Karol G just reminded me why I'll never get tired of seeing wet, wavy hair on the red carpet. The singer joined the bulk of the music industry on Monday night to attend the American Music Awards in Las Vegas, where she performed on stage and accepted the award for Best Latin Album. On the red carpet, she wore a two-piece ensemble that included a tattered, long-sleeve, mesh top over a black bra top that she paired with a black flared maxi skirt with a bubble hem. To add to the look's carefree aura, she wore a light pink lip color and styled her hair in messy, wet mermaid waves.
The wet hair agenda was so strong on Monday night, you'd think that every celeb in attendance coordinated their looks together beforehand. Aside from Karol G, other attendees who rocked the mermaid look included Tinashe, who wore her jet-black hair in a straight, wet style with bangs, and singer Bebe Rexha, who wore a platinum-blonde hydro bob with dark roots.
The American Music Awards red carpet isn't the only recent event that's been dominated by glossy, wet hair. Tyla wore mermaid glam to this year's Met Gala thanks to celebrity hairstylist Yusef Williams, and months before that, Sydney Sweeney wore a wet bob to GQ's Men of the Year event in Los Angeles. According to hairstylist Gregory Patterson, who previously predicted that the wet look (specifically the glossy bob) would be a major trend in 2026, wet hair “comes alive more in how it’s styled.”
“Think of creating a really high-gloss polish that is intentionally shine-enhanced through finish products, but without looking overly wet,” he adds. Glossy waves are pretty easy to achieve at home, and if you've already added them to your summer hair wish list, read ahead to see how to get the look.
Grab a hair dryer with high airflow to dry wet, freshly-washed hair quickly.
Use a generous amount of oil to get a glossy look.
For natural curls and waves, use an air dry cream to give your hair a beachy look.
This in-shower treatment will give your hair a glassy finish in less than five minutes.
Finish off with a lightweight mist that'll make the hair look shiny (but not oily).
