Fall is officially here and if you've neglected your hair all summer long (guilty!), there is no better time than now to hit reset. Whether your highlights are grown out, your ends are split, or your dye is faded from the sun, perhaps you should consider treating your locks to a fall hair color refresh. And if you need some ideas or hair #inspo, you've come to the right place. Bustle spoke to some of the biggest celebrity hair colorists in the industry and they shared their thoughts on what the most popular hair color trends are going to be this autumn. No, there's no mention of Pumpkin Spice latte hair, but you won't be disappointed with their suggestions.
If you went cool and bright for summer, now is the time to go warmer, richer, and darker (unless you are partial to bold, rainbow hues — that's trendy for fall, too!). Similar to how the [most popular fall haircuts] are bringing back natural textures, fall hair color trends are also about embracing natural tones. But if you want to do something drastic and steer away from your natural hair color, there are plenty of ideas here for you too.
From rich, red hues to the "toasted coconut," here are the top 11 hair color trends that are going to big this fall.
Darker, Richer Shades
No, going darker and richer for fall isn't exactly groundbreaking, but Redken ambassador Johnny Ramirez has some ideas for how to make it a little more stylish and chic. For brunettes, this means "grown out roots and babylight amber face-framing pieces for a pop of color" to draw attention to your features.
For blondes, Ramirez suggests asking for lowlights (shades that are darker than your natural hair color) in caramel and butterscotch, which will deepen up a look and add dimension for the transition out of summer.
Toasted Coconut
"Toasted Coconut" might sound more summery than fall, but according to Jonathan Colombini, L’Oréal Paris Celebrity Hairstylist & Colorist, it's going to be big this season.
“Toasted Coconut is the hot new trend for fall 2018. It's all over the media," Colombini shares with Bustle. What exactly is Toasted Coconut color, though? "[It's] warm and rich dark roots with wisps of blonder ends," he explains. If you've been a fan of ombrés, but are looking for the softer, fall 2018 version, this could be your new go-to.
Honey Tones
Erin McKay, colorist at Ramirez Tran Salon in Los Angeles, thinks we are going to see a lot more gold and honey tones in hair color this season. "We’re finally using colors again that warm up and enhance people’s skin and eye color. When you look at kids' hair, it’s always golden blonde or golden brown, and it’s absolutely beautiful," McKay says.
Rainbow
If natural colors bore you, fret not. Shelley Gregory, L’Oréal Professionnel Brand Ambassador, thinks rainbow is still going strong for fall.
"Rainbow is such a huge trend that I don’t think is going away because it gives stylists and clients a whole new palette of colors," Gregory explains. "We don’t just have to have natural colors — we can have every color on the color wheel!" Gregory suggests choosing pastel hues for fall because you don’t have to commit to the color. "You can change it up or have a pretty blonde left after it fades."
"Cold Brew" Hair & Coffee Browns
Move over Root Beer Float hair — there's a new beverage-inspired color that's trending, and it's called Cold Brew hair, a mixture of deep browns and golden tones. You know when you pour some cream into your coffee? That's exactly what Cold Brew hair looks like.
According to Gio Bargallo, colorist at Rita Hazan, fall is all about coffee browns, like espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, and yes, cold brew.
"Warm & rich brunette shades are trending because going dark makes your eyes seriously pop in the fall and your skin look more luminous," Bargallo shares.
Natural Colors
If you were platinum blonde this summer and want to tone things down for fall, Jacob Schwartz, colorist at Meche Salon in Beverly Hills, has the perfect solution.
"A lot of clients are coming in after a summer of being platinum blonde or really bright blond and they want to go back to their natural, more understated brunette," says Schwartz. "Ombré is out, so it’s not so much of a contrast from the top to the ends. It's more natural with subtle, fine highlights."
Rose Golds & Copper Tones
If brown is a little too boring for you, take L’Oréal Paris Consulting Hair Colorist & Expert Kellon Deryck's advice: Go gold or copper! "I'm predicting we'll see a lot of rose golds and copper tones this fall," Deryck says. "Colors with brown and gold undertones work well with fall color schemes. They're perfect for fall since you can achieve an eye-catching look without going over the top."
Red Hues
Looking to make a change? Melissa Trujillo, colorist at Nine Zero One salon, thinks you should go big! "Fall is right around the corner and if there’s one thing people are looking for, it’s a big change," she tells Bustle. "It’s the perfect time to switch it up and go red because warmer tones are going to be big for fall. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new this season." Trujillo believes in her advice so much, she even took it and went red for fall herself!
Jacob Schwartz agrees. "A lot of people going red for fall. It’s becoming more popular," he says. "I like to layer on glosses with golds and reds and coppers to give a really glossy and natural red hair effect, [that way] it looks real and not like someone spray painted you with red hair!"
Blended Roots
Kelly Peach, editorial colorist and hair stylist, has some advice for blondes who are looking to go deeper for fall, without ditching their bright locks. "A great trend for blondes is to blend your roots," says Peach. If your roots are starting to grow out, instead of dyeing them back to blonde, blend your darker roots with your lighter strands. "This is a great transition into fall after your hair has been lightened from the summer sun."
Shiny & Glossy Blondes Or Browns
Whether you want to go brown or blonde for fall, Anthony Holguin, colorist at Nine Zero One salon, suggests focusing on making your hair look warm and luminous. "Keep the base super rich and shiny, and over all glossy!"
Tone-On-Tone
“Fall is the perfect excuse to give your hair a break from bleaching and heavy summer highlights, especially for my naturally brunette clients," says Daniel Mora, Redken ambassador and colorist at Nova Arts salon. "I think we’ll be seeing a lot of minimalist, tone-on-tone colors, rich in warm dimension and shine. It’s perfect for a ‘I just woke up like this vibe’."
To achieve this look, Mora suggests asking your stylist to use your natural undertones as a guide.
