Revealed: the world's most popular hairstyle

The world’s most popular hairstyle has been uncovered by extensive research conducted by hairdressing insurance provider, Protectivity. Using a list of over 170 hairstyles to analyse Google search volume data through Google’s Keyword Planner, Protectivity discovered the most searched for haircuts and styles around the world as of October 2020. Coming out on top in a whopping 52 countries worldwide including the UK, USA, Belgium and Germany, and with a lead of over 135,000 searches,  it was a clear victory for the world’s most popular hairstyle, which we can reveal to be… the bob! Below is the full breakdown of the results:

Hair Look - Average monthly search volume

1. Bob - 222,580
2. Bun - 85,890
3. Bangs - 85,830
4. Box braids - 66,700
5. Ponytail - 63,260
6. Cornrows - 62,720
7. Afro - 57,200
8. Undercut - 51,060
9. Twists - 48,560
10. Half up, half down - 48,430

 

In First Place… The Timeless Bob

Perhaps it comes as no surprise that the bob stole the show due to its renowned timeless nature. As noted by Protectivity, the hairdo has transitioned throughout the years from styles like the lob, inverted bob and asymmetrical bob, labelled an “umbrella style” which allows for a lot of experimentation. Coming out on top of 52 countries including Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Malaysia, USA and the United Kingdom, the bob had little competition as the winner of the world’s most popular hairstyle.  

In Second Place… The Ever-Adaptable Bun

It’s clear to see why this fun and easy-to-do style came in as second, flexing a diversity which covers everything from perfectly messy to a beautifully slicked style for any occasion. As noted by Protectivity, this style has seen a recent resurgence in the ‘man-bun’. This style came out on top in countries like India and Sri Lanka.  

In Third Place… The Fantastic Fringe

The fringe (or bangs, as it’s known in many other locations across the world) came out as a very close third. Noted as a great way to frame the face and a look that never really retreats from the spotlight. Often adopted by celebrities world-wide, it’s no surprise that the fringe/bangs would land so high on this list!  

And Coming in at First for Australia… The Mullet!?

That’s right. Perhaps the most surprising result from the study is that Australia’s most popular hairstyle according to their google searches was the ever-controversial, ever-creative mullet! We can only hope this love for the much-maligned look spreads worldwide soon, too.  

You can check out a more in-depth breakdown of Protectivity’s study here and check out this tutorial for the French take on the world’s most popular hairstyle, the bob, here.