The top knot trend we all grew to love last year continued to dominate red carpets in 2012. But this year the style evolved into more than just a simple twist. Celebrities added braids, super-sized it, and even included wispy sideburns with the updo. But A-listers weren't the only ones to hop on the high bun bandwagon. Sock bun how-tos have dominated Pinterest boards and Tumblrs since early January. Needless to say, we think this is one trend that isn't going anywhere any time soon.
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Worst: Tinted ends
Look, we loved the ombre trend. We were even excited about neon hues à la Lauren Conrad. But once 2013 arrives, we're hoping everyone retires the tinted tips -- at least for a while. Peachy-pink ends are one thing, but these My Little Pony-inspired effects are like '80s déjà vu-- definitely not something that should be making a comeback.
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Best: Textured nails
Fact: It is virtually impossible to log on to Pinterest and not see a nail art photo on your feed. While the level of DIY talent has skyrocketed in the last year, even more refreshing is the unique polishes brands have been rolling out. This year was filled with texture lacquers, such as rubber, velvet, diamonds, and yes, actual gold. We're hoping 2013 brings faux fur, denim, and maybe even pleather.
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Worst: Hair bow
We'll admit when we first saw the hair bow tutorials on YouTube, we thought the style was creative and kind of cool. But after a year of headlines (remember the girl that got sent home from school for wearing the style?) and hideous red carpet takes, we think it's time this fad came undone.
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Best: Natural hair
Natural hair hasn't had this much of a comeback since the '70s afro. Stars like Solange Knowles and Viola Davis proudly flaunted their chemical-free curls. And per usual with the big O, when Oprah joined the movement and showed off her natural hair on the cover of her September issue, it officially became one of the biggest beauty trends of 2012.
The year 2012 will definitely be remembered for a few things: The devastation from Hurricane Sandy, the re-election of President Obama, and the end of TomKat.
Much farther down the list for most people -- and embarrassingly higher on ours -- are the hair and makeup trends from the last 12 months. And for those of us obsessed with all things beauty, 2012 did not disappoint.
There was the fab, the drab, and the you-can't-be-serious. If this year's beauty trends were combined into an art piece, it would be a Jackson Pollock. Conceptual and avant garde are becoming mainstream, so much so that runway looks aren't even all that crazy anymore. Not when you've got red carpets filled with neon hair, vampy lipsticks, and diamond-encrusted nail polishes.
So, with only a few weeks left in 2012, we decided to take a look back at all of the top beauty trends that went viral this year. Keep reading to see which ones we're hoping will stick around a little while longer -- and which ones we hope die before the ball drops.
