Welcome to autumn, party people. It’s time for jewel-toned makeup, deep matte manicures, and fresh new hair colors. Whether you’re a devoted sweater-weather fan or totally averse to the changing temperatures throughout the colder months, this time of year always offers an excellent opportunity to subtly (or dramatically!) overhaul your style with a brand-new hair color.
What’s on the menu for fall and winter 2024? We’ve got copper reds, delicate highlights, and low-maintenance looks that make getting ready easier during such a busy season, each explained by the industry’s top colorists who shared their tips to help you get the exact look you’re after at the salon. “Timeless colors that return repeatedly when the weather starts to cool down are deeper, warmer hair color tones,” explains Giselle Luza, a New York City hair colorist and the founder of Soho Blondes. “You can achieve this by adding lowlights for dimension, switching to a balayage instead of highlights for a more blended, seamless grow-out, or shifting the all-over tone to a more golden, deeper color rather than cool or neutral.”
And there’s no shortage of solutions within these shades: The biggest hair-color trends of fall and winter can add the appearance of fullness to thinning strands, bring shimmery tones to complement (not merely conceal) graying hair and add warmth to your skin to counteract the dullness that’s characteristic of these lowlight, limited-sun months.
1. Espresso brown
If there’s anything the beauty community loves, it’s food-inspired shades—caramel brown, strawberry blonde, red-velvet-cake ruby. (OK, I made that last one up, but it sounds totally believable for 2024, right?) Our pros predicted a classic tone inspired by the richest of caffeinated beverages: espresso brown. “I always love a rich brunette,” says Meri Kate O’Connor, a celebrity colorist in Los Angeles. “A chocolatey brunette is a classic—when done right, they are always super shiny, and a neutral tone of chocolate works on most people’s skin tone.”
“It provides a polished, timeless look and can add depth and dimension to graying hair, ” says Jennifer Korab, a hairstylist and salon owner in New Jersey and New York, who calls out the color’s versatility, noting that it complements a range of skin tones and fades gracefully—good news for those of us who tend to wait a while between appointments.
And for those concerned about flatness, this shade may be an especially appealing option to try. “Rich espresso brown can create an illusion of fullness and volume,” explains Korab. “The dark shade helps to add dimension and can make hair appear thicker and more substantial.”
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2. Low-maintenance, lived-in highlights
On top of upping your skin-care routine with dry-skin exfoliants and radiance-boosting highlighters, you can add brightness to your face with strategically placed highlights. “A big color trend that I’ve been seeing lately is clients wanting to extend the time between their appointments for a more low-maintenance color that looks beautiful while it grows out,” says Luza.
“I anticipate seeing a lot of babylights this fall,” predicts Korab, particularly highlights that concentrate on framing the face to “keep things soft and more lived in.” If you have a naturally darker hair color and the idea of highlights invokes an image of streaky, high-contrast blonde pieces, don’t worry—you can achieve the same effect while keeping things understated. “Warm caramel tones add richness and warmth to the hair, providing a youthful glow,” says Korab.
3. Shimmery golden blonde
Despite the fall and winter’s reputation as being a time for deeper hues, you don’t necessarily need to go dark with your hair color—in fact, you can turn the seasonal stereotype on its head with a bright blonde shade instead. “Golden blondes are going to be popular and can be achieved with balayage since it tends to create a warmer highlight tone,” says O’Connor, who suggests consulting with your colorist to determine what tone of blonde will work best for your individual skin tone.
If you’re in the midst of transitioning from a warm-weather shade but aren’t ready to give up your blonde strands just yet, Korab recommends considering this look. “This color trend works great on someone who wants to add more warmth to their already lightened or highlighted hair, or someone looking to keep a more natural, sun-kissed look,” she says.
4. Rich auburn red
Whether it’s associated with September’s changing leaves, December’s festive decorations, or February’s cutesy valentines, red is always an associated shade with the fall and winter seasons. “I believe auburn is set to make a strong comeback, with deeper, more intense shades,” says Korab. “This rich, red-brown color is ideal for those looking to make a statement while staying within a natural palette.” She notes that it’s a nice option for those with gray hair, as it provides natural-looking coverage and blends well while adding some vibrancy.
5. Gray-blending techniques
Along similar lines as the third look on this list (lived-in, low-maintenance highlights), Luza calls out gray-blending techniques as being big this season. “These trends work best for those who would like a low-maintenance color routine but still want to prioritize the touch of a professional colorist,” she explains, noting that any client can have these tones customized to their skin tone.
Korab, too, calls out color transformations that complement grays rather than simply covering them up. “Highlights can add a vibrant, youthful touch to brunette or gray hair,” she says, “and they create a warm, dimensional effect that can brighten up the overall color and add a dynamic element.”
6. Baby-soft balayaged highlights & lowlights
This beloved highlighting technique is an even gentler, more delicate way to brighten up your hair. “Balayage and baby balayage are going to be big,” says O’Connor. “Instead of giving a hard line grow out like a foil does, it gives a softer grow out so you can go longer in-between touch ups. It will also give you the perfect amount of warmth for those looking to warm up their hair this winter.”
Heard of balayage a million times but still feel confused about what it actually is? Luza explains that balayage is “a hand-painting coloring technique that results in soft and blended highlights,” adding that it tends to be more popular throughout the fall and winter seasons “because the result is less ‘harsh’ than traditional highlights.” This allows her clients to achieve their goals of freshening up their appearances while sticking to a low-maintenance approach.
7. Cozy chestnut brown
A little lighter and less dramatic than the espresso brown above, chestnut brown is a favorite of celebrities and colorists alike. “This timeless shade, with its deep, multidimensional tones, captures the cozy, earthy feel of the season—it’s a color that never goes out of style and always feels just right as the weather cools down,” says Korab. Chestnut brown, she explains, offers a unique blend of warm and cool undertones, which make it a reliable, low-risk choice for a range of skin tones. Plus, its “versatility allows for subtle highlights or lowlights to add depth and movement.”
8. Single, solid-style hues
More of a whole look than a specific color, this trend simplifies your style while offering a transformation that can be as dramatic or as subtle as you want. “One overall solid color will be big,” says O’Connor. “It gives off more richness, depth, and shine than the faded, multi-tonal look that we often come out of summer with.” Not ready to fully commit to a single shade? Fear not: Well+Good’s guide to semi-permanent hair-coloring products has plenty of excellent options to experiment with first.
9. Copper reds
For a striking change-up, try a coppery orange or red hue. “Fall is the time to enhance red tones, making them richer and more bold for the season,” explains O’Connor, who calls out Jessica Chastain and Kate Walsh as solid examples and adds that “copper can be richened up by adding more gold or violet based on your skin tone.” And if you consider yourself a red lipstick devotee, don’t believe the hype about redheads not being able to wear it—the combo of copper-toned hair and a blue-toned red lipstick absolutely tracks.
Final takeaway
Now that you’re well-versed on the most of-the-moment hair colors for fall and winter, it’s time to make your move—and to schedule an appointment at your favorite salon ASAP. Collecting reference photos is a great first step, but having a one-on-one consultation with a professional colorist helps you to customize any trend to your skin tone and base hair color. Whether you’re after a rich espresso brown shade or an eye-catching copper color, going through the process with a pro helps ensure you’ll get the fantastic, confidence-boosting results you deserve.
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