Hair To Stay
Beyoncé at the 2010s Grammy Awards with hair tinsel.

TikTok Says Hair Tinsel Is *Back* And It’s Giving Serious Fairy Hair Vibes

Beyoncé made hair tinsel iconic in 2010, and now it’s back again.

by Margaret Blatz
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic/Getty Images
We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

In the quest to become the most sparkly version of yourself possible, there’s one step you’ve been missing. Like all trends, this one’s already all over TikTok. Egirls refer to the look as “fairy hair,” but no matter what you call it, hair tinsel is the latest must-try hairdo. (Before we get into it: No, don’t just scavenge your Christmas decorations for scraps of tinsel to recreate the style.)

The stringy and sparkly look first made an impact during its run in the ‘90s, only to return as a fashion darling nearly a decade ago. Back in 2010, Beyoncé brought hair tinsel into the mainstream by rocking the look to the Grammys. In case you can’t remember, that’s also the year “Single Ladies” won Song of the Year. The singer’s look featured iridescent strings of tinsel, made up of thin strands of metallic foil, gently tied into her then-honey-blonde hair.

Now, TikTok has resurrected the trend, and it’s not hard to see why. Rather than do an entire hair overhaul with a new cut or color, you can simply tie hair tinsel to a few strands of your hair to completely change up your look. You also don’t have to deal with any harsh chemicals to get the look, either. And because tinsel comes in tons of colors, you can change your sparkle to best fit your mood.

We only include products that have been independently selected by Elite Daily's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

It’s not super hard to work the tinsel into your hair all on your own. All you need to do is tie your desired amount of tinsel into a slip knot about the root of your hair, with roughly five strands of hair. Then tie your tinsel down with a few more knots before cutting it to the length of your hair. You’ll have to repeat the process more than a few times to achieve the desired effect, but that’s all you need to do to get the tinsel hair of your dreams.

However, if you decide to go down to the salon studio, you’ll probably undergo a micro-beading technique. The bead that loops around the hair can fit up to 20 strands of tinsel, so it definitely ups your sparkle levels. It just may be hard to pull off on your own.

While there’s no doubt you’ll fall in love with your hair tinsel immediately, it won’t last forever. Depending on how many strands you tie down as well as whether you DIY or go down a salon route, your hair tinsel could last anywhere from a week to six months.

You can work in as many or as few colors as you please with your hair tinsel, and Glamlily offers 12 different iridescent choices with its Hair Tinsel ($10, Target). You’ll be able to fill more than an entire year of your life with these hair tinsels.

It doesn’t need to be the holidays for you to break the tinsel out.

This article was originally published on