IGK’s Beach Club Texture Spray and Sacha Juan’s ocean mist. Then, she flips her upside down and diffuses.
“Remember that when you diffuse your hair, it always looks bad before it looks good. You gotta push through to the other side!” Mitchell told E!.
IGK GOOD BEHAVIOR Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray
This IGK spray can be applied to damp or dry hair and promises to give your locks keratin-like shine and smoothness—while protecting them from heat and frizz.
Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse
This curl mousse gives you hydrated, shiny, and bouncy curls that hold their shape throughout any frat party or Shakespeare monologue, with no frizz in sight.
IGK BEACH CLUB Volumizing Texture Spray
Perfect for any hair type, the IGK Beach Club spray creates instant beach waves and textured volume. Plus, it promises to keep your hair crunch-free and soft.
SACHAJUAN Ocean Mist Sea Salt Spray
This sea salt spray adds effortless volume, texture, and grip to your hair, creating a wavy, slightly messy look with a matte finish.
Universal Hair Diffuser
If your hair dryer didn’t already come with a diffuser attachment, this one for under $30 is a perfect option with its high rating and over 18K reviews. Plus, it comes in seven shades to choose from!
How Do I Style My Allie Hayes Bangs?
Before trying Allie Hayes’ hair look, remember you need to style your bangs. Still, don’t be afraid of them. They aren’t impossible to master. It’s all about consistency, but if you’re having a lazy day and decide to skip blowdrying, remember they’ll look just like how they’re airdrying for the rest of the day.
“So, if you have a cowlick, they need to be blow-dried,” Mitchell told E!. “It’s easy, though. Back and forth with your fingers to get them to lay forward. If you’re going to air-dry the bangs, just make sure you comb them into the position you want them to dry in while they are still wet. Patience is a virtue.”
To style your bangs, Mitchell recommends a rounded hair drying system, a hair spray, a dry shampoo, and some no-crease hair clips. She gave us some of her absolute favorites below:
Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System
“The Shark FlexStyle Styling & Drying System is the best at-home blow dryer with several different attachments,” Mitchell told E!. Featuring a unique 3-in-1 design, this viral styling system lets you blow-dry, curl, and straighten—all in one tool.
COLOR WOW Cult Favorite Firm + Flexible Hairspray
“Color Wow’s Cult Favorite Firm and Flexible Hairspray is my go-to hairspray for day-to-day styling, but definitely for after you style your bangs,” Mitchell said. This spray is formulated with a strong and flexible formula that won’t yellow or darken your locks while protecting them from UV and heat damage.
K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo
For day two (and even three) after wash day, Mitchell recommends spraying the K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo on your bangs and brushing it through. “[It’s] the absolute best dry shampoo in the world,” she told E!. “It’s incredible and makes hair look fresh and smell great.”
No Bend Hair Clips
After you blow-dry your bangs, Mitchell recommends using no-crease clips to hold them perfectly in place without messing your new style up.
What Else Should I Keep In Mind Before Trying Allie Haye’s Hair Look?
Remember, the haircut and hair color shouldn’t be separate decisions. Alexis reminded us that the cut and color are a unit. We have to pick a highlighter shade that complements our haircut, not one that works against it. “Trust your stylist. Don’t be afraid of a little warmth. It looks healthier that way!” she told E!.
IGK GOOD BEHAVIOR 4-in-1 Prep Spray
Infused with spirulina protein and coconut oil, this spray promises to detangle and smooth your hair, while giving it 24-hour frizz control, heat protection for up to 450 degrees, and shine.
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
Made with K18’s signature peptide formula, this leave-in hair mask repairs your locks at a molecular level to repair and reverse damage from bleach and color.
K18 Damage Shield Protective Shampoo
Designed for damaged and colored hair, this protective shampoo uses plant-derived surfactants and a pH-optimized formula to gently and powerfully cleanse your locks.
What Else Should I Keep In Mind Before Trying Allie Haye’s Hair Look?
Remember, the haircut and hair color shouldn’t be separate decisions. Alexis reminded us that the cut and color are a unit. We have to pick a highlighter shade that complements our haircut, not one that works against it. “Trust your stylist. Don’t be afraid of a little warmth. It looks healthier that way!” she told E!.
Looking for more celebrity hairstylist recommendations? Shop the best products for your blonde summer moment!
