Have you wondered what styles you might be asked to create in the rest of this year? What’s on-trend? Salons Direct is here to help shed some light on what hairstyle requests may be making their way into your salon. 

Recently, we’ve seen a rise in the popularity of versatile looks, and we’re here for it. Having a drastic makeover is what we think to be on-trend this year, so we recommend that professionals get their scissors ready and prepare for variety in the cuts created this year! 

For some, getting their hair cut dramatically shorter may be where they draw the line. But for others, getting the chop can feel like being re-born again. After all, the worst-case scenario is it’ll grow back. Others may want to opt for a brand new colour job – so what exactly can hairstylists expect in the rest of 2021? 

Read on to discover hairstylist’s most requested hair looks for women in 2021…

Why more women are getting the chop 

More women are deciding to get the chop for a multitude of reasons. Some clients will feel a sense of liberation by chopping off the years of length growth, others will want short hair because it looks tons healthier. 

Short hair showcases the hair closest to the root. This hair that’s only just grown in hasn’t been exposed to environmental factors such as the sun, heat, or styling damage, making it appear glossy and much healthier. 

The platinum pixie cut 

In the past, pixie cuts were for the women who dared to go super short. Nowadays, we’re seeing more and more women embrace what short hair can offer. The classic pixie cut with a platinum twist is what we are seeing in 2021. 

A well-executed pixie cut is versatile and full of personality. The finish will leave your client looking ultra-chic and trendy, and the great thing about pixie cuts is that they are highly adaptable to the client, suiting any hair texture. 

 

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Another bonus is your clients will be able to say goodbye to spending hours styling their hair, as this cut is a hassle-free kind of style.

A platinum pixie cut will require a regular trim and colour maintenance from a professional to keep it looking fresh. The added touch of the platinum colour makes this overall look a knockout – your clients will look and feel like a brand new woman.

If you want to plan for this trend coming to your salon, we recommend checking out our blog on Schwarzkopf’s professional BLONDME. It’s the perfect range for creating incredible blonde looks like the platinum pixie cut. 

Check out their entire collection at Salons Direct here. 

The long bob 

If a client comes into your salon wanting a revamp of their image but seems unsure of taking the full plunge – we recommend suggesting a long bob. 

This haircut is fairly straightforward for a trained professional to pull off, and your client will be astonished by the amount of volume this simple cut can add to the body of hair. 


If the client has had long hair for some time, this style can be a great compromise. The client will still be left with enough hair to play around with (which is what they will be used to), but it’ll still appear different enough to be considered a brand new style. 

This is because a long bob will naturally add texture and dimension to the hair, leaving a thicker look. The appearance can be even thicker if they opt for a blunt cut finish. The long bob is perfectly suited to clients who love the idea of having short hair but don’t necessarily want to go the full way. 

They can always book another appointment to go shorter if they wish, or if they decide afterwards that shorter hair isn’t for them – it’ll take much less time to grow it back out.

Vivids 

Granted, this will be for your more daring clients. Nevertheless, we are seeing more risk-takers in 2021! 

You may have clients who have thought about this for some time and decided this year was a perfect time to take the plunge, and head to the salon for a bright and vivid colour job. Or you may have clients that visit your chair regularly that love to embrace different colour finishes. 


A vivid finish will require precise mixing and positioning to ensure that the balance and overall finish are perfect, unique, and above all else- ultra eye-catching. 

We don’t think there will be any limitation on which vivid colours will be the most popular this year. So prepare for anything from fiery coppers,  rainbows finishes, mermaid finishes, or even neon styles to be highly requested – and make sure you have the stock in to provide these knockout styles.

A pro tip – Pulp Riot is well renowned for offering a fantastic professional selection for creating vivid hair colours. Check them out at Salons Direct here. 

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Shag/Mullets

Oh, how we love this look. The Shag/Mullet was all the rage back in the 80’s – and it’s here to stay for women in 2021. 

It’s no secret as to why you may have an influx of clients requesting this style – they’re probably seeing it everywhere! Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, and Billie Eilish are a few celebrities rocking the mullet this year, with even more following this trendy look. 

 A shag or a mullet may seem like a slam dunk for stylists, but to get it right requires professional skill. To get that sought-after shaggy finish, you’ll need to know how to layer in all the right areas. 

 

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This look can be characterised by its fuller frontal fringe area, with the sides that are cut and layered to instantly texturise the hair, creating the illusion of fuller and thicker hair – even though it’s dramatically shorter in those layered areas. 

Because you will have created multi-dimensional layers throughout the entire head, styling is super low-key. It’ll essentially volumise on its own, which is great for your client’s low clients low-maintenance-maintenance who prefer low maintenance styles. It may be worth recommended a wax to keep their hair looking fresh all day long, but other than that your client will be good to go. 

 Balayage 

Interestingly, the name balayage originated from the french word “balayer”, which means to sweep. 

The beautiful style balayage first gathered popularity back in the 90s and made a killer comeback only a few years back. As you’ll know, balayage colour jobs are requested daily in the salon, and we don’t think that’ll be grinding to a halt anytime soon!

It’s no surprise that a balayage is so highly requested. The technique is highly versatile, it’s customisable with any hair colour or gradient, it’s compatible with any length, it’ll provide your client with a natural-looking grow out, and it’s suitable for any texture of hair – what’s not to love? 


A balayage can only be done by a professional stylist, as it requires skill and precision that cannot be executed by just anyone. To get it right, you’ll need to brush up on your skills in colour application, and have a superb understanding of the differences between certain highlights techniques. 

 Unlike other highlighting techniques, balayage does not require the use of foils – all you’ll need is your colour of choice, skill, and a free hand! to put it simply, the balayage technique will offer clients a certain softness to your client’s hair, as the stylist will work to carefully blend the colour to appear as though it was developed almost naturally. 

 A well-executed balayage should be free of any blunt lines, striping, or harsh tones. It’s easily done – so be sure to look at your client as an individual, focusing on their features to ensure you have the correct placement for the colour. 

Pastels 

With Summer now in full swing, we predict that all shades of pastel colours are going to be a hugely popular colour amongst your clients. 

 And why wouldn’t they be? Pastel hair is fun, beautiful and bright – perfect for the warmer months! Plus, it’s always fun to create trendy and interesting looks from a stylists perspective. 

 It’s safe to say that everywhere you look, from online to the real world – pastel hair is dominating the scene right now. As there are so many pastel shades to choose from, requests from clients could look like anything – including nude pinks, smoky greys, delicate purples,  to even lime soda green shades.  

As we’ve established that pastels are a super on-trend look this year, and it’s a hard look to create. Every client will be different, so be sure to thoroughly examine their undertones, shades, and current base colour situation, so that you can give your clients your expert opinion on realistic and achievable results. 

 We highly recommend planning ahead, and sourcing the colour stock you need so that you can provide the best pastel finishes in the game.  


 Icy blonde

 It’s no secret that blonde hair has literally never gone out of style, but there’s a twist this year – It’s all about the icy blondes.  

The shade icy blonde is eyecatching and powerful, which is why it’s been a frequent fixture in the high fashion world for decades – so it’s not so surprising that it’s made its way into popular demand this year.

We do feel for hairstylists out there. Blonde isn’t always a straightforward and easy finish to achieve, never mind the cool tones to the icy blonde! So be sure you have all the toner,  Olaplex, and lightener/bleach of your choice at the ready. 


A well-executed icy blonde finish should be bright, with the perfect balance between platinum and the most subtle touch of beige. That’ll give your client the cool tone finish they want. 

 This goes without saying, an icy blonde should have absolutely zero brassiness. None. So be sure to retail to your client a well-trusted purple or blue-based toner that’ll keep your work looking super fresh.

The copper textured bob

If you’ve read our article on the beauty trends that we predicted, you’ll know that fiery copper is here to stay this year. 

It’s no secret that a seasonal trend in the hair industry is to go lighter in the warmer months. We don’t think that blonde hair is going anywhere, however, we do believe that copper colours will be just as popular this year. 

We think that the copper look will be paired with a textured bob. The use of choppy layers throughout the hair will create a beautiful voluminous finish, and paired with the vibrant copper colour – your client will leave your salon with the most on-trend and flawless hair out there. 

Textured bobs are fantastic for clients who love effortlessly styled hair, as how a textured bob is cut means that the client will be left with hair that naturally falls into an interesting finish. 

We believe that clients will start combining this incredible colour with a short style cut this year. The combination of a copper palette with an edgy textured bob will leave your client feeling revitalised.

We hope you have enjoyed reading about the looks that we think will be the most requested in your salon this 2021. Don’t forget to check out our extensive range of professional cutting tools, along with our unbeatable range of professional colour, and much more. 

Shop professional hair colour at Salons Direct now.

Don’t forget to check out our blog to discover more insightful hair articles on the Salons Direct blog…

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