Hair trends 2022: bye-bye balayage, hello bob cut (2023)

FAQs

Are bobs in style for 2022? ›

Adding: “Short hair took 2022 by storm and the sleek chin-length bob was a showstopper for many celebrities on the red carpet. A bob is one of the few haircuts that gives women the power to completely change their projected image with small styling changes.”

“Hair color trends are staying within the natural color families, rich browns with seamless caramel highlights. Subtle balayages are still very popular. I'm seeing a lot more requests for natural, copper reds and mahogany tones as well!”

Just keep in mind that, the lower you apply balayage on a bob, the sooner it gets cut out. That's why we tend to start highlights higher than we would on mid-length or longer hair. Once the lightener has developed, rinse out and – if needed – tone the hair to the perfect shade. Then it's time to blow-dry and style…

'Hair Frosting' Is Replacing Balayage In London Salons.

“A bob is one of those styles that can make some people look younger—if done right. But when it's done incorrectly or done on the wrong face, it can make you look older.”

You may hear the new buzzy internet trend—the “octopus haircut”—and wonder, what is THAT?! Spoiler: It's a shag. TikTok users are characterizing the look by its top-heavy shape, choppy layers and longer lengths that give it that “tentacle” vibe.

Balayage is a free-hand technique — the stylist applies colors to the hair as an arbitrary pattern, thus making it look similar to naturally sun-kissed strands. Worth trying, and this is why! Check out these hair color ideas for short hair to feel gorgeous, stunning, and modern.

As balayage involves lightly hand-painting the surface of the hair, it depends on how many highlights you are opting for. A simple few highlights can take 45 minutes, whereas a layered balayage can take up to three hours.

Who Shouldn't Get Balayage. While balayage works with almost all hair types, colors and textures, it's not recommended for those with heavily highlighted hair. “This hair type will require the hair to be partially darkened and then highlighted,” says Papanikolis.

Forget what you've heard – balayage is here to stay. This particular shade is great for brunettes looking for a low maintenance way to lighten things up, and bring warmth to the face.

What's cheaper than a balayage? ›

However, highlights are a lot less expensive than balayages. (One point for the highlight team!) A partial highlight is one of the most common highlight services, and it's generally priced between the cost of a base touch up and the cost of a full color; which is usually less than $100.

Caramel Balayage

Adding caramel highlights can help to warm and soften facial features; and the balayage technique ensures your highlights grow out without a demarcation line. These things all lead to a more youthful appearance.

There are many gorgeous hair colors for women over 50 – from blonde and gray to red and brunette, and those exquisite color blends in balayage and ombre solutions. And just being older doesn't mean you can't have fun with highlights and mix-ins. Your locks deserve to be spoiled just like you!

"Oval face shapes are the most universal for bobs," notes Buckett. "You can do anything from blunt to short or long, and it can be done on any hair type." Bangs, layers, curls, angles—you name it.

Shoulder-length hair (or longer) with layers

Forget what you thought about long hair past the age of 40—thick hair actually looks more youthful and polished when it falls shoulder-length or longer. Shorter hair has a tendency to expand at the ends, leaving you with an unflattering triangle effect.

“For 2023 it will have an updated feel with more layers and softer cropped fringes, like a '70s or 90s-esque curtain bang, and copious amounts of movement made easy from internal layers – perfect for that on trend cool girl,” he says. Or, if you can't decide between a bob and a pixie, combine both.

“The shag— or super layered hair cut— is the trend,” says Saviano. “It works on almost every hair texture and length, and you can even style this look with or without bangs. It gives off a cool, low maintenance vibe, and truly brings out the best of natural hair texture, as the layered cut gives the hair movement.”

Mid-Length Layered Hair for 2022

According to Valles, 2022 will be less about the long, thick inches and more about classic medium-length to long-length hairstyles. Hairstyles will still feature lots of layers shown off by a blowout and heavy side part.

Medium, One-Length Cuts

"Medium, one-length haircuts will be trending for summer 2022," Hurtado predicts. Why is the simple style coming back? She explains, "They're low maintenance, not too long and not too short, and you can still put your hair up."

Balayage on short hair can look stunning, whether your hair is curly and layered or straight and blunt-cut. The technique allows to create dimension and accentuate natural layers and curves, so balayage is excellent for making short hair pop!

Why do hairdressers tease hair for balayage? ›

Why do you tease the hair? We tease the hair to create a seamless blend without any hint of a blunt line. The technique is somewhat unique. The idea is it pulls some hair out and away from the color so when everything comes backs together, there is a natural blend of highlights and base hair.

Traditionally, a full balayage involves applying highlights all over the hair. But a partial or half head balayage only covers the top layer of hair and not its entirety.

Though balayage is expensive, the exact price depends on your particular salon and stylist. Typically, balayage costs between $70 to $300. By comparison, a full head of regular highlights only costs around $75 to $150. Additionally, it may take up to three sessions to get your hair as light as you want it to be.

Remember the golden rule: "You should tip 20 percent on the entire service cost, not per individual," says Schweitzer. So if your haircut and blow-dry cost $40 total, and your color was $60, your total service cost comes to $100. That means you should tip $20 divided between the colorist and stylist.

This question is asked a lot, as many people are interested in whether they can get a balayage to cover grey hair or grey roots as they age. And the good news is, yes, you can! Balayage is a great solution to dealing with grey strands and making your hair look youthful again.

"You technically can use balayage — the freehand paint method — to ombré your hair." But with balayage, the bleach begins about two inches away from the root for a grown-out effect.

How long does Balayage last in your hair? One of the greatest advantages of Balayage is how long it lasts. Traditional foil highlights require touch ups every few weeks, whereas Balayage will last 3-4 months on average.

Balayage cons.

But it's not a very bold hair change, it doesn't create uniform root-to-tip color, and it may not be powerful enough to dramatically lighten darker hair (or hair that's been colored many times). It can also skew a little bit on the red side if your hair is dark.

Should I wash my hair before balayage? No, you should not wash your hair before a balayage treatment. You want to allow some natural oils to build up on your scalp and hair before the appointment. The oils soothe, moisturize, and protect your scalp.

What hair colour makes you look younger? ›

Caramel, honey, gold, copper, and strawberry give a healthy brightness that makes us look and feel younger. (Framing your face with lighter shades draws the eye away from any complexion concerns, as well.)

An overall 2023 hair trend you'll be noticing? Light-to-medium brown shades. “People will be taking their color deeper this year,” says hairstylist Clariss Rubenstein, “even if it's just a darker, more blended shade of blonde, or a creamy mushroom brown.”

Hair Styling – If someone is looking for subtle style changes then choose partial balayage, whereas full balayage is meant for more radical changes to your hair.

"Highlights are often placed much closer to the scalp and applied in specific sections while the balayage process includes a graduated painting the color onto the hair in random sections," says Rivera. If you are looking to add non-uniform chunks or sweeps of color, balayage is a better option.

Another advantage of getting balayage hair color is that with this style, your roots won't show as quickly as they would with other traditional highlighting methods. The downside is that balayage can be expensive and if not done correctly, it will not result in the best look for your hair.

Bobs are still very much in vogue, and Syd Hayes predicts that the “box” style will be one of the most popular for 2023. “It's an extremely classic Vidal Sassoon bob,” says Hayes. “A sharp shape, that's striking—less about the layers and more about straight lines and angles.” It's the epitome of a power haircut.

2022 Fashion Trend: Regencycore, Continued

Corsets, pearls, lady cardigans, and prim florals show no signs of a slow-down. Embrace this form of head-to-toe elegance for polished occasions like work or a party. Or, flirt with the trend with a single frilled piece combined with leggings and sneakers.

Two bobs are making waves for autumn 2022. “The razor sharp bob and undone bob are becoming increasingly popular. Aka bobs that have layers vs a sharp edge,” says Andrew.

"Oval face shapes are the most universal for bobs," notes Buckett. "You can do anything from blunt to short or long, and it can be done on any hair type." Bangs, layers, curls, angles—you name it.

The French Bob 2.0

The French bob is similar to a one-length bob cut and there's no heavy layering involved, which gives it a chic, triangular shape. "This short, jaw-length style promotes movement and texture," explains Stephen Buller, hairstylist and cofounder of Buller and Rice.

How do you look classy in 2022? ›

Over the course of 2022, we witnessed many design microtrends take center stage. There was coastal grandmother, dark academia, light academia, crustaceancore, plazacore, preppy aesthetic, and old money aesthetic, just to name a few.

Insider asked two style experts to share which fashion trends should be left in 2022. Denim-on-denim looks and camo-print clothes are both fading, as are larger sunglasses. They also said high-waisted pants were being replaced by mid- and low-rise varieties.

Winter 2023 is going to be about comfort and oversized statement pieces. Street style trends from November and December 2022 point toward fur and fleece-lined jackets, oversized pants, and gender neutral silhouettes. Bags are small, bright, and often crossbody. Utilitarian cargo pants and vests are also trending.

"It's a shoulder-length bob with layered ends and face-framing layers." The wispy, glossy finish harks back to the '90s, but the shorter length makes it modern and so wearable in 2022 — much like this by Annmarie on Instagram.

The best clothes to wear if you have a bob hairstyle

To get the most out of your bob hairstyle, try to combine it with clothes that are chic and timeless. For example, a bob looks great with classic styles like blazers, pants and fitted dresses. It also goes well with casual looks like T-shirts and jeans or shorts.

A French bob, or a classic Parisian women's cut, is a form of a cropped bob that's cut at chin-length and paired with bangs sitting at the brow line. The French haircut has been modernized by certain characteristics including a blunt cut, heavy texture, and beachy wavy hair.