You know the drill: new season, new wardrobe and, to really get stuck in, new hair colour, too.
The big question is, what’s it to be? The colder months tend to call for richer hair shades – deep cocoa, multi-dimensional caramel and toffee, butterscotch blonde, malt whiskey-coloured auburn and, for the renegades, some out-there colour thrown in, too.
We asked some of our fave hair colourists to fill us in on the top hair colour trends we should be keeping an eye out for…
“One hair colour trend that comes back year after year in autumn is copper, but to keep it contemporary for 2021, you’ll see metallic copper being one of the most highly requested renditions,” predicts Suzie McGill, artistic director at Rainbow Rom International and Schwarzkopf UK Ambassador. The key to this copper hue? “An extreme, mirror-like shine,” she says, “which adds to the intensity of the colour, whilst also giving it a luxurious and incredibly healthy appearance.” Best of all, it suits everyone. “The copper shade can be adjusted for you, to not only suit your skin tone but also to suit your lifestyle and personality too. The shade can be as bold or as subtle as you like. For those with blonde to light brown hair this colour is super easy to achieve, however, those with darker hair may need to have their hair pre-lightened to achieve this look,” Suzie adds.
Frosted tips
“We’ve seen a real revival in nostalgic hair trends coming back cooler than ever,” says Adam Reed, founder of Adam Reed London and L’Oreal Pro Editorial Ambassador. “One look I am so excited about is the revival of frosted tips,” he says. “This isn’t just a look for the 90’s boy bands, it’s the new “cool-girl” hair colour we’ll see shine through this season and it’s incredibly versatile for every individual, whether it’s a beautiful gradient from dark to lighter or reversed for a dynamic colour difference.”
Stardust
“Stardust has come up several times,” says Josh Wood, top colourist and founder of Josh Wood Colour. “It’s a way to have splashes of colour in the hair, a little like dye but with more precision,” he says. Think of it like balayage, you can use the technique to speckle hair with a vibrant colour, or you can fleck your hair with shots of silver and gold to help add luminosity (which works beautifully on warm blondes).
Warm and laidback
Warm and laid back may not be a colour, but it’s definitely a theme picked up on by numerous experts GLAMOUR spoke to. And this works equally well across a range of hair shades. “Autumn is definitely all about the warm tones,” confirms Chris Weber, hair artist and co-founder of Vanilla Loft. “From sandy blondes to chestnut brunettes. It’s about dimensions and contrast. Many clients opt to enhance their natural hair colours by creating more rich and multi dimensional hair,” he adds. “Everyone is wanting to stay on the warmer tones,” agrees Amy Fish, London Hair Colourist at Larry King Salon. “Blondes are staying blonde but with a high shine golden hue. Brunettes are dark, rich and glossy,” she adds. And Sal Salcedo, LA’s mane man and co-owner of Nova Art Salon, has seen the same trend his side of the pond. “We don’t get as many ash colour requests anymore, we’ve been doing all different kinds of warm tones lately.”
Rebel colour
If you’re not about to dye your hair the colour of your fave Starbucks beverage, you’re not alone. “Clients are looking for something more fun and crazier things than usual which they never tried before,” says Sal. Nova’s senior colourist, Seola, has seen more client requests for coloured pieces throughout the hair and braver patterns. “They’ve turned into risk takers, they’re up for more drastic changes or colour,” confirms Sal.
High Contrast Hair
“Generally when autumn arrives, so does the request for deep mocha brunettes, usually worn as one colour all-over, however, to update it this year, pair it with ’90s face-framing streaks, using a slightly lighter shade to add a bit of dimension,” says Jason Collier, hair stylist and educator at Russell Jerome Bblonde. “I’m always a fan of high contrast and stronger ’90s-inspired money pieces,” agrees Chris. “It’s a perfect look that will highlight a short sharp bob, or longer lengths.”
Peek-a-boo colour
If you want to experiment with colour without fully committing, “add peeks of colour through the ends or on the hair strands – which can be seen with movement,” advices Bryony Cairns, colourist at Larry King Salon. You can go with a contrasting shade or an off-beat colour.
Parisian gloss
“For brunettes think rich effortless tones like mocha, chestnut and cocoa brown,” says Bryony. To take it to the next level, invest in your hair’s condition “to ensure it’s healthy, rich and shiny,” she adds.
Dusty Tawny
“For coppers and redheads, we’ll see a lighter subtle warmth,” says Bryony who’s tipped “dusty tawny” as the shade to watch. “It’s accessible for both coppers and brunettes wanting to tone hair down or add fire,” she says. It’s basically “a brunette’s version of the undone blonde with a kick of strawberry blonde, so blue and green eyes will pop.”
90’s Pammy Anderson
“With blondes we’re seeing more and more highlights,” says Bryony. “A bright blonde with iridescent and pearl tones is the perfect in-between for cool and warm tones,” she says, if you don’t fancy the ’70s golden blonde that will also be big this season. “’90s hair has been making a comeback for a while now and this Pammy Anderson inspired ‘baby blonde‘ is cute but sexy.
Classic but better
The sun may be packing up but that doesn’t mean our strands can’t shine. “I think we’ll continue to see sun-kissed looks,” says Chris, but they’ll be tempered alongside more autumnal shades. “A subtle touch of sun-kissed colour can enhance what you already have, like honey blondes, toffee brunettes and spicy ginger. Expect the same classics, only better,” he concludes.
For more from GLAMOUR’s Deputy Beauty Editor, Elle Turner follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk.
