Unicorn-themed beauty was one of the biggest style trends of 2017, but the appetite for all things holographic and candy-colored is still going strong. Enter the latest shimmery beauty craze: 'Opal hair.'

 

As first reported by Allure, ‘Opal Hair' is a softer, more minimalist take on the candy-toned dye jobs that seemed to dominate the past 12 months. The term refers to an emerging trend for ashy, platinum blonde hair with a touch of purple, pink and peach that lends it a fairytale-like, pearlescent finish. Glamorous, old-school waves are the most popular way to emphasize the style.

The craze was started by Ross Michaels Salon in Washington, US, which has been documenting its opal creations on Instagram. co-owner Mike Lowenstein told Allure: "We strongly believe softer, delicate colors will dominate 2018 hair trends." Beauty fans have flocked to Instagram to copy the look, where the hashtag #opalhair now offers up over 18,000 results.

‘Opal Hair' is the latest of several pastel hair trends to go viral, following in the footsteps of ‘LaCroix Hair', which became popular in Fall 2017, and ‘Rainbow Hair,' an ongoing trend that got a neon-themed revival over the summer.