If we had a crystal ball in the salon, here's what it would be telling us about 2026. From glossy finishes to personality-laden cuts, these are the hair and beauty trends we're calling early based on insight, intuition and hair-witch magic.
SLICK IT BACK
Everywhere on the runway at the spring 2026 shows, expect it to trickle down into real life.
COLOUR MELTING
Already declared a thing by Vogue, Who What Wear, Marie Claire and more. A salon treatment that creates a diffused blend from one tone to the next.
THE 80s
The maximalist aesthetic of what some consider to be the most cringe decade will be big news, thanks to stars like Doja Cat who are embracing the bold colour and big shapes in makeup and hair. The perm will flirt with a comeback too.
Sabrina Carpenter's spiral curls.
BOWS, STILL
If you thought they'd reach peak saturation, think again. The adornment will continue as a romantic flourish, but evolve into something looser and ribbon-like (think tendrils), inspired by the braided hair laced with ribbons in Wuthering Heights.
CLASSICAL HAIR
Two highly anticipated films set in different decades will have an impact on beauty too, with the 'classical' hairstyles seen in Wuthering Heights and The Oydssey ushering in an appreciation for intricate braids and long, flowing strands.
PERFUME GETS WEIRD(ER)
Metallic florals, salty musks, milky woods: niche scents will finally go mainstream. Interesting scents will become the goal!
CLEAN GIRL BECOMES THE 'CLEAN CREATIVE'
Still polished but with pops of personality through makeup: bold liner, blurred red lips, graphic shapes, colourful mascara. Think of pop star Zara Larrson's Y2K fun, and the return of Euphoria.
GROWN-UP GLITTER
Speaking of Y2K... The favourite addition of the era, body glitter, has been making a comeback - for 2026, it's about tiny metallic sparkles used sparingly, on your body or eyes.
THE BRUSHED FINISH
Brushed-out curls, brushed-back hairlines and brushed-in volume.
