It’s hard to believe that 2021 is almost over. While this year was nowhere near as chaotic as 2020, it still proved to be quite an interesting year, especially in terms of hair. Amid the ever-changing highs and lows of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, people got very experimental with their hair, as proven by Google’s Year in Search—the search engine’s annual report of the most popular queries. According to the top ten trending hair searches this year, people were very keen on trying new things with their hair, from vibrant colors to TikTok-influenced haircuts and everything in-between. While we will have to wait and see what 2022 has in store for us where hair is concerned, for now take a look at Google’s list of the most-searched hair trends of 2021.
Wolf Cut Hair
If TikTok had a favorite haircut this year, it was without a doubt the wolfcut. This hybrid haircut—it’s a combination of the ‘70s shag and ‘80s mullet—quickly took the platform by storm with its dedicated hashtag racking up more than 800 million views by year’s end.
Skunk Stripe Hair
2021 saw the pop-punk era of the early 2000s make an epic comeback—one that soon trickled over into the hair space in the form of “skunk hair” or two-colour hair. Nothing short of bold, this grungy look was spotted on an array of major stars like Dua Lipa, Gwen Stefani, Kehlani, and Miley Cyrus. Whether spread out over the entire hair or worn as face-framing streaks, one thing’s for certain—this look definitely made a bold statement.
Fluffy Hair
Pin-straight strands? Ugh, as if! This year was all about hair with extreme volume—in fact, the bigger, the better. It seemed everyone was yearning for that effortless fluffy blowout that seemed to rule the ‘90s. Think Cher Horowitz’s gorgeous bouncy yet polished hair in Clueless. This look has been having a major moment all across the Internet and has been spotted on countless stars like Kim Kardashian, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jennifer Lopez.
Squid Game Hair
Few shows captured the world’s attention like Netflix’s Squid Game did this year. Aside from being extremely binge-worthy, the dystopian South Korean drama also had many itching to copy lead character, Seong Gi-Hun’s striking red hair color.
Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair
Brown hair with blonde highlights—aka, “bronde”— were a match made in hair heaven for many this year. But, are we really surprised? The hair color combo looks ridiculously good on just about everyone as stars like Jennifer Lopez, Lily Collins, and Hailey Bieber have proved.
Hair Tinsel
Do you remember when literally everyone was wearing hair tinsel back in early 2010? No, seriously—Beyonce even wore it to the 2010 Grammys! Well, thanks to Gen Z teens and TikTok, hair tinsel is back and more popular than ever. The hashtag #hairtinsel has even racked up more than 73 million views on the platform.
Money Piece Hair
You more than likely heard the term “money piece” all over social media this year and for good reason. These face-framing hair highlights seemingly became everyone’s favorite way to spice up their hair.
Curtain Bangs Straight Hair
Bangs got a major refresh this year and that’s thanks in part to the resurgence of the ‘70s-inspired curtain bang. This much longer bang—which sweeps to the sides of the face like literal curtains—surged in popularity amongst celebrities, influencers, and hair lovers alike, due its low maintenance nature and versatility.
Ashy Copper Hair
2021 had us all seeing red when it came to hair. From coppery golds to sunny auburns, the bold, fiery hue quickly became the most requested hair color of the moment. Even famous faces like Dua Lipa, Ashley Benson, and Gigi Hadid couldn’t help but join the copper hair bandwagon.
Butterfly Locs Hair
While faux locs have always been a popular protective hairstyle, this year saw many opting for a new twist on the beloved style—the butterfly loc. In fact you’ve likely seen this 90’s inspired, textured loc all over Instagram and TikTok. Unlike tightly wrapped locs, these locs are more distressed in nature, giving off an effortless and almost dreamy look that mimics natural hair texture.
Which hair trends did you search this year? Let us know in the comments below!
