We're all going to be asking for 'California brunette' in the salon this summer

You know what they say, ‘when a woman changes her hair, she’s about to change her life’. We can definitely think of some times where that has been true (we’re looking at you, 2008 platinum post-breakup bob with bangs), but in the case of TikTok‘s latest hair trend, we think it’s more a case of just freshening things up for summer and returning to that age old rule: when the sun hits, lighten your hair colour. 

And the shade that’s taking hold this summer? California brunette. It’s got a nice ring to it, right? So where does it come from?

Well, it looks like the fuss kicked off after a video, shared to TikTok by Hollywood Hills salon Treehouse Studio, received more than four million views TikTok, showcased the new summery hair trend to a resounding ‘YES’ from users. The video was captioned, “let’s call it, California Brunette?” and has garnered over 755,000 likes and 1,500 comments so far. 

“This is EXACTLY what I’ve been wanting,” wrote one user, while another commented: “This is one of the prettiest hair colours I’ve seen.” Some were a little more direct with their feedback: “wow,” said one, and others left comments to the effect of: “I want this!”

Users have also been quick to post their own versions of the hair colour, presumably having wasted no time in dashing out to the salon to request it.

So why is it called California brunette? Well, just as spending a summer under the Southern California sun (yes, please) would subtly lighten your strands – something that’s more visible in blonde or lighter shades of brown hair – this particular look involves highlighting brunette hair to give a sunkissed, natural look. Plus, it adds natural texture and depth to the hair and so will make thinner hair appear fuller and will hide a multitude of sins when it comes to fly-away hair or split ends. 

Jordan Jones, Colour Stylist at Taylor Taylor London, tells GLAMOUR: “Californian brunette is the new summer hair trend that uses warm highlights on a light brown or brunette base to give a dreamy sun-kissed look. Highlighting the hair with a colour just a few shades lighter than your base colour is the best way to give a natural, lightened by the sun effect.”

So what do you ask for when you go the salon, incase your colourist isn’t up-to-date with TikTok lingo? 

“Ask for balayage or free-hand highlights that start lower down, along with face-framing highlights to brighten the face and give an effortless look,” Jordan advises. “This option is perfect if you want a subtle, lighter colour for summer, without going completely blonde, as it leaves a lot of the base brunette/dark blonde colour on show.”

Basically, this is great news for anyone who isn’t going to be able to hang out in the sun in California all summer to achieve the same look (aka, everyone). See you at the salon.