How Pro Surfers Styled Their Hair For The 2025 World Surf League Awards

Being a professional surfer certainly has its perks, but one of the occupational hazards is major wear and tear on your hair. The sun and salt water can result in dryness and frizz, so these athletes always need a little extra TLC when they want to look and feel more glamorous on off-duty days. Take the 2025 World Surf League Awards, for example. The annual event rounds up some of the best-in-class surfers and members of the community to take a break from their rash guards and boards and slip into something more formal. This year their stressed-out tresses got some help from WSL sponsor and sustainable hair care brand Blu & Green, resulting in a variety of beachy chic styles to try — whether you ride waves or not.

The WSL and Blu & Green make perfect partners, as the beauty brand was founded by James Pecis, an top editorial and celebrity hairstylist (he counts Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lily-Rose Depp among his past clients) who also happens to love surfing. In fact, the impetus for his hair care line came to him while in the water. “I was once surfing and had a bottle from a hair company I've worked for float past me — that was a sign that I needed to create B&G,” Pecis exclusively tells TZR. From there he knew the industry needed a more sustainable solution, and his brand was born.

And Pecis says these values mirror those of the WSL, which is why the two were a natural pairing. “The WSL has also taken a strong environmental stance in ocean preservation and the elimination of unwanted single use plastics,” he explains. “[At Blue & Green we] want to disrupt the beauty industry and create change with our environmental stance and innovation.” Specifically, the brand utilizes clean formulations and plastic-free packaging.

Additionally, Blu & Green is already a favorite of surfers who Pecis says love using the brand’s Weekly Repair Mask to help heal their wave-thrashed hair. That said, it was a match made in surf heaven when New York City-based session stylist Adlena Dignam was on-hand at the awards ceremony to give attendees like Bettylou Sakura Johnson and Brisa Hennessy a series of celebration-worthy hairstyles from bombshell blowouts to spiky top knots and of course some classic beach waves using all Blu & Green products. Ahead, see a few of the standout styles.

Bettylou Sakura Johnson

Two-time WSL Challenger Series winner Johnson wore her waist-length hair in healthy, shiny, defined waves for the annual event.

Brisa Hennessy

Hennessy (pictured here with fellow surfer Brittany Hokulani Penaroza), sported a classic beach wave texture — loose and perfectly undone. Her half-up hairstyle featured two face-framing tendrils in front.

Caroline Marks

Caroline Marks (pictured with surfer/singer Alexxa Elseewi) skipped the waves and opted for a bouncy, shiny blowout, which she paired with electric blue eyeliner.

Molly Picklum

To create pro surfer Molly Pickum’s effortless updo, Dignam carefully pinned up curled sections of hair, making sure to keep the texture a little soft and beachy.

Mahina Florence

Wife of pro surfer Nathan Florence and prominent member of the surf community, Mahina Florence paired a spiky top knot with her sheer halter dress.