Hairstyles that were once in and then out—mullets, for example—seem to be making a comeback in a big manner. With all of the current passion for the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s hairstyles, the once-cool looks of the previous decade have faded from our collective consciousness.
But, who knows, maybe our fave haircuts from the 2010s will make a reappearance once the fashion cycle turns again. Yes, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, we’re talking about you with your dramatic crops, headline-grabbing colors, rouge, and wigs aplenty! Here’s a look back at the 2010s most popular celebrity hairstyles.
Red
Everyone (and their mothers) was (and still is!) experimenting with red hair. We believe the trend is not only one of the most prevalent but also one of the most stunning, ranging from fire engine shades à la Rihanna during her Loud era to more subtle tones of crimson à la Zendaya and Emna Roberts. We’re hoping the color trend sticks around.
Faux Bob
Think Bérénice Bejo at Cannes or Catherine Zeta-Jones at Mipcom in 2017 the same year—the faux bob is the easiest and quickest way to modify your hair without getting a haircut. In the previous ten years, we’ve witnessed a slew of celebrities go the faux route to try out shorter hairstyles without committing.
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Knots
Whether worn high on the head like a modern-day Cindy Bruna or low at the nape of the neck like Uma Thurman (forever fashionable), the style is “simple, sleek, classic, and highly glossy”—and, despite its longevity in the 2010s, is unlikely to go away.
Ombre
There isn’t a single celebrity who hasn’t experimented with the ombré color craze. We’ll wait while you admire Chrissy Teigen and Jamie Chung, two reigning queens of the decade-long look.
Natural Texture
We couldn’t be gladder to have seen a big increase of acceptance and celebration in the previous ten years in terms of embracing natural curl and texture, from Sandra Oh’s distinctive curls to Ciara’s long and natural locks. We want to see this movement gain even greater traction in the future.
Braids
Braids aren’t exactly new, but we’re not sure we’ve ever seen such a diverse range of braids as we have in the previous decade. From the comeback of microbraids in recent years (which were previously popular in the 1990s) to three-foot-long side braids adorned with rhinestones, the style has defied all expectations from 2010 to 2020.
Waves
Long, effortless, low-maintenance waves, as seen on celebrities like Elisa Sednaoui and Zoe Saldaña, were a lovely, laid-back hairstyle that dominated the last decade. (Can you think of another obvious example? Mary-Kate and Ashley’s super-chic bends have become obsessions.)
Fringe
According to celebrity hairstylists, one of the most striking hairstyles we saw during the 2010s was fringe (particularly long and eye-grazing fringe like Lily Aldridge’s 2016 moment).
Lily Aldridge got a makeover in 2016. She wore a long fringe that grazed just behind her eyes and was strategically face-framed to compliment her lovely features.
This is a traditional French style with a Southern California twist. Plus, regardless of how light or thick one’s hair is, it’s a great look. Request a face-framing long bang that is adaptable without being too heavy when you see your hairdresser.
While we’re on the subject of bangs, the fairy-esque fringe has also been extremely trendy.
Blonde
For the past ten years, a warm, honey-perfect shade of blonde has been the gold standard shade of flaxen, from Beyoncé and her enduring style to our favorite LC. We’re not sure if shows like Laguna Beach and The Hills were the catalyst for the California-perfected color trend, but we’re confident they had a hand in its widespread adoption.
Side Part
When it comes to the side part, Julianne Moore from 2010 comes to mind. Beautifully done hair pushed over to one side of the head, which lends the style softness and sexiness while still showing off the dress or clothing, is another trend that originated in 2010 and is still seen a lot on the red carpet today.
Blow your hair out and create waves, or keep it straight with movement to achieve the style. Take one portion of your hair and wrap it around your shoulder, tucking it behind your ear. You can utilize pins to keep it in place if you need more protection.
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Curls
People were also enamored with Sarah Jessica Parker’s long, wavy hair with lovely curls around her face in 2012. (These days, celebrities like Solange Knowles keep the style alive and well.)
To achieve this style, start by blow-drying your hair straight and semi-full. Then curl your hair from back to front with a 1.5-inch barrel curling iron. Make your waves softer and more prominent around the face and looser at the back.
High Ponytails
For years, high ponytails have been a popular style—think Cher, Barbara Eden in I Dream of Genie, and Gabrielle Union in Bring It On. We could go on, but we’re pretty sure the high ponytail didn’t take off until Ariana Grande burst into the scene in 2011 or thereabouts.
Since then, nearly every celebrity has attempted to recreate the look somehow. Pony fever was all the rage in the 2010s, and the craze is still going strong with some hair-flipping flair.
Sleek Blowouts
Hair that is exceptionally sleek and polished has been popular in recent years, complementing the characteristics and drawing attention to the face. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a fantastic example, sporting a really elegant appearance that is unlike anything we’ve seen in previous decades.
Apply a tiny quantity of lightweight mousse, which is wonderful for volume, from roots to ends on damp hair to achieve this look. Then, using a medium-sized boar bristle brush, blow-dry each part separately, smoothing the ends to a neat finish with your round brush.
2010’s Best Celebrity Hairstyles
It’s contagious to have good hair! Here are the most wanted celebrity styles from coast to coast—and how to easily duplicate them.
Nicole Richie’s Fringe
Richie wins the medal for best fringe, which comes as no surprise. The full bang comes from the late 1960s and early 1970s, making it the ideal vintage accessory.
Richie’s stylist shaves her thick bangs to just below the forehead, maintaining the length slightly shorter in the middle to keep them out of her eyes. The outer fringe is then blended into the sides by her stylist. Nicole Richie’s style appeals to long-haired women who desire a change but aren’t willing to sacrifice length.
Reese Witherspoon’s Sleek, Golden Strands
Golden girl Reese Witherspoon wins the best performance for elegant strands. What’s Witherspoon’s secret to her great style? Face-framing layers should be cut from the top of the head rather than the side since this creates bounce and keeps the ends from seeming stringy.
Her look shines even more because straight hair reflects the most light. Because it is flattering, this style is extremely popular. Long, chin-length layers enhance the cheekbones and give the hair a beautiful, elegant flow that every woman desires.
Halle Berry’s Pixie Hair
Halle Berry—and her hair—doesn’t have a bad hair day. She’s been at the top of salon request lists for years, but this time it’s for letting her waves go in favor of a pixie.
You must be self-assured to wear short hair. Halle looks terrific in it because she has a great neckline and cheekbones that she isn’t afraid to flaunt. Make your sides short and add an inch to the top to provide texture and “keep it adaptable.”
Kim Kardashian’s Bouncy Waves
When it comes to Kim Kardashian, the curves of her long hair are the only thing that gets talked about more than her body curves. Kim created her bouncy waves by vertically wrapping her hair in little portions around a 1.5-inch iron from root to tip. Her hair has a lot of body, thanks to a few long layers.
Kardashian’s beachy strands are popular because of Hawaii’s salty beaches and humid climate: everyone adores Kim’s layered waves, ranging from gentle and subtle to sensual and defined.
Jennifer Aniston’s Sun-kissed Hair
Americans seem to be discussing everything these days, except their favorite color: Jennifer Aniston’s sun-kissed tresses. For the last 15 years, the actress has been one of the most sought-after sources of inspiration in salons. Her delicate highlights are still her most popular appearance.
Women appreciate that Anniston’s hair does not appear to be foiled. For the most natural result, keep the highlights finer at the root and heavier at the bottom, then finish with a clear gloss that makes hair super shiny.
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Taylor Swift’s Sleek and Straight Style
Hairspray can be utilized for more than just gaining tremendous heights. Taylor Swift’s stylist sprays hairspray on freshly flat-ironed strands to tame flyaways and prevent further frizz-ups for her side-parted pin-straight hair.
Ashley Greene’s Pinned Back Waves
In this below-the-shoulder look, Ashley Green’s hair is separated in the middle, curled, and clipped behind the ear on one side. When leaving your hair down is too monotonous but putting it up is too much of a hassle, this is the perfect solution. If you don’t have any expensive barrettes, don’t worry. Bobby pins crisscrossed in the same color as your hair work well.
Kristen Bell’s Loose Curls
Kristen Bell’s hairstylist applied a dollop of mousse to her damp hair before blow-drying it and rolling it into a soft pile of loose, broad curls piled on one shoulder. Curls will last longer, and the hair near the scalp will not flatten.
Jennifer Lopez’s Brushed-out Waves
Set freshly dried hair in 2-inch velcro rollers, let cool, and remove JLo’s delicate, bendy waves with a dry, matte finish. Then use a natural-bristle comb to brush, brush, brush your hair.
To reduce shine, apply dry shampoo or baby powder to your roots. What should I wear? Dull hair looks great with gleaming metallic clothing.
Dianna Agron’s Romantic Half-updo
Who can forget the Glee star’s long spirals and pinned-up hair at the brow in a bump? The volume on top saved the look from being too childlike, which she achieved by spritzing hairspray into the roots of the pinned part, waiting ten seconds, and then teasing the rear of the hair with a fine-tooth comb.
Carrie Underwood’s New Flip
The shoulder-length bob worn by Carrie Underwood is flawless. An angled side part creates the curving form and a volumized crown, with piecey, curled-under ends adding whimsical movement.
Do you want to try bangs for a night but don’t have any? A similar image can be achieved by parting your hair low and to the side, as Carrie Underwood does. (A blast of hot air will persuade recalcitrant strands to fall in a different direction.)
Keri Hilson’s Dressed-up Pixie
Keri Hilson’s version of a pixie with a slightly curled-up sweep of bangs is overgrown. Her super-straight hair was given a few rounds of the curling iron to create texture without adding pouf to the star’s short hairdo, which looked terrific.
Keri Russell’s Accessorized Bun
Keri Russell’s massive side bun with a gauzy flower is a beautiful sight to behold. It may feel strange for individuals who want to try the style, but as you collect your hair at your nape, let a strand fall over your ear. It makes the style appear dressier rather than gym-ready.
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Charlize Theron’s Sleek, Simple Updo
We adore Charlize’s sleek, basic updo, which has a low bun parted on the side and crisp, cheekbone-length layers in front.
A smoothing crème or silicone serum can help keep a style like this precise while trying it on. Just remember to use a soft touch. We mean it when we say a drop!
Malin Akerman’s Edgy Ponytail
This is, in fact, a ponytail! But it’s not what’s going on in the rear that makes it so remarkable; it’s what’s going on in the front that we adore. Malin Akerman’s haircut is stunning without being over-the-top, with heavy swoops of bangs and gently wavy, asymmetrical layers.
Unlike the 1950s, which saw bouffants, victory rolls, and poodle clips, the 1970s, which saw feathering and unfettered disco ‘Fros, and the 1990s, which had space buns, crimping, and Bantu knots, the decade of the tens witnessed a move away from trends and toward uniqueness. Unique and distinctive hairstyles were starting to be recognized at this point, and no single hairstyle or hair trend was reigning supreme.