Top 100 Hair Trends of 2012

From Casual Cornrowed Editorials to Tie-Dye Tresses

This year's leading hair trends ranged from classic and understated to wacky and impractical styles. Heavily influenced by editorials and the fashion industry, hair trends changed as often as seasons.

Blogs like The Beauty Department showed more influence than ever, encouraging and making it easier for readers to try out daring styles like colored hair chalk. Beauty bloggers have a ton of clout in this industry, and the abundance of attention driven to these sites and tutorials is proof.

In terms of editorials and fashion hair trends, many publications showcased avant-garde styles like horn-inspired updos and bizarre braided creations, all of which had a very structural look.

Trend Hunter's Hair Trend Report is a great resource for those looking to learn more about upcoming trends in the hair industry.

SCORE
6.8 out of 10
GENDER
30% Men70% Women
MARKETTop markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa
GENERATION
  • Gen Alpha
  • Gen Z (primary audience)
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 98%
Activity 97%
Freshness 8%
Textured Tresses Photography
CATEGORY
Fashion
Textured Tresses Photography
Legendary Lock Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Legendary Lock Editorials
Grungy Fringed Fashions
CATEGORY
Fashion
Grungy Fringed Fashions
Contrast Pout Pictorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Contrast Pout Pictorials
Ethereal Intergalactic Images
CATEGORY
Fashion
Ethereal Intergalactic Images
Lookalike Couple Captures
CATEGORY
Fashion
Lookalike Couple Captures
Space Age Hair Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Space Age Hair Editorials
Avant-Garde Hair Designs
CATEGORY
Fashion
Avant-Garde Hair Designs
Rough Rocker Runways
CATEGORY
Fashion
Rough Rocker Runways
Fiercely Feminine Cadette Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Fiercely Feminine Cadette Editorials
Morbid Mohawk Runways
CATEGORY
Fashion
Morbid Mohawk Runways
Eccentric Coif Creations
CATEGORY
Fashion
Eccentric Coif Creations
Artsy Soft-Hued Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Artsy Soft-Hued Shoots
Paint-Gooped Model Photography
CATEGORY
Fashion
Paint-Gooped Model Photography
Youthful Gray-Haired Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Youthful Gray-Haired Editorials
Romancing Victorian Couple Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Romancing Victorian Couple Shoots
Gradient Makeup Galleries
CATEGORY
Fashion
Gradient Makeup Galleries
Messy Braid Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Messy Braid Editorials
Ombre Retro Coifs
CATEGORY
Fashion
Ombre Retro Coifs
Futuristic Hairstyle Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Futuristic Hairstyle Editorials
Haute Grunge Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Haute Grunge Shoots
Inked-On Buzz Cuts
CATEGORY
Fashion
Inked-On Buzz Cuts
Natural Hair Photoshoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Natural Hair Photoshoots
Hair Sculpture Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Hair Sculpture Editorials
Haute Barbie Hairdos
CATEGORY
Marketing
Haute Barbie Hairdos
Expressionless Ombre Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Expressionless Ombre Editorials
Paint-Plastered Beauty Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Paint-Plastered Beauty Editorials
Fantastical Wig Photography
CATEGORY
Fashion
Fantastical Wig Photography
Rural Redhead Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Rural Redhead Shoots
Faded Pin-Up Features
CATEGORY
Fashion
Faded Pin-Up Features
Rouge Retro Beauty Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Rouge Retro Beauty Shoots
Witchy Violet-Haired Lookbooks
CATEGORY
Fashion
Witchy Violet-Haired Lookbooks
Dazzling Sapphire-Sequined Frocks
CATEGORY
Fashion
Dazzling Sapphire-Sequined Frocks
Becoming Braid Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Becoming Braid Shoots
Retro Blond Hairstyles
CATEGORY
Fashion
Retro Blond Hairstyles
Patterned Petal Branding
CATEGORY
Fashion
Patterned Petal Branding
Urban Ombre Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Urban Ombre Editorials
Edgy Highlights Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Edgy Highlights Editorials
Pink Punk Advertorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Pink Punk Advertorials
Edgy Ostentatious Couture
CATEGORY
Fashion
Edgy Ostentatious Couture
Painted Hair Pictorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Painted Hair Pictorials
Assorted Glamor Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Assorted Glamor Editorials
Contemporary 20s Beauty Editorial
CATEGORY
Fashion
Contemporary 20s Beauty Editorial
Vintage Shaver Branding
CATEGORY
Fashion
Vintage Shaver Branding
Subtle Sci-Fi Beauty Photoshoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Subtle Sci-Fi Beauty Photoshoots
Cotton Candy-Haired Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Cotton Candy-Haired Editorials
DIY Floral Crowns
CATEGORY
Fashion
DIY Floral Crowns
Modern Marie-Antoinette Covers
CATEGORY
Fashion
Modern Marie-Antoinette Covers
Chic Goth Runways
CATEGORY
Fashion
Chic Goth Runways
Baroque Bombshell Captures
CATEGORY
Fashion
Baroque Bombshell Captures
Angelic Crowned Hairstyles
CATEGORY
Fashion
Angelic Crowned Hairstyles
Rocker Pink-Haired Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Rocker Pink-Haired Editorials
Casual Cornrowed Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Casual Cornrowed Editorials
DIY Accessory Holders
CATEGORY
Fashion
DIY Accessory Holders
Seaside Tresses DIY Videos
CATEGORY
Fashion
Seaside Tresses DIY Videos
Windswept Driving Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Windswept Driving Editorials
Urban Hipster Camouflage Couture
CATEGORY
Fashion
Urban Hipster Camouflage Couture
Woven Hair Mask Photography
CATEGORY
Fashion
Woven Hair Mask Photography
Cotton Candy Coif Captures
CATEGORY
Fashion
Cotton Candy Coif Captures
Sun-Kissed Blonde Beautorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Sun-Kissed Blonde Beautorials
Plaited Hair Headbands
CATEGORY
Fashion
Plaited Hair Headbands
Flirty Fifties Features
CATEGORY
Fashion
Flirty Fifties Features
Sultry Beachside Beautorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Sultry Beachside Beautorials
Hyper-Urban Shoots (UPDATE)
CATEGORY
Fashion
Hyper-Urban Shoots (UPDATE)
DIY Highlighter-Hued Tresses
CATEGORY
Life-Stages
DIY Highlighter-Hued Tresses
Whimsical Fairy Tale Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Whimsical Fairy Tale Shoots
Quirky Ribbon Coifs
CATEGORY
Fashion
Quirky Ribbon Coifs
Cotton Candy Captures
CATEGORY
Fashion
Cotton Candy Captures
Tie-Dye Tresses
CATEGORY
Fashion
Tie-Dye Tresses
Sequined Geometrical Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Sequined Geometrical Editorials
Pastel-Petaled Photoshoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Pastel-Petaled Photoshoots
Poised Plait Updos
CATEGORY
Fashion
Poised Plait Updos
Fantastically Floral Portraits
CATEGORY
Fashion
Fantastically Floral Portraits
Serene Sweet Tooth Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Serene Sweet Tooth Editorials
Boldly Sleek Beauty Photoshoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Boldly Sleek Beauty Photoshoots
Pastel-Haired Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Pastel-Haired Editorials
Sculptural Afro Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Sculptural Afro Shoots
Disheveled Geisha Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Disheveled Geisha Editorials
Sweet-Toothed Beauty Photoshoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Sweet-Toothed Beauty Photoshoots
Melancholic Doll-Like Shoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Melancholic Doll-Like Shoots
Pastry-Inspired Hair Tutorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Pastry-Inspired Hair Tutorials
Smudged Makeup Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Smudged Makeup Editorials
Lady Gaga Tribute Pictorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Lady Gaga Tribute Pictorials
Ghostly Elegant Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Ghostly Elegant Editorials
Couture Warrior Princesses
CATEGORY
Fashion
Couture Warrior Princesses
Gothic Sorceress Photoshoots
CATEGORY
Fashion
Gothic Sorceress Photoshoots
Eccentric Ethereal Editorials
CATEGORY
Fashion
Eccentric Ethereal Editorials
Glam DIY Hollywood Hair
CATEGORY
Fashion
Glam DIY Hollywood Hair
Psychedelic Beauty Looks
CATEGORY
Fashion
Psychedelic Beauty Looks