Every year there's a new adjective to describe wavy hair: beachy, bouncy, bedhead. This year is no exception -- except the adjective doesn't start with a "b." Pantene celebrity stylist Tippi Shorter is calling this year's trend "straight waves." "It's uniform and polished, but lies flatter -- it's less of a curl," she says.
To get the look, Shorter suggests using a spray gel on damp hair and then sleeping in three or four big braids. "Whether your hair is naturally straight or curly, this will change the texture into waves," she says. "And if you're in a rush, you can always blow dry the braids." Once you've taken your braids out, use a 1-inch curling iron to define each of the sections even more.
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In: Faux bob with chignon
Out: Faux bob or chignon
If you've ever been torn between styles, you're in luck: This year you get to wear two simultaneously. "I'm in love with the combination of a faux bob and a messy side bun," says Alterna global creative director Michael Shaun Corby. "It feels 1920's-inspired but also very modern." Corby uses the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Faux Bob Get The Look Kit, $20, to get the look without fistfuls of bobby pins (watch a how-to video here). "You use the smaller loop to twist your hair into a bun. Then, you loop the longer part of the band over your head and flip the ends underneath."
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In: Braided updo
Out: Fishtail braids
Braids have been big since the Spring 2010 Alexander Wang runway show -- and that was actually in September 2009. Sure, they've evolved from thick ropes to more intricate fishtail styles, but it's about time for a real change. Instead of the hanging versions, Corby thinks braided updos are the next big trend: "I'm going to be braiding like crazy this season -- but I'm taking them up," he says. "Whenever you think braids are going to go away, we stylists find a way to incorporate them." He also thinks it's a reflection of the times: "People are still in a hippie mood -- so it's got to be a little natural."
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In: The layered bob
Out: The pixie and the lob
Instead of sleek pixie cuts and long bobs, stylists are looking forward to choppy layers and in-between lengths. "Everyone will be growing out their pixies," says Potempa. "So the new length will be somewhere in the middle." Corby agrees, and sites Dianna Agron as inspiration. "It's a bob, but it's layered out," he says. There's also another reason to get excited about this cut: "We haven't seen layered bobs since the '80s! And we've been locked into boring long layers for so long now," Corby says. Shorter says clients like Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys have been considering major cuts. "There's going to be a lot of hair on the floor this year," she says.
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In: In-salon deep conditioning
Out: Brazilian straightening
Aside from color, 2012 isn't shaping up to be a big year for chemical processes -- instead, it's all about repair. "There are so many great innovations in deep conditioning," says Potempa. "People are realizing how horribly damaged their hair has become over the last few years, so now they want to fix it." Potempa is excited about a new treatment called Noiraudepro by the company Milbon, which developed Japanese straightening. This keratin-focused service isn't just for people who chemically alter their hair. "People use flat irons and curling irons more than ever -- companies are finally focusing on reversing the damage," Potempa says.
It's impossible to predict every hairstyle and color that will go from Hollywood fad to full-on, mainstream trend. Did anyone really think Lauren Conrad's multi-colored hue or Katy Perry's hot-pink bob would have women everywhere filling their beauty-supply-store baskets with Manic Panic?
But top stylists do have something like a crystal ball when it comes to hair trends: They�re the ones who create the trends in the first place. They work on Fashion Week shows more than six months before the actual season, and then they recreate those runway looks on celebrity clients. In turn, the stars hit the red carpet and set the trends in motion among the masses.
Even if you aren't looking for the "it" cut or hottest color for your 2012 hairstyles, there are plenty of high-tech salon treatments, fresh-looking updos, and braiding techniques worth trying. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, here's what you should be doing to your hair in 2012 (Katy Perry's latest, craziest styles not included).
