Believe it or not, one of 2019's most popular hair trends has absolutely nothing to do with the strands on top of your head. The unicorn armpit hair trend is currently on the rise, and it's one of the most magical looks I've seen in quite some time, so I've got to give it some props. Dying your armpit hair any color is a pretty bold choice, but to incorporate all the colors of the rainbow? That's a "go big or go home" mentality I can get behind. The brighter, the better!
Whereas gender norms for so long judged women with armpit hair as taboo, society has fortunately begun to embrace this very natural phenomenon, with celebs like Miley Cyrus and Jemima Kirke putting their body hair on full display on the regular. Even model Gigi Hadid showed off some underarm hair for Love Magazine's 2017 Advent Calendar, so we've really said thank u, next to any judgemental thinking here. According to Marie Claire, It seems Official Rainbow Girl on Youtube, who currently has 279K followers and creates rainbow-specific style content and more, began the colorful armpit-dying trend way back in 2016, when she uploaded a video about dying her armpits in shades of the rainbow. She's also done videos on how to dye your beard, the hair on your head, and pretty much everywhere else rainbow, too.
The process definitely looks intensive:
But the results are so, so worth it:
This is such a fun trend, and I love that, unlike the hair on top of your head, you can pick and choose when to reveal it. Feel like rocking a more understated look? Wear some sleeves! Ready to show off your colorful pits? Grab a tank top or a tube top and prepare for some compliments!
Caitlin Ford, a color specialist in St. Louis, dyed her client's armpits a slightly more pastel rainbow, and paired with her lilac hair, it's a perfect match:
Megan Moore, an esthetician that offers body hair dye services at Cute Nail Studio in Austin, Texas, says she creates rainbow armpits quite a lot:
"We offer armpit bleaching and dying," says Maria Darling, the owner of Cute Nail Studio, where the service runs about $35. "Some clients just like to have the armpit hair lightened so they can keep it without shaving and it's not so obvious. Others like to celebrate with bright colors! It's popular for a special event or festival."
Instagram user @jenjenstoaster rocked rainbow pits to Pride, which seems like an appropriate occasion for which to go all out, am I right?
And Insta user @vegetarianbeefcake also gave the trend a go, but wished it wasn't "so high-maintenance," which is great to note for anyone wanting to try it out:
While you can DIY this look, Darling says the dye jobs from Cute Nail Studio typically last "just for two or three washes," which is great for anyone wanting to give the trend a go without committing, but a bummer for someone hoping for unicorn pits all year round. Still, you've got to start somewhere! And when it comes to my pits, I'd personally trust the professionals.
Admittedly, I probably won't try this trend out myself, but I'm so here for it for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I love any form of bright hair dye, and secondly, I love that we're embracing something that was so unnecessarily taboo for so long. Hair is hair, people, and it's natural! Granted, the rainbow dye job isn't natural, but it's so pretty, I'm a fan nonetheless.
