2022, albeit with a dash of pandemic blues, has brought in an expressional wave in hairstyles—a bold new haircut says a lot about you. Whether its short, pop-coloured or longer locks, men have been putting out their best hair game in the best possible way. This year, mullets will continue their world domination. One of the most iconic men’s hairstyles of the ’80s, this look is all about business in the front and party at the back.

Sunil Sharma, style director at Jean Claude Biguine Salons, says, “Twirl flow, men shags, and taper fades will be seen trending as well. I predict that mostly ruffled and wavy texture haircuts will be trending.” Speaking of wavy and bed hair, the shag hairstyle is predicted to be huge this year. It can be short, long, layered, or tousled, with bangs, waves, curls, or sideburns, this style is one that’s been around for decades, and we’ve seen rockstars including David Bowie, Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger embrace it in the ’70s. Another hairstyle that will be back in the spotlight will be a classic fade. Melissa Hughe, national technical head at Schwarzkopf Professional opines, “Classic fades represent elegance and style, and seldom fail to make a statement. It is no surprise then that they are the preferred hairstyle of many celebrities.” 

Keeping with the habits picked up during the lockdown, growing out your locks will be in style. Celebrity hairstylist Darshan Yewalekar, known for styling Ranveer Singh, explains, “I think in 2022, we will see a lot of men opting for mid-length hair, growing their hair a little bit longer and really experimenting with hair colour. The year has just begun, and we still have to see a lot of emerging trends. The blockbuster look of the present moment is from Pushpa, complete with a signature beard and hair. I hope to also see more two-tone and three-tone, funky colours in 2022.”

Bright bold pops of colour have been perfected by celebrities over the years, like the lime green dye-job that Frank Ocean sported at last year’s Met Gala coordinated with the puppet, or Kanye West’s bleached or rainbow-hued hair colour. The amalgamation of music and fashion has always been a defining factor of style trends, including hair colour. Sharma suggests that neon, ash, silver, copper brown colours are the top favourites at the moment. Hughe, however, thinks that the colour tone will shift towards natural shades. She explains, “People would prefer to keep their hair as close to natural tones as possible so that we may see a lot of safe colours over extremely contrasting hair colours.”

With coloured hair, there comes a responsibility in maintaining them. Plabita Sharma, national training manager, The Body Shop India suggests, “The best way to control fading or to protect your colour is by using the correct shampoo, and  paying attention to the right technique of using shampoo. Remember to maintain a 48-72 hours gap after you first colour your hair. Also, limit hair washes only twice or thrice a week with lukewarm water. Choose sulphate-free shampoos or look for mild surfactants like SLES that are gentle and non-stripping to get rid of the scalp build up and try to focus only on the scalp, not the ends. Opt for ingredients that are antioxidant rich, and add shine to dull-coloured hair. Don’t skip your conditioner.”

“Hair health is more than just shampoo and conditioner. Indulgent, weekly time- consuming sessions with hair oils, serums, masques should be followed to help your hair maintain its health. Hydrating and taming the hair and providing the right vitamins and minerals are also very important,” adds Hughe. And that’s how, friends, you do hair in 2022.

HAIR PRODUCTS TO TRY OUT

PHY TEA TREE SHAMPOO 

THE EARTH COLLECTIVE REGIME FOR COLOURED HAIR MASK, CLEANSER, CONDITIONER, LEAVE-IN TREATMENT

ONELIFE INDIA’S PLANT-BASED COLLAGEN BUILDER