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We’ve got the moodboards, we’ve got the techniques, and we’ve got the hair teams telling us what’s hot right now! For Creative HEAD’s March cover story, in partnership with Wella Professionals, the winners of the 2024 TrendVision Award got to work with exceptional industry artists, to put their signature spins on five hair trends for the year ahead – all full of creative inspiration and business potential. Keep scrolling for ALL the newness, as we take a deep dive into the looks your clients will come calling for in 2025
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Welcome to a brave new world, where we strive to bridge the gap between the digital and the physical. Drawing on inspiration from Balenciaga’s AI generated art alongside the Cosmic Attraction trend identified by global beauty insights platform Beautystreams, this taps into the cultural zeitgeist. Surrounded by the proliferation of AI into our daily lives, Unreal Appeal considers the impact from a beauty perspective.
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Corrine McNaughton (centre), Medusa and 2024 TrendVision Award Craft Visionary UK winner 2024. Mentored by Janice Hunter (left) and Silvia Salerno (right), Sassoon Academy
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A metallic cosmic colour palette, combined with inspiration from the icons such as Grace Jones and Tilda Swinton, were key elements in creating this digitally infused look. As was the model… “We tapped into what our model, Lilly, looks like in a digital world and from an AI perspective, ‘lily’ means love, purity, feminine,” says Sylvia. “She loved the idea of looking feminine but also boyish. This is gender neutral, there isn’t that separation.” It’s a look that’s perfect for salon consultations – from bold experimenters to something more pared back. “It’s a look that’s perfect for salon consultations,” adds Janice, “from bold experimenters to something more pared back – you can translate that look so easily.
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Colour Product + Application
The duality of ‘yin and yang’ fuelled the creative section of the colour technique, making use of negative space to mimic the area between the real and the unreal, melting metallic shades together to create fluidity using the cool cosmos-inspired ice white backdrop. “It was all about opposites,” says Corrine.
- Regrowth pre-lightened with Wella Professionals Blondorplex 9, mixed 1 to 1.5 with Welloxon Perfect 4%
- Developed for 40 minutes and emulsified at the backwash for 3 minutes
- Rinsed then applied the creative target shades of Illumina Silver Mauve and Platinum Lily equal parts with 2 parts Welloxon Perfect 1.9%, in a root melt technique
- Global application of Color Touch equal parts 10/81 + 10/6 + 10/0 combined with 2 parts Color Touch Crème Emulsion 1.9%
Cut And Style Product + Technique
The aim was to give the style a sense of ‘anti-gravity’ while still retaining a strong shape and full fringe effect with texture
- A tight form was created on a diagonal section pattern through the sides and a square elevation through the top to allow for a structural shape that would create a fluid but strong structure.
- Length and fringe were visually connected for face framing, to create a little extra contrast.
- To avoid damage, Wella Professionals Ultimate Repair four-step regime was used throughout. Hair was wrap dried, with EIMI Perfect Setting and Body Crafter layered into the hair through a four-step drying process.
- A straightener was used to elevate and mould the hair upward.
- Hair was the dressed with EIMI Glam Mist using a soft brush to create texture, then finished with a very light spray of Performance Hairspray for light hold but leave the hair workable.
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When the Cherry Cola trend broke through last year, you could feel a sense of it being a temporary moment of play. Yes, we’d had Cowboy Copper the year before too, but reds weren’t really back, were they? Well, 2025 has called, and its reply is: “oh hell, yes!”. There has been some trepidation in recent years around reds – just a bit too much, too in-your-face – but the new era reds are more subtle enhancements that offer a kiss of warmth, of a juicy tone that whispers rather than shouts…
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Alex White (right), House of Colour and 2024 TrendVision Award Craft Visionary Ireland winner. Mentored by Stuart Matuska, Toni&Guy
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Desert skies and architecture fed into the referencing to create a lived in red that has flow and movement throughout the hair (“something dustier and smokier, with a natural thread running through,” describes Alex). She amassed beautiful images of desert rock formations, focusing on little grooves throughout the rocks, inspiring them to leave the hair quite free and flowy. “This is salon friendly, it’s really attainable for clients,” says Stuart. “There’s a place for every kind of red, but with this trend, its softer and less saturated for everyday wear.”
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Colour Product + Application
- Wella Professionals Color Touch is perfect for a low maintenance gloss. Alex worked with 7/75 at the root then 7/47 for a reverse balayage before toning globally with Color Fresh Mask in Rose Blaze
- For a bespoke element, hair was dipped into a bowl with Perfection /5 and /6 to give the illusion of lightness going into dark – an easy and impactful personal touch you can add in the salon
- A hot cross bun section was used for the root colour, then diagonal sections through the back of the hair to deepen some areas for a more lived-in look using different types of weaves
- Through the front section, curve sections were taken from the temple to the back of the ear to create a bespoke colour, developed for 35 minutes, leaving a veil of lightness on top to amplify that lived-in vibe
Care And Style Product + Technique
- System Professional Colour Save Shampoo, treatment and condition was used to protect the colour, with the treatment restoring the hair’s PH level before toning
- Color Fresh Mask in Rose Blaze was applied globally and developed for 20 minutes
- EIMI Extra Volume Mousse created texture and movement; blow dried in for a sleek finish
- ghd Curve Soft Curl Tong added more soft movement, before applying EIMI Texture Touch to manipulate hair into place around the edges
- Some backcombing added a little body through the top section of the hair while keeping it lived-in
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When you think blonde in recent years, you think cool in tone, bright and light. Yet as shades have become warmer in recent seasons, this new era blonde dials it down to something subtle, chic and oh-so wearable for all – a perfect entry level step for a colour-shy client who’s been tempted but has yet to take the plunge.
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Skye Holford (centre), Regis/Kleek Apprenticeships and 2024 TrendVision Award XPOSURE Creative Colour UK & Ireland winner. Mentored by Christel Barron-Hough (right) and Gen Itoh (left), Stil.
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Welcome to the West Coast, where the artisanal vibe with our Next Gen Blonde is a “relaxed fusion of boho and future,” says Skye. While Gen started looking at inspiration from the Y2K era and 1970s musicians, look closely and you might spot the influence of fashion label Jil Sander. “They’re [Jil Sander] really good at hard, structured lines, but then bringing in an element of nature or organic textures to make it softer,” adds Christel.
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Colour Product + Application
- For that kiss of sunshine, the team turned to Wella Professionals Illumina, using a hand painting technique using foils and mesh, following the natural hair fall. “We wanted to create something very soft that would enhance the natural curl pattern,” explains Skye. “It’s very soft in terms of tonal palette, it can create a really radiant finish,” adds Christel. “It’s something that’s very quick and easy to do in the salon, easy to pick up and adapt.”
- The combination of Illumina and Blondor delivered that sun-kissed chic (Illumina 9/19 + 9% Welloxon Perfect; Blondor + 6% Welloxon Perfect; Illumina 8/38 + 6% Welloxon Perfect; toned with Illumina 10/36 + 8/13 + 1.9% Welloxon Perfect)
Cut And Style Product + Technique
- To lock in the colour, it was over to System Professional Color Save Shampoo and Conditioner
- For its antioxidant properties, a Wella Professionals Service Post Color Treatment was added into the mix to neutralise any colour oxidants left and to return the hair to its PH level.
- For styling, the vibe was for a slimline, modern androgynous feel, while those beautiful bends were given a little polish. Using a finger curling method and Twisted Mask from Sebastian Professional, each curl was pinned each as the team went along – section by section, curl by curl
- Once all pinned, the hair was covered with a mesh wrap and Skye used a metal mesh diffuser to keep frizz at bay
- Fully dry, hair was left to cool for five minutes, then each curl was separated as it was unpinned
- Just a spritz of Re-Shaper Hairspray from Sebastian Professional added the final touch
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After years of long hair ruling mainstream trends, a boom of bobs exploded across the trends landscape last year – Italian! French! Mob Wife! They were sleek, chic ever evolving. So, what are we going to see next? Well, plenty of those bob clients who opt for the chop are going to experiment and edge ever higher… say hello to the Micro Bob.
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Maggie Grant (centre), House of Colour and 2024 TrendVision Award Colour Visionary Ireland winner. Mentored by Akin Konizi (right) and Nestor Sanchez (left), HOB Salons & Academy
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For the colour, the Micro Bob team was inspired by Mocha Mousse – Pantone’s Color of the Year. “We visualised warm, rich brunette tones, incorporating a little bit of lightness through the top to enhance that texture and to bring out the shape,” says Maggie. “This earthy brunette will be a huge trend in 2025 and is very salon friendly.” And the cut pushes those 2024 bobs to the edge… “This is a little graduated bob that’s got lots of texture, loads of movement, is still very relevant and very sexy,” explains Nestor. “It can still be moved around, tucked behind the ears. It’s the next part of the evolution,” adds Akin. “It’s what we need to get clients back into the salon.” And if Emma Stone is any indicator, we could be seeing this tipping into a pixie cut era…
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Colour Product + Application
- Hair was lightened globally with Illumina 7/81, with a few scattered creamier tones through the front to add dimensional texture, with the help of Blondorplex and Welloxon Perfect 6%
- A mix of Color Touch Crème Emulsion 8/71 1.9% with Welloxon Perfect 1.5% pastel oxidant was used to tone and nail that muted brunette finish
Cut And Style Products + Technique
- This bob showcases the need for a bespoke cut, working with the model’s growth pattern to ensure when they were layering into the hair, no nasty spikes were created
- Graduated in the back with a textured top, the length at the front falls just below the cheekbone to keep that bob vibe – and is ideal for return visits. “This needs maintenance, because after six weeks or eight weeks, it falls out of shape, so clients have to come back,” smiles Nestor
- To get that finish, volume and shine was amped up by wrap drying in EIMI Perfect Setting to ensure a super sleek, frizz free result
- A little Texture Touch matte holding paste delivered that piecey movement
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The beauty world is enraptured with the concept of glass skin (Pat McGrath’s launch of her Glass Skin masks, designed to whet the appetites of fans of the look she created for that iconic Maison Margiela’s couture show last year), and dive into the most popular search terms for hair, and you’ll find the same key terms – glossy, shiny, polished. Welcome now to the era of Glass Hair, with locks so luminous, it appears as if it’s been carefully blown from the most reflective of glass.
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Gemma Hill (left), Luvely and Wella Professionals Wella Colour Higher Level Diploma student. Mentored by Jordanna Cobella, Cobella
Emma parachuted in at the last minute, to take over from TrendVision Colour Visionary UK winner Dawid Mielnik, based at Regis Salon at James Bushell, Harvey Nichols, who had worked with Jordanna on the moodboards and referencing, but was unable to make the shoot.
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Skincare and beauty tears filled the moodboards with this trend. While Glass Hair might not be new, believe us when we say it’s getting bigger this year. “Who doesn’t want healthy, shiny hair?” asks Gemma, “and that’s what this trend is all about.” But the team behind this look wanted to give the look a twist (literally), delivering a dual texture delight that celebrates the curls of the model’s Afro texture with a section of mirror-like shine. This also referenced Jordanna’s breathtaking show at the TrendVision Award Final. “It’s a juxtaposition that brings the hair texture to life,” explains Jordanna. The secret? Just like with skin, it’s all in the layering… “That’s the key to this trend – layering colour, glazing in layers. That’s what gives us that real high shine finish.”
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Colour Product + Application
With glossy hair one of the BIG searches on both Google and TikTok, this is a brilliantly adaptable trend to any texture to give guests what they’re hunting for. “This is really good for clients, it’s an easy service,” says Gemma.
- This look is all about enhancing the natural depth of the hair by tweaking the tone and layering on shine, with a more chocolate based tone and a sheer glaze on top – all thanks to Wella Professionals Shinefinity 04/07 and 0/00, layered for subtle tones and a beautifully enriched, radiant finish
Style Product + Technique
- A twist out technique – taking two strands, doing a rope braid, followed by a twist, then set onto heat – makes the most of that tantalising texture. “It’s really important to keep the hair as hydrated as possible,” adds Jordanna, who cocktailed Briogeo Gel Cream and Curling Gel, picking the hair apart using well-oiled hands (thanks Sebastian Dark Oil!) and slowly but surely stretching out the curl
- To give that uber shiny glass hair result, soft finger waves gracefully frame the face, enhancing the natural curl pattern and creating a beautifully sculpted yet fluid shape
- Sebastian Liquid Steel was applied to create long-lasting hold
- New Ultimate Smoothing Miracle Oil Serum for that glossy finish, a spoolie was used to define and enhance the natural texture along the hairline, adding a soft, effortless wave. It took a little bit of testing on some arm hair first to get the mix of products just right!
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A Creative HEAD shoot, in partnership with Wella Professionals
Photography Tom O’Neill, assisted by Josh Bryant and Arthur Millier Radnall
Reportage photography Sarah Seal
Videography Austen Killingbeck-Jones, assisted by Douglas Cock
Hair Alex White and Stuart Matuska (Red Revolution); Maggie Grant, Akin Konizi and Nestor Sanchez, assisted by Elijah Hourrides (Micro Bob), Corrine McNaughton, Janice Hunter and Silvia Salerno (Unreal Appeal), Skye Holford, Christel Barron-Hough and Gen Itoh (Next Gen Blonde), Gemma Hill and Jordanna Cobella, assisted by Gabriel Canton (Glass Hair), with additional support provided by Eliz Alieva, Keira Campbell-Sharp and Marie Hall – all for Wella Professionals
Make-up Eoin Whelan, assisted by Lucy Freeman
Fashion Issie Gibbons, assisted by Lacie Gittins
Models Lilly Bridger (Body London), Chuyao (The Hair Desk), Keilah Deere (Boss Models), Miles Marsh (Named Models), Oyinda Nihinlola (The Crowd Models)
Editorial Amanda Nottage
Digital and social media Kelsey Dring, Caitlyn Brandom, Maddi Lane
Creative direction and production Joanna Kidd.
Shot on location at VIEW at JJ Studios, Wimborne House