The Hair Report

Hair is a major player when it comes to identity and self-expression. However, as the industry continues to evolve, it can be hard to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not. Last year, the global hair care sector alone was estimated to be worth £395.7 billion and is expected to grow by 3.76% per year by 2026.

In creating the Hair Report, Cosmetify has discovered the biggest brands in hair care, as well as the hottest hair trends from the last year. We even reveal the predicted trends for 2023 (so you can get ahead of the game), as well as social media’s most popular ‘hairfluencers’.

HAIRSTYLES BRANDS RISING STARS HAIRFLUENCERS

Hairstyles

Whether it’s going for the big chop, cutting in bangs or experimenting with colour, hairstyles help us hit refresh on our look, allow identity expression and even define decades. Last year, we saw hair trends come and go, as well as the resurgence of some classic styles, but which style was your favourite? Below, we rank the most searched hairstyles, as well as the styles with the biggest increase in popularity.

Buzz cut

Wolf cut

Curtain bangs

Pixie cut

Box braids

Most Searched Hairstyles

Buzz cut

It seems as though we’re still buzzing about the ‘buzz cut’ as the hairstyle steals the top spot with over 1.6 million searches in the last twelve months. The androgynous ‘buzz cut’ dominated 2022, with the likes of Demi Lovato, Willow Smith and Justin Bieber all rocking a shaved head. The low maintenance style gives a bold and confident look as it sees a close-to-the-head shave.

Most Searched Hairstyles

Wolf cut

The ‘wolf cut’ is an uber cool hairstyle that exploded in 2022. Not only did it rack up over 1.3 million Google searches throughout the year, but it also went mega viral on TikTok, with the hashtag accumulating over 2.7 billion views. The ‘wolf cut’ combines the 70s ‘shag cut’ and the 80s ‘mullet’ to create a heavily, choppy layered look. Billie Eilish, Doja Cat and Miley Cyrus are just a few of the celebrities that jumped on this trend.

Most Searched Hairstyles

Curtain bangs

‘Curtain bangs’ are proving to be a long-standing favourite, as they move up from fourth to third place. The face-framing fringe accumulated over 74,000 monthly searches throughout the year and continues to dominate our social media feeds. As we’re experiencing the revival of 60s and 70s hairstyles, we can only predict that curtain bangs are here to stay.

Most Searched Hairstyles

Pixie cut

The pixie cut was all the rage in the early 2000s, (think Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ era), and now it’s back with a bang. Averaging around 60,500 searches a month, it’s climbed its way into the top five trending hairstyles of 2022. We can also expect to see modern takes on the ‘pixie’ throughout 2023, as styles such as the ‘bixie’ and the ‘mixie’ are already gaining attention.

Most Searched Hairstyles

Box braids

With 40,500 monthly searches and 9.1 million Instagram hashtags, box braids rightfully take fifth place. Box braids are individual plaits parted into small squares or boxes, hence the name. While they may be popping up all over your social feeds, box braids are no new invention – they originated in Africa and date back thousands of years to local tribes. As well as being super stylish, they’re also a great protective style for natural hair.

Butterfly haircut

Wednesday Addams hair

Jellyfish haircut

90s layers

Bottleneck bob