Say hello to the 2024 hair trends that are about to take over your feeds (2024)

I'm a firm believer in the new-year-new-hair mindset. Personally, I started 2024 with fresh bangs and a chin-length bob haircut, but the reality is you don't need to make an appointment with your stylist or colourist to shake things up in the new year. Adopting the new-year-new-hair mindset can be as simple as investing in a cute hair accessory (see the in our roster below) or parting your hair a little differently. In fact, the biggest 2024 hair trends are shockingly simple and most are about keeping your hair natural and healthy, says Alix Earle's very own hairstylist, Dafne Evangelista. Tom Smith, hair trend forecaster, creative director at beauty brand evo and Olaplex artist also agrees, telling Cosmopolitan UK that we're seeing an evolution of existing styles.

Intrigued? Keep scrolling for all of the best trends, from what celebrities have been wearing, what was on runways, and what TikTokers are bringing to our feeds.

Best 2024 hairstyles

Single strands

Continuing the theme of asymmetry this season (hi, hello side partings!), Tom Smith says that single strands are another styling trend that almost anyone can jump on straight away. "Incredibly simple, but it feels high fashion and directional in a way that retains softness and practicality, this works on anyone with hair longer than lip length," Tom explains.

When combined with a middle parting, this look becomes a bit more noticeably designed while if done in combination with the popular side part, it looks more intentional with a different harmony and balance to it.

Headbands

Hair bows, clips and barrettes have had their moment, but 2024 is going to be all about headbands, mark my words. We've seen iterations of this trend over the last few months, namely in the form of puffy, '6os-inspired styles (like the one Emily in Paris actor, Ashley Park is wearing above) as well as thick fabric headbands à la the early aughts. But at Peter Do for Helmut Lang's SS24 runway show, we also saw the return of the stretchy, comb-style headband. Basically, we'll all be pulling our hair back this year—one way or another.

Wet look hair

"I'm obsessed with sleek hair—I think it goes with everything, from jeans and white shirts to a red carpet look," says Evangelista. On runways last autumn, designers like Helmut Lang and Prabal Gurung had models sport the wet-look while their hair was down for a mermaid-y effect, which Evangelista says can be achieved by smoothing globs of hair oil from roots to ends. This will give your hair a mega shiny, wet finish without a crunch. "This just makes your entire look so much cooler," she adds.

However, if you're into a tight, sleek look with a bun or pinned-back hair, try a strong-hold, glue-like hair gel, Evangelista says. Then, to pull back your hair, brush it through with a boar-bristle brush or edge brush for a smooth finish.

Braided updos

Get ready to see stunning braided updos all over the carpets during awards season. This is a great way to turn your protective style into a whole damn moment, and it can be done a bajillion different ways depending on your ~vibe~. But if you wanna go fancy like actor Jasmin Savoy's look, def opt for a sleek, pulled-back style to let the braids do all the talking. Feel free to swirl your edges like her, too, for some extra interest.

Easy bends

Consider this the opposite of intricate, runway hairstyles you could never do at home. Instead, we're entering an "easy" era of hair, most notably through looks that incorporate subtle bends. On their SS24 runways, designers Prabal Gurung and Staud gave models of all different lengths an ever-so-slight bend to the hair that doesn't just look effortless, but is actually pretty effortless to DIY, too. Just take a few random sections of hair and run your straightener down, adding a slight flip throughout. Then, spritz in a light-hold hairspray or texture spray to keep the shape without impeding movement.

Best 2024 haircuts/colours

Oxblood red

Tom Smith has been talking about the importance of the progression from copper into red for months now and we're only continuing to add to the body of celebrity references to pull from with these deeply vibrant red and violet tones – Dua Lipa being at the forefront with her cherry locks. As a non-naturally occurring shade (aka, no one, unfortunately, is born with this deep red hair) oxblood red tones are great for those who like to push the boundaries of their fashion and appearance.

Intense red tones are they are incredibly shiny and while it can be a project to maintain, it's a great option for those who wish to show off the health and vibrancy of their locks or who prefer polished or high-shine finishes.

Side-swept fringe

Sorry Gen-Z, the side-swept fringe is back with a vengeance. I mean, millennial icon Taylor Swift has been pushing her grown-out blunt bangs to the side recently, and even model and my personal beauty muse Gabbriette (shown above) found a way to make the side fringe cool again.

If you've already got a fringe or even face-framing layers, just part your hair over to one side to achieve a similar look. But if you're open to a haircut, ask your stylist to snip blunt straight-across bangs at your lashes or longer, which will give you some styling leeway to push 'em over to one side or split down the middle for a more Birkin-bang effect.

Halo curls

Um, let's talk about Ice Spice's influence! Her signature curly afro is the perfect 2024 update to the curly shag that's been popular for the last few years and Kerry Washington is the latest celeb to get on boad. The roundness frames your face, offering up a very striking, volumised look that still feels playful. Just make sure to bring tonnes of reference images to your hairstylist and talk through the length you're looking for to make sure you get the exact style you want.

Honey-blonde tones

Natural, grown-out blonde hair with some warmth is the new hair colour of choice for celebs who used to do bright platinum blonde (see: Alix Earle above, as well as Madelyn Cline and Khloé Kardashian), and it's going to be a staple on our feeds and IRL in 2024. "People are going more natural with their blonde colour," says Evangelista. "I've had a lot of blonde clients growing out their natural hair."

For example, when Evangelista first started seeing Earle, she had bright, platinum-blonde hair, which Evangelista says was super damaged. She suggested Earle go back to her natural base colour and break it up with some highlights and warmth throughout for a smooth look, which has made her hair look more natural and healthy, Evangelista notes.

Blunt cuts

ICYMI, some celebs lately (like Megan Fox, above) have forgone their ultra-long hair in favour of medium-length cuts with blunt ends. "I truly believe that we're gonna see a lot of blunt haircuts in 2024," says Evangelista. "We had a phase of beachy hair with very thin ends, and I think now people are looking for more blunt haircuts that look healthy and add some bounce to the hair." This type of cut helps get those full, 90s-esque blowouts with waves and curls instead of the usual "beachy waves" of years past. Ask your stylist to keep your ends as full as possible with longer, fewer layers for volume.