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TikTok can easily suck you in for hours with entertaining videos, but some of the hairstyles and tricks we’ve learned on the app are life-changing.
Learn about the cutest TikTok hair trends in our roundup without having to hunt them all down on the app. You’ll find trendy ways to cut and style your hair for a fresh new look in our compilation!
We’ll also show you the 5 worst TikTok hair trends to avoid. Some trends just aren’t worth trying and TikTok is full of people who’ve learned the hard way.
10 Best TikTok Hair Trends and How to Try Them
A girl with the dark side tiktok promoting social network with a smartphone in hand. Medias, Romania, 29.03.2021/Ti Vla/Shutterstock
There’s a lot of good hair content on TikTok, but it takes a while to sift through it all to find the best. We’ve done the work for you to bring you a list of the best TikTok hair trends on the app!
These are the most popular trends that deserve your undivided attention. If we put it on the list, trust us – you need to try it!
You’ll find cute haircut ideas, easy styles to try, genius hair hacks to make life a little easier, and DIY treatments that will totally transform your mane. Here are the best TikTok hair trends around – the viral styles and cuts that are definitely worth trying.
1. 90s Inspired Blended Layers
@hairby_chrissy #hairby_chrissy #hairextensionspecialist #hairextensions #habithairx #habitsalon #90slayers #faceframinglayers #layers #haircut @kirsten @makinleybeckerman0 @Hairby_savannahh ♬ I Got A Shot – Jack Harlow
Blended waterfall layers like it’s 1999 with hair full of body and movement? Yes please! While TikTok made this throwback look trendy again, we think it’s a pretty classic style.
Long, blended layers are sliced into hair for maximum movement and swing. Staggered layers blended in around the face create a flattering curved shape that practically sculpts your cheekbones and jawline.
Have your stylist slide-cut long layers into your hair around the sides and back, keeping the ends nice and full to really nail that 90s aesthetic. Layers around the face should be graduated in length, starting near the cheeks or jaw.
It just depends on your length preference and where you want them to hit.
Style with a round brush and dryer with the help of a little volumizing mousse, or go straight for the hot rollers for a look that’s truly full of volume and body to accentuate the sleek, blended layers.
2. Double Bubble Braids
@justmindyabusiness Bubble braid tutorial #VisionBoard #hairtutorial #forthegirls ♬ You Got It – Vedo
Bubble braids are one of our favorite types of braids and they’re one of the most popular TikTok hair trends to try. This look creates fanned-out bubble-like sections of hair using elastics staggered down the length of a ponytail.
In the most popular version of the look, twin bubble braids are created with a middle part for even sections. To create a bubble braid with plenty of volume and the signature bubble effect, you’ll use small hair elastics that won’t snag or pull your hair.
Divide your hair into two halves and start from the front, leaving a few face-framing pieces out if you want. Gather a small section of the top front into an elastic, secure it, and situate another elastic an inch or so behind it.
Tug on the hair gently to fan it out into a bubble shape. Repeat for the rest of the ponytail and complete the other side. Spray with a little hairspray to keep your bubble braids in place and enjoy this cute, casual style!
3. Perfect Heatless T-Shirt Roll Curls
@mypawfectfamily Tutorial is pinned! #mypawfectfamily #heatlessblowout #heatlesshair #noheatcurls #longhair #healthyhair #hairtok #dysoncurls ♬ original sound – rico
Look, we know you’ve tried about a million different ways to get heatless curls – and found out that a lot of them are hard to master. Give this unique TikTok hair trend a try, though.
It actually works and leaves you with perfect heatless curls with no kinks or flat ends! This hack is similar to the older TikTok robe curls trick and works even better. Take a cotton t-shirt or hand towel and twist it into a rope-like shape.
You can use hair elastics to help hold the shape. Bring the ends together and secure with a scrunchy. Place it on top of your hair after parting your hair down the middle.
Starting at the front, take sections of your hair, brush it to remove any tangles, and wrap it up and over the t-shirt ring. You’ll bring the section up over the t-shirt roll and tuck it through the backside.
Take the “tail” of hair that hangs down and gather it with the next section, then repeat the wrap. Do this until all of your hair is wrapped around the roll and wake up with perfect curls full of bounce and body!
4. Viral Volume Ponytail Hack
@amberrosepeakehair Love this one! #volume #hairtutorial #hairtok ♬ Toxic x Pony – ALTÉGO
This TikTok hair trend is one of our favorites because you won’t have to snip or change your hair to try it out! If your ponytail is looking a little limp and lackluster, this trick will change. Your. Life.
Instead of gathering your mane into one ponytail (which gets heavy and pulls the style downward – read, less volume), you’ll be making two ponytails with a special twist that adds volume. Gather the top section of your hair into a ponytail near the crown.
Divide the remaining hair on the bottom in half, then bring both sections up on top of your first ponytail. Secure with a second elastic and revel in the gorgeous volume your ponytail has!
Curl your hair before trying this style for the most voluminous effect, or rock your natural texture. The t-shirt roll heatless curls above are a perfect companion for this trendy trick as well!
5. TikTok Messy Bun Hack
@audreyvictoria_ Reply to @just_cringey_vibing the fan bun 😍 cute and easy hairstyle 😘 #hairtok #hairtutorial #hairstyle #messybuntutorial #fanbun ♬ original sound – xxtristanxo
A messy bun shouldn’t be so hard to pull off, but for some of us, it’s hard to nail that perfect balance between a cute messy bun and one that looks sloppy or ratty.
This TikTok hair trend makes it so easy to rock a cute messy bun without a ton of bobby pins, complicated twists, or braids. The original messy bun hack starts with a regular hair tie, but this hack takes it a step further to make the trick easier.
Go ahead and twist your hair tie to form a double loop before beginning and hold it in place. Pull your hair up into a high pony and slide the doubled-up elastic over it at the base.
As you’re pulling the ponytail through, stop about 3/4 of the way down and let one loop of the elastic go.
This forms a big loop of hair. Now, twist your hand through the elastic loop that’s still open and grab the loop of hair to tug part of it through from the front. Let the second loop go and give the messy bun a slight tug to add volume and fan it out.
6. Hair Slugging for Growth and Shine
@coco_and_eve HOW TO: Hair slugging for extremely dry hair ‼️ #hairslugging #hairmask #hairtok #SweetRepairSweetResults #fyp ♬ about damn time – sound remixes
While oiling up coarse or kinky hair is nothing new, adding oil to fine and medium hair types wasn’t really a thing until TikTok made it one. One of the best TikTok hair trends we’ve seen is hair slugging, also called hair oiling.
Just like slugging your face with a heavy moisturizer at night works to soften and improve skin texture, hair slugging focuses on covering your hair in moisturizing oils to introduce extra hydration and shine.
From the results, this little trick really works to make hair look healthier, thicker, and full of lustrous shine. Natural hair oils are best for this shine-enhancing trick, and you’ve got to be consistent to see the best results.
Oil your hair every night with coconut, argan, jojoba, olive, or grapeseed oil mixed with a little rosemary oil. Rosemary oil is the magic ingredient that boosts hair growth and thickness, but you’ll need a carrier oil to stretch it further and keep it from irritating your scalp.
You don’t need to absolutely saturate your hair – just make sure you’re coating your strands with a little oil and focus on your roots and ends. Pull your hair into a bun or braid it up, then cover your hair with a shower cap or satin bonnet while you sleep.
It’s best to oil your hair when you won’t have plans the next day so you can leave it in as long as possible. When you’re ready, wash it out and get ready to oil it up again that night. You’ll notice stronger, shinier, thicker hair in about a month.
7. Trendy Long Curtain Bangs
@yourhairmom A good haircut does wonders 😍 #hairtok #haircut #longhair #bangs #beverlyhills #fypシ #bomanesalon #foryou #fyp #hairtutorial ♬ you right x gimme gimme gimme by altegomusic – ALTÉGO
Curtain bangs have been making the TikTok rounds for a while, but they’re not going out of style anytime soon because everyone’s fallen in love with them!
Curtain bangs are flattering on every face shape, slim and contour the face, and add a little texture and movement to long hair. Even short and medium lengths look great with them! Curtain bangs should start around the nose or cheeks for the most flattering effect.
Soft layers help them “spread” a bit to help blend them into your length. Bring the layers all the way down for a gorgeous transformation that reinvents your look without changing your length.
8. Half-Up Pigtails
@inhhair Just a few of my fav half up half down pigtail hairstyles ✨ #hair #hairstyles #halfuphalfdownbraids #hairinspo #inhhair #springhair ♬ Be Your Girl By Teedra Moses X Kaytranada Edition – The Favourites.
Some of the TikTok hair trends we like the best are simple styles with a clever twist. While pigtails can be a little too elementary for teens and adults, half-up pigtails offer a sophisticated take on the style and are super-flattering with extra volume on top and around the sides.
It couldn’t be easier to try this trend! Just part your hair down the middle and take sections from the front of each side. Secure them in a small elastic with the placement of your choice.
Try closer to the part for extra volume on top and closer to the sides for more volume on the sides. There are tons of variations on this look, including the cute 90s criss-cross half-up pigtails. To try this version, start the same way as you would with the original style.
When you’ve got your half-up pigtails, criss-cross them and create two more small ponytails behind the first. It adds a little more interest to the look and is just as simple to pull off!
9. High Volume Half-Up 90s Clip Trick
@taylor_pfeffer School Hairstyle!💗✨ had to bring this one back😍 I’m obsessed!! #taylorxhairstyles #clawcliphairstyles #easyhairstyles #hair #hairtok #schoolhairstyles #school #clawclip #hairhack ♬ Rover – ™️
Claw clips a la the 1990s and early aughts have been trending for a bit, but you might’ve run out of unique ways to style your hair with them. We love this trending style for a quick, half-up look that adds tons of volume to your hair!
Gather the top section of your hair in a small ponytail at the back of your head near the crown. Secure it with an elastic and invert the ponytail by dividing the hair in front of the elastic in half. Then, pull the ponytail up through the opening you’ve created.
Get your claw clip ready and clamp the inverted half-up pony to create a voluminous fountain. It couldn’t be easier, and it’s such a cute style to wear on days when you don’t feel like spending forever styling your hair!
10. Shaggy Wolf Cut
@pinkdrinx_ my hair is too thick for hot weather so this is great #woldcut #haircut #hair #MadewithKAContest #mommy #pinkdrinx_ #fyp #foryou ♬ catchy song i know – mw lay/the loml<3
The wolf cut is a modern take on a shag haircut, featuring tons of short layers and a heavier bang to balance the style. Wolf cuts have been trending on TikTok as users see how much texture and volume this type of cut gives to even fine, flat hair.
You can try a wolf cut if you want boosted volume and tons of pliable texture to work with.
Ask your stylist for short, shaggy layers all over and graduated layers around your face. Brow-grazing bangs with wispy, razored ends work perfectly with this look, but we like curtain bangs with a wolf cut, too.
5 Worst TikTok Hair Trends to Avoid
Not every hairstyle and tip/trick on TikTok is worth trying. We’ve tried a few that ended up with less than desirable results! Some of the so-called “hacks” popularized on TikTok for cutting, styling, and DIY color correction can cause more harm than good for your mane.
Here are the TikTok hair trends you’re better off avoiding. You can thank us later.
1. Cutting Your Own Curtain Bangs
@dazzyeleanor brb crying #curtainbangs #cuttingmyhair #hairfail ♬ t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l – WILLOW
Curtain bangs are one of those dangerously misleading techniques that look easy, but actually require a lot of skill and finesse. You need professional, sharp shears, the perfect cutting angle, and properly sectioned hair to get perfect curtain bangs.
If you’re not a stylist and you’re thinking about cutting your own curtain bangs because you’ve seen someone do a good job on TikTok, remember this video and the thousands just like it. Sure, there’s a chance you’ll nail it. But it’s not worth ending up with whack results like this.
2. DIY Thinning With Thinning Shears
@devlola It’s been almost 3 months since I did this and my hair was feeling heavy again #hair #thickhairproblems #hairtok #hairtiktok #viral #fy ♬ original sound – Lola María de la Caridad
You’re going to end up with split ends all over and a lot of pieces that stick out at odd angles with this “hack.” If you really think you need your hair thinned out, have a professional do it in strategic areas that won’t leave your ends stringy and bluntly chopped.
But thinning isn’t a good idea for everyone and it can wreck some hair types. Check out this guide to learn more: Should I Get My Hair Thinned? | We’ll Help You Decide.
3. Purple Shampoo on Dry Hair
@kierra_pierre Don’t try this unless you want to ruin your hair! #purpleshampoo #purpleshampoofail #sorrybradmondo #hairfails #blondehair #curlyhair #blondecurls ♬ Spongebob Tomfoolery – Dante9k Remix – David Snell
It’s no secret that purple shampoo is a great way to keep your blonde cool without brassiness, but here’s the thing. Your hair needs to be wet to use shampoo.
One of the circulating TikTok hair trends is applying pigmented purple shampoo to dry hair and leaving it in for a couple of hours, or in this girl’s case, OVERNIGHT.
It’ll stain your hair purple and leave it incredibly dry and damaged. Skip this TikTok trend and stick to washing your blonde hair with purple shampoo once or twice a week.
4. Wet Straightening for Softer Hair
@daquirii65 #hairhacks ♬ original sound – Daiquiri
Soft, silky hair sounds good, but this is not the way to achieve it. Using high heat on your hair can be damaging by itself. Doing it on wet hair will literally boil the water right out of your strands and leave them ultra-damaged in the process.
If your hair does feel softer after this type of abuse, it’s because it’s weak and at risk of breaking off. Just. Don’t. It’s much safer to do a hair mask for damaged hair if you’re seeking softer, silkier strands.
5. Faux French Braided Ponytail
@cassiedrd Follow for more hairstyles 🤍👼🏼 #hairhacks #hairstyle ♬ GUY.exe (Remix) – daizy
There’s a way to make this hack work, but this is not it. If you’ve tried it for yourself, you know that braiding the front section straight down will leave you with an unsightly little bump at the front of your hairline.
If you want to make it work seamlessly, braid the front section while holding it back toward the crown. You’ll avoid the bump this way and end up with a more natural-looking faux French braid.
The Final Word on TikTok Hair Trends
TikTok can be addictive to scroll, right? You’ll find millions of cute hair ideas on the app, and some have the potential to legitimately change your life. Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but some of the hair tips and tricks we’ve found here are definite game-changers.
From easy styles that you can finish with 1-2 simple steps to pretty haircut ideas and tips that flatter your face and give you an instant makeover, there’s a lot to love about TikTok hair trends.
But as many helpful tricks and hacks as there are, there are also a lot of trends on the app that you should be very, very sus about.
If you’re watching a video and getting the itch to, I don’t know – cut your own bangs, use a hair product in an off-label way (ahem, purple shampoo), or attack your strands with thinning shears, please don’t do it. Leave the crazy experimentation and hair-damaging feats to others.
Overall, we think TikTok hair trends are a great way to keep a pulse on the hottest looks of the moment, learn about up-and-coming trends, and discover cute new styles to extend your style repertoire.
As long as you’re skeptical about some of the more miraculous DIY transformations you see on the app and refrain from doing anything crazy to your mane, you’re going to find some awesome ideas for styling your strands on TikTok.