Why Everyone’s Trying To Get Their “Kid Hair Color”

For 2025, bold hair shades like fire engine red and bleach blonde are primed to take over the trends.

That said, there’s one color that’s becoming buzzy — and it’s one that’s decidedly more low-key: your most natural tone. Meet the “kid hair color” craze that’s currently dominating the trends (and inspiring a more low-maintenance hair routine, too).

The “Kid Hair Color” Obsession

You’re not alone if you find yourself looking back on old photos of yourself and thinking “I really, really love my hair color.” Those same thoughts have inspired a new movement that has girlies ready to go back to their roots — literally.

“The ‘kid hair color’ trend is gaining momentum as clients seek natural, youthful hues that mimic the untouched tones often seen in children’s hair,” Julie Dickson, a master stylist and Joon Drop Salon founder, tells Bustle. “This approach focuses on bringing you back to the hair color you were born with — or should have been born with — and enhancing your natural beauty by selecting shades that harmonize with your skin tone, eye color, and facial features.”

While the actual hair color is unique to the individual, the finished vibe is the same. “The result is a subtle, sophisticated, and effortless color that appears sun-kissed or softly highlighted, as though it’s been naturally achieved over time,” says Dickson.

A few examples of celebs who have achieved the ultimate kid hair color include Hailey Bieber, whose minimal dark blonde balayage is reminiscent of her sun-drenched natural highlights from childhood. Similarly, Lily-Rose Depp is rocking a chic dark blonde with a few expertly-placed highlights reminiscent of her baby photos.

On the other hand, Lindsay Lohan has recently found the perfect color that complements her features (though it’s slightly different from her younger years). “Although her childhood hair color was a dark copper, [her current look] looks like a natural strawberry blonde,” says Juliana Ohlmeyer, a colorist at Bassia Bassia in New York City. “Her hair has threads of creamy blonde and muted apricot, which look like tones lightened from the sun.”

The Beauty Of Childhood Hair Tones

There are a couple of key reasons why the childhood-inspired hair color trend is so appealing. It embraces a “less is more” aesthetic, for one, and it’s a nod to your youth that feels natural, nostalgic, and refreshed all at once.

“One of the biggest benefits is that it is such a youthful approach to coloring — it’s the hair color you had in the summertime after being out all day, swimming, playing in the sun,” says Ohlmeyer. “It feels like a burst of self-love that will definitely carry on through 2025, because a lot of people are craving color that is more low-maintenance.”

Another major perk is the minimal damage it causes to maintain the look. “Bleach isn’t [always] necessary, which causes as little damage as possible,” says Dickson.

And, interestingly enough, it can be a genius way to hide incoming grays. “You can blend with any new gray hairs showing — without full coverage that’s high-maintenance,” adds Ohlmeyer.

How To Get The Nostalgic Look

Convinced that kid-colored hair is the move for you? Ask your colorist for soft ribbons that are subtle and low-maintenance, focusing on face-framing highlights, says Ohlmeyer. “Hand-painted balayage is my favorite method to get to this place, but it all depends on how dark your hair is,” she notes.

“You can also stress that you’d like kisses of low contrast warmth and dimension, choosing two different colors — one slightly lighter and warmer than your natural shade, and one slightly darker — for a nearly undetectable result,” says Dickson.

When in doubt, scouring through old photo books is highly encouraged. “I love to ask clients for childhood photos, as well as photos of themselves with their favorite hair color,” says Ohlmeyer. “A lot of clients will show photos of their own kids' hair, or their hair from around four to seven years old — which I think is when your color is at its peak, as it’s super healthy, before any major changes, and with nature’s highlights.”

Consider this your cue to turn back time on your strands.