Trust Me—These Are Going to Be the Biggest Hair Trends for Spring 2022

Something about spring makes me want to reassess all my fashion and beauty choices, whether I’m clearing out my winter wardrobe or swapping my heavier makeup base for a lighter option. And when it comes to hair, I feel a specific gravitational pull toward completely new styles, colors, and cuts. Whether it’s doing a bouncier blow-dry, working with my natural texture, or opting for a different hue, the hair choices for brighter spring days are endless.

I know I’m not alone in wanting to switch things up (or else, why would you be browsing this article?), so if you’re thinking of changing things up, I spoke to some of the hair-industry experts about the trends you should be aware of for spring 2022. Take note for your next salon visit or styling session.

1. Strong Blondes

Bleaching your hair in anticipation of summer is nothing new, but there is a shift in blondes that’ll be popular for spring 2022 color appointments. "Blonde hair always makes a comeback for spring,” notes Melissa Timperley, the owner of Melissa Timperley Manchester and an ambassador for Authentic Beauty Concept. "But I think warm vanilla will be the color of the season. This rich, warm shade not only creates lots of dimensions, but it’s an easier color to pull off and maintain than platinum blonde.” So if it’s your first time bleaching your locks, this is an easier blonde to go for, as the maintenance between touch-ups is less demanding.

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2. Y2K Baby Braids

"Face-framing baby braids can really spice up hair of any length,” says Timperley. "This style is super fun and low-maintenance. Plus, it’s a great and effective way to keep the hair off your face while rocking that ultimate cool-girl look.” This look is particularly handy to have in your style arsenal if you’re growing out a fringe or even shorter face-framing layers. Use clear elastics to secure the ends, and always be gentle when removing them. I recommend using a bit of light hair oil to slide them off without snagging.

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3. Big Curls

Curls never go out of style, but this curly-haired trend is all about making things bigger, even if that means adding hair to your natural texture. "Spring 2022 is all about curls, curls, and more curls,” says Inanch Emir owner of Inanch London. "We’ve noticed that lots of our curly-haired clients have come out of the last couple of years of lockdowns with a newfound love of their natural texture and are now looking for ways to work with and enhance it. As extension specialists, we’ve never seen more clients request curly extensions.” For a long time, curls and extensions did not mesh, but thanks to new texture availability and styling capabilities, the possibilities are endless. "With extensions, you can really emphasize curls with styles that are packed full of volume, length, or even color,” says Emir.

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4. Straight to the Point

If you have naturally straight hair, spring is all about enhancing the sleekness of your mane. Focus on getting your hair to the healthiest condition with regular trims and treatments to keep hair glossy and hyper-reflective. "I’m seeing a lot more clients opting for that really straight, super-shiny hair, and I am loving it, especially teamed up with a middle parting,” says Barry Maddocks, creative director of Haringtons.

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5. The New Rachel

"Who’s not had the Rachel cut at least once?” asks Anne Veck, owner of Anne Veck Salons. "Well, it’s back again, but it is just a little bit longer this time around.” Just have a look on your social channels, and you’ll see a wave of tutorials on using hot-brush stylers and rollers to create bouncy volume with layered cuts. "Maybe it is the unintended aftereffect of lockdown and not having access to your hairstylist, but we have noticed an increase in clients requesting the iconic style but keeping it longer, sort of like a mix between Brigitte Bardot and Rachel Green,” says Veck.

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6. Luxurious Brunette

I’m a brunette, and the pull to lighten my hair for spring/summer has won in the past, but this year, I am all about maintaining my hue. According to Seniz Alkan, color director at Neville Hair and Beauty, more clients will be looking to explore the dimensions of brunette to create an expensive hue: "At Neville Hair and Beauty, we’re moving clients away from the flat, one-tone-all-over look to focus on multiple subtle shades to achieve dimension by intermixing different tones that best suit the facial features and skin tone.”

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7. Boho Braids, Twists, and Locs

"Currently, I’m seeing that a lot of women with textured hair are getting Zoë Kravitz–influenced boho braids, which are in right now,” says Molecia Seasay, celebrity stylist. "This look is chic, natural looking, effortless, and lightweight.” The individuality of the look is key. It’s less rigid than traditional box braids. The hair used is lighter, so there’s less pressure on the scalp, and it can be worn and reworn more often before you need a break. Keep your scalp lubricated and calm when wearing this style by using scalp oils and sprays to hydrate topically.

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8. The Air-Dry Style

Naturally wavy locks? It’s time to air-dry to enhance the texture of your hair. "This style is perfect for anyone who wants to rock that model-off-duty look but still wants to look a little bit glam,” says Seasay. It’s about manipulating your hair as little as possible and enhancing the quirks of its natural movement. After washing, you’ll want to towel-dry your hair and gently rake through a styling cream if you have thicker hair or a styling spray if you have finer hair. When it’s almost dry, apply a light oil to the lengths and ends.

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9. Copper Renaissance

Elena Lavagni, the owner of Neville Hair and Beauty, predicts that copper tones are the bold trending color of the season. You can add a copper tone to lighter brunette locks at home with a color conditioner or opt for in-salon color services if you are looking for something more permanent.

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10. Slicing Ends

Looking for a change to your cut that’s not a bold, blunt look but not heavy on the layers either? Allow me to introduce you to slicing. Essentially, your stylist will soften the ends of your cut to create a lightness for your look, no matter the length. "I love the effect that slicing creates with soft tips and movement regardless of length, style and texture,” says Elle Bondoc, senior stylist at Neville Hair and Beauty. "It’s the perfect transitional style from spring to summer.” 

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11. Bring It All Back

One thing that’s for sure is the less you play with and touch your hair, the better condition it’ll be in, so it’s not surprising that the pony braid is set to take off for spring. "One spring/summer trend I’m predicting is the pony braid, as it’s really easy to style, suits most face shapes, and looks great from day into evening,” says Dionne Smith, celebrity stylist. "To make it unique, simply experiment with the length of the ponytail you prefer and just plait the hair as neatly as you can so it’s consistent throughout.”

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This post originally appeared on Who What Wear UK.

Next: 6 Easy Hairstyles That Will Make Your Hair Look So Much Healthier