Prism Hair: TikTok’s colorful, viral hair trend, explained

We're seeing an explosion of beautiful, colorful hair all over social media. If you've ever dreamed of rocking a bold hairstyle, look no further than prism hair. The trendy hair-dyeing technique has people embracing dynamic color combinations. There are so many ways to create stunning "prism" illusions as the hair moves naturally.

Viral hairstyles do come and go, but prism hair and all its varieties might be a new and fun way to express ourselves for years to come. It's a fun way for people of all ages to show their bright, sunny personalities on the outside.

What Is Prism Hair?

Prism hair takes every opportunity to rock a beautiful, bold hairstyle. The trend involves bringing together tons of vibrant colors—sometimes called vanity colors—to create a prism effect as they blend together.

The boldest customers will go for a full head of the optical illusion-inspired look, but there are other ways to embrace the trend as well. Some get the effect on the lowest pieces of their hair, hidden beneath the rest of the length. A few have opted for the effect just through their bangs. It's been seen in several variations on people with different hair lengths.

While many believe the look — also called holographic hair or hologram hair — can only happen if you're comfortable with bright colors, there are also subtle ways to embrace the trend. Darker colors are preferred by some, while others go for light colors instead of bright ones. Some people include the whole rainbow in their scheme, while others focus on a smaller number of colors to bring the illusion to life

While anyone can choose to try the trendy hairstyle, there's a lot to keep in mind. With bright colors comes a lot of touching up color and maintenance care, which may deter some. It requires some thought, but it's worth the work for a sweet look.

Prism Hair Origin

Examples of prism hair across social media date back to the mid-2010s. Initially, the trend enjoyed a lot of popularity across Tumblr and Pinterest. Those platforms showed some beautiful instances of the trend, but it wasn't quite as common as it appears to have gotten in the last two years.

While it might not be a new technique, its recent popularity is all thanks to TikTok. Creators from DIY hair fairies to top salon dye specialists are showing their takes on the trend.

Prism Hair Examples

Looking for some prism inspiration? Peep these incredible transformations below:

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