Hair trends that have taken over the internet

Hair is incredibly important. It speaks about us. It tells our style, who we are, or who we want to be. It can even reflect our emotions and what we are experiencing. That’s why we dedicate so much time and attention to it. We constantly experiment with new cuts, trends, and products, inspired by what we see on social media or the style of our favorite celebrities. But do we know what trends are defining the past few months? According to Trendalytics, we’ll increasingly use vegan shampoos and overnight serums, embrace the wavy hairstyles of the ’80s and ’90s, and explore spa treatments dedicated to scalp wellness.

Hair Gloss

Everyone is looking for glossy, ultra-shiny, healthier, and radiant hair. To achieve this, they turn to glossing, a treatment that adds shine, hydration, nourishment, and tone. This involves applying a creamy product similar to a hair mask or a nourishing lip gloss. The formula often includes moisturizing ingredients like keratin or pro-vitamin B5, amino acids, and antioxidant oils, but it’s free of ammonia. This product coats the hair, penetrating the cuticle and forming a protective layer over the strands and roots. Glossing can be transparent, adding pure shine, or pigmented, enhancing color and highlights. The treatment can be done at the salon or at home with specific products, giving you silky, soft, and shiny hair.

The data: +677% annual social buzz growth and +11% average weekly views on TikTok since August.

Japanese Hair Care

Asian beauty rituals and products are setting trends and driving purchases. While Korea dominates skincare, Japan takes the lead in hair care. The Japanese routine for thick, strong, and shiny hair starts with the scalp, using spa treatments, massages, scrubs, and masks to purify hair follicles, gently exfoliate dead skin, and nourish roots and strands. Highly favored are natural botanical oils, all-in-one treatments, and multi-functional sticks, but the viral product everyone wants to try is the Fino Hair Mask by Shiseido. Formulated with ginseng and six essential oils, it deeply hydrates and repairs damaged hair, restoring vitality, strength, softness, and elasticity.

The data: +686% growth in Google searches year-over-year.

Clean Hair Dye

Consumers, especially younger ones, are increasingly drawn to natural, sustainable, and green cosmetics. However, clean or organic hair dye is a myth. Experts emphasize that the only truly natural hair dyes are derived from henna, cassia, or indigo, which create reddish or brown shades. As Valerie George, VP of Research and Development at John Paul Mitchell Systems, explains: "Conventional hair dye requires four components: oxidative dyes to color the hair, antioxidants to prevent premature reactions, alkalizing agents like ammonia or MEA to swell the hair, and hydrogen peroxide. None of these are organic or natural." That said, you can find dyes free of ammonia, alcohol, and para-phenylenediamine (PPD), which can be harsh or trigger allergic reactions. Also worth trying are cruelty-free and vegan hair dyes.

The data: +2,476% growth in Google searches year-over-year.

Head Spa

Alongside the love for Japanese hair care, the trend of head spas—wellness centers for the scalp and hair—has exploded, especially in Japan. TikTok is flooded with videos documenting the experience. It starts with a scalp analysis to assess factors like sebum production, clogged follicles, or dryness, followed by tailored treatments. These involve a combination of massages, deep cleaning, exfoliation, steam treatments, conditioners, aromatherapy, and essential oils, aiming to improve scalp health and promote healthy hair growth.

The data: +140% growth in Google searches year-over-year, with 2.4 billion TikTok views on head spas, up 2.2% weekly.

Dyson Airstrait

It’s the secret to perfect hair without visiting the salon. If you don’t have one, you want one. TIME listed it among the best inventions of 2023, and TikTok crowned it a must-have. Introducing the Dyson Airstrait, a straightener designed to dry and smooth hair in a single step, transforming wet hair to dry without hot plates but with a high-pressure airflow directed downward. Say goodbye to heat damage and hello to time savings. Added it to your holiday wishlist yet?

The data: +581% growth in Google searches year-over-year.

Overnight Hair Serum

Skincare before bed is no longer enough—you need to care for your hair too. Not with the traditional 100 brush strokes, but with the new addition to the beauty products designed to work while you sleep: overnight hair serums. These lightweight leave-in formulas use advanced technology and potent active ingredients to add shine, retain moisture, smooth strands, repair damaged hair, prevent split ends, eliminate frizz, or soothe the scalp. Pick one based on your needs; applied correctly and consistently, it promises to leave your hair healthy and flowing by morning.

The data: +347% annual growth in Google searches.

Lustriva

The beauty world constantly introduces new terms, and the latest to learn, often circulating on TikTok, is Lustriva. This patented, clinically studied complex contains stabilized arginine silicate with inositol and magnesium biotinate to enhance the health of hair and skin. It can be found in the form of supplements, gummies, gels, or ready-to-drink beverages. Those who’ve tried it rave about its effects, claiming it promotes hair growth and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Are the results real?

The data: +413% growth in Google searches year-over-year and 24 million TikTok views, up 1.5% weekly.

Mermaid Braids

This trend, popularized by Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid, gained traction in the summer as a protective, low-maintenance hairstyle shielding hair from UV rays. While often associated with warm weather, Mermaid Braids can be worn year-round, as demonstrated by Janelle Monáe and Lisa Bonet. Perfect for a boho aesthetic, these braids combine sections of braided and loose hair, leaving the ends flowing—whether straight, wavy, or curly.

The data: +174% growth in Google searches year-over-year and +407% TikTok views growth from September to October.

Crimped Hair

The 1980s and 1990s continue to influence fashion, beauty, and even the way we style our hair. The latest trend making a comeback from those decades is Crimped Hair, also known as frisé. Among the fans of wavy hairstyles are numerous celebrities, from Gigi Hadid to Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Shay Mitchell, Ariana Grande, Sofia Richie Grainge, and even Margot Robbie in her Barbie look. They likely rely on their trusted hairstylists, but achieving the frisé effect is easy to do at home. There are several methods: the easiest is to use hot tools like crimping irons or weavers with wavy plates, but you can also get creative by alternating directions with a flat iron or curling iron, or braiding hair in various sizes—the smaller the braids, the tighter the waves will appear.

The data: +324% TikTok views in October.

Vegan Shampoo

In recent years, the green, natural, and vegan cosmetics sector has seen significant growth. Consumers, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are increasingly mindful of the planet and animal welfare, opting for vegan products that are cruelty-free and have a low environmental impact. This is especially true when it comes to personal care items like shampoos, body washes, deodorants, and creams. Vegan shampoo has become a TikTok must-have, with brands like Oribe, Briogeo, and Amika gaining increasing popularity.

The data: +5,000% TikTok views from September to October.