Beauty trends highlight 80s retro styles and soft shag cuts

Recent beauty trends highlight a resurgence of retro aesthetics and modern styling for natural hair textures. The ‘80s hair flip’ is emerging as a key trend for the Autumn/Winter 2026/27 season, drawing inspiration from the voluminous, expressive looks of 1980s icons like Madonna. Achieving this style requires building volume at the roots using mousse and round brushes to create a side-swept, nostalgic effect.

In addition to retro revival, the ‘soft shag’ is being highlighted as a modern way to style grey hair. Characterized by fine layers and light textures, the soft shag provides movement and volume, making grey hair appear more vibrant and contemporary. This cut is particularly effective for wavy or curly hair, though it also adds volume to straight hair styles.