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6 Hair Trends Set to Explode in 2022
If you take only one thing into the new year, let it be a heavy dollop of inspiration for your next hairstyle. Because, while we love the expensive brunette and shadow root hair trends of 2021, there are fresh and exciting hair opportunities to be found in 2022. Namely, stacked bobs, soft bangs and fluffy 90s-inspired layers – all waiting for us on the horizon. The only thing we need to do is learn how to ask our hairdressers for them.
1. Bottleneck bangs
“Bottleneck bangs are an exceptional technique to frame the face,†explains Smith. “Many people don’t suit a classic ‘fringe’ (the solid horizontal line across the face), but most can wear bottleneck bangs to add softness to the face.
In essence, this hairstyle takes inspiration from the neck of a bottle; starting slim and short in the middle, curving longer around the eyes, and then longest following the line of the cheekbone. This allows the length and angle to be adjusted depending on whether you want to make your cheekbones appear wider or stronger, or maybe you’d prefer to slim and narrow a wider face, drawing focus to your eyes and lips.
Bottleneck bangs also soften the face when tying your hair up into a bun or ponytail as you can leave them out to frame the face. You could also leave just the shorter softer fringe pieces or longer face-framing tendrils out, too.
How to ask for this style
Then ask for the central part to be cut shorter, keeping the cutting line soft and choppy, with the shortest part in the middle and getting longer on the edges.
2. Fluffy hair
“Gen Zs are calling Adele’s blonde blow-dry style the ‘fluffy hair trend’ and it’ll be even bigger in 2022. The 90s layers are all about bounce and volume and are great for longer and thicker hair, providing fluffy, effortlessly glamour. It’s all about cushioned and airy volume with a soft blended contrast. The fluffier the better. Use your product to smooth and lift, not to weigh down,†says Smith.
How to ask for this style
The colour you ask your hairdresser for is ‘Nectar Blonde’ which looks luxurious, golden and warm. It’s a cosy and comforting shade that looks expensive and rich. Bright and soft contrast highlights frame the face, giving depth to the style.
The key here is to lighten the hair’s base colour to a dark golden blonde, adding warm vanilla cream highlights through the layers and to the face frame area.
Avoid purple shampoo with this colour. Instead, enhance warmth and richness using products with beige and golden tones, such as Evo Fabuloso Beige. This works with the natural yellow undertone of blonde hair helping it to have the richness of nectar rather than the brassiness of yellow.
3. Contouring
With Sarah Jessica Parker back on our screens, the famous Money Piece hair trend is back with a modern twist. In 2022 it will evolve into the ‘Hair Contour’.
Instead of clusters of highlights, hair contouring uses a softer-contrast lighter shade, painted around the face in a soft colour block, incorporating all the hair directly around the face including the shorter baby hairs. This is a great technique for those who flip their hair over or push their hair back away from the face as the softer contrast between hair colour and skin tone lifts and brightens the face.
It is also reasonably low maintenance because there is less contrast with the colour along the hair part which does tend to look more obvious as it grows out.
4. 3D curls
So many people have discovered (or rediscovered) their true hair texture and are embracing their natural curls thanks to multiple lockdowns.
However, natural curls require specific care and can easily feel or look dry or frizzy. ‘3D curls’ are all about embracing the multidimensional beauty of curly hair.
Using a strong hold gel or balm to define the curls will initially create a crunchy ‘cast’ but this should be encouraged and left alone until the hair is 100% dry. You then ‘break the cast’ of the curls by gently massaging – never run your fingers through the curls or be tempted to brush them.
3D curls look best when they are glossy and shiny so choose products that have a moisturising factor as well as strong holding ability, and consider finishing with a shine spray or gently scrunching through a few drops of shine serum. Remember, curly hair can handle much more product than straight hair types so don’t be afraid to load up the product to give definition and shine.
5. Stacked bobs
The ‘Stacked Bob’ (sometimes known as a ‘Table-Top Bob’) is a triangular silhouette that works best on textured or curly hair. Cutting a blunt horizontal line that allows the curls to stack up creates a triangular silhouette really shows off the beauty of natural curls as they are shown in contrast with a strong silhouette and a structured shape.
6. Expensive blondes and coppers
"In 2022, the ‘Expensive Brunette’ trend will evolve into a larger category of expensive blonde and copper too,†explains Smith.
The ‘expensive’ element is all about soft contrast and finely woven dimension and so the same rules will apply to lighter and redder hair. With blondes it means colouring the base colour lighter too as well as adding highlights.
The brunettes that embraced the ‘expensive trend’ will see how far they can push it before getting into ‘blonde’ territory, evolving into softer more caramel versions and enjoying the added lightness. Many people will build on this and evolve into lighter, warmer, toffee, amber and soft light demerara shades.