Weird beauty trends that went viral in 2017

The year 2017 has been nothing if not surprising -- particularly in terms of quirky hair and makeup trends. We take a look at some of the outlandish beauty concepts that went viral over the past 12 months.

Glitter tongue

Glittery makeup ruled this year, but the look peaked over the summer when ‘glitter tongue' took off on Instagram. The sparkly craze saw fans dousing their tongues in glitter for the ultimate disco aesthetic, but the idea met resistance -- for the simple reason that there are obvious health risks with swallowing non-edible glitter.

Squiggle makeup

Wiggly lines became an unexpected beauty hit in September. Promise Tamang on Instagram.

Wiggly lines became an unexpected beauty hit in September with the birth of ‘Squiggle brows,' a concept that involved crafting the eyebrows into a wavy shape and using makeup to exaggerate the artistry. Hundreds of beauty fans took to social media to show off the results via the hashtag #squigglebrows, spawning the offshoot for ‘Squiggle lips', too.

Glow in the dark hair

misheledimariadesigns Mishele DiMaria Instagram pic

One of the first viral beauty trends of 2017 was for ‘glow in the dark' hair, which saw beauty fans use multicolored dyes to create a pattern of neon hues that glowed under UV light. The eye-catching look proved popular on Instagram, with advocates showing off their luminous locks in loose waves, braids and buns using the hashtag #glowinthedarkhair.

Brow crowns

Instagram post, @sofiepeterseen

The regally bizarre ‘brow crown' hit the news in November, courtesy of aspiring Danish makeup artist Sofie Petersen. The beauty fan created the look by brushing her brows upwards to form pointed tufts, before adorning the tip of each point with a gemstone sticker for a dazzling result that has received over 12,000 likes on Instagram. The reaction was mixed, but that didn't stop the concept from going viral.

Matchy manicures

Nails by an OPI Addict on Instagram

Beauty fans began matching their manicures to everyday objects over the summer, in a movement that was sparked by a post earlier in the year by Twitter user @alinamarie____, featuring her new pink nails perfectly color-matching a slice of ham. Social media users took up the idea, and both Twitter and Instagram were soon awash with photos of people matching their nails to everything from Pepsi bottles to subway seats. Apparently the trend has enjoyed a resurgence over the past week, with Refinery29 reporting that fans of Rihanna's ‘Fenty Beauty' line are now matching their nails to her cosmetics.