Hair Trends 2024: Cuts, Tools & Ingredients

Key Ingredients

Hair health has been a popular topic within beauty in recent years.  Turmeric (+15% to LY), used in ayurvedic beauty practices, is an excellent hair care ingredient with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that combats dandruff and hair loss as well as aids in oil control. Rosemary oil has become a staple ingredient within scalp care products—note Pacifica’s Love Scalp Rosemary Mint Serum—and a TikTok favorite ingredient with over 3B views. Carnosic acid––found in rosemary oil––heals nerve tissue that, in effect, stimulates hair growth.  Similarly, castor oil (+50% to LY) shampoos—think Kitsch—and serums promote hair growth by nourishing and strengthening strands of hair; humectants, Vitamin E and the fatty acids found in castor oil make it the perfect hydrating ingredient. Tea tree oil is coming back into the mainstream within haircare; known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, this ingredient is a scalpcare favorite that helps to manage irritation, oiliness and overall scalp health. Brands such as Paul Mitchell and Briogeo are top sellers in tea tree products. Typically used in skincare products, hyaluronic acid (+32% to LY) is making its way into the haircare space due to its plumping and smoothing capabilities. Hyaluronic acid allows the scalp and hair follicles to retain moisture for longer, reducing frizziness, and combats heat damage, leaving hair smooth and glossy.

Hair Colors

2024 has set the tone for experimenting with fresh hair colors, primarily sticking to darker tones that feel elevated and new. Fox hair dye is a safe bet trend for the year, up +184% to last year in searches. This trend is meant to resemble a fox tail by dyeing the bottom of the hair in orange, red and dark brown hues. Dark red hair and copper hair were top-picks from the street- style set during the Fall/Winter 2024 fashion month and are both expected to continue growth for months to come. Likewise, we saw rose gold hair and sleek pinks—think Megan Fox—re-emerge during fashion month, too,  and are already garnering a high search volume of 12k average weekly searches. The Barbiecore obsession is starting to fade and we are seeing a shift from icy, bleach blonde hair to honey blonde that feels more natural with warmer tones. Products in the market are up +76% to last year and online engagement is high as TikTok is taking to this trend. Also, ash hair is an emerging trend experiencing +114% in market adoption to last year. Ash brown hair in particular, consisting of cooler undertones, is projected to be the top color of the year as we see hair trends leaning towards more natural tones, giving “French girl”.

Hair Cuts & Styles

Currently, hair styles are leaning elevated and timeless. An internet favorite, the Italian bob is a safe bet trend up +118% to last year in searches after being seen on celebrities like Zendaya and Hailey Bieber. Throughout the year, we expect to see this trend evolve whether seen in a blunt cut, with chunky layers, or even in a lob iteration, too. French bangs are another effortlessly chic style up +75% to last year. This cut frames the face with wispy fringes that feel romantic and perfectly unkempt. A runway must-try, the slick bun is a TikTok hit with 354M views on the platform. This trend is nostalgic and classy, especially when it comes to decorating the bun with a bow detail or glitter as seen at Christian Siriano’s Fall/Winter 2024 show. The side part is coming back—to the relief of Millennials–with over 2B views on TikTok. This style was popular during fashion month as well, seen in a variety of looks from side part slicked back hair or side part curled hair. Leaning into the boho chic aesthetic, boho braids are +170% to last year in searches and will be a popular look for the spring and summer months. 

Hair Tools

The top-of-mind hair tools for consumers at the moment have gained popularity via TikTok as users post their positive reviews.  For example, the thermal brush is up +1,745% to last year in searches; infrared thermal brushes are desirable for their ability to tame unruly, frizzy hair by sealing the hair cuticle resulting in lasting moisture and a sleek finish. The blow out brush is another TikTok favorite made popular by the Dyson Airwrap Styler last summer. Dyson straighteners (+62% to LY) are effective for those with thicker, curlier hair looking for a straight, sleek finish that need a bit more oomph than an air brush can give. On the other hand, consumers are still interested in heatless styling options like heatless rollers. Heatless rollers are up +77% to last year, and Scunci is a top selling brand within this segment. Thanks to social media, cultural trends are being shared across demographics, one of them being the edge brush. This toothbrush-like tool allows you to style, sculpt and smooth baby hairs and has grown in market adoption with over 300 products in the market. 

Scalpcare

A hot topic at the moment, scalpcare (+16% to LY) is the new buzz word when it comes to hair health. We are seeing a variety of scalp-focused products hit the market as consumers focus on haircare starting at the root. Scalp serums (+75% to LY) are particularly popular for nourishing the scalp and promoting hair growth with +33% market adoption to last year—Oribe, Virtue and Sisley Paris among the top- selling brands. Scalp oils (+34% to LY) work similarly in moisturizing the scalp to deter dryness and improve overall hair health, oftentimes with rosemary oil as a top ingredient. Going viral online, scalp scrubs are gaining traction as consumers seek a full scrub and treatment from their hair stylists. Scalp scrubs have a high search volume of 20k average weekly searches, up +24% to last year. Scalp tools are emerging in the beauty space, too, including the scalp massager which promotes blood flow in the scalp. Scalp massagers are +37% in market adoption to last year and most saturated in the luxury market. 

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