A new year brings endless possibilities and the scope to try something unexpected — starting with your hair. But let’s say you’ve already braved the bob. Or maybe you’ve tried the viral “butterfly cut”. If you’re stuck for inspiration come January, there’s only one thing for it: a color refresh.
From “jet brunette” to “bambi blonde," 2023’s trending shades certainly didn’t leave us wanting, but if London’s top colorists are anything to go by, there’ll be a host of new hues taking over salons in 2024, and there’s something for everyone.
Here’s all the inspiration you need, and then some.
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Mushroom brown
If committing to regular salon appointments puts you off something new, try mushroom brown, a low-maintenance, cool-toned, earthy brunette. Stéphane Ferraira, senior colorist at Live True London, says that we’re going to shun “polished” colors and embrace more natural shades like this one, which boasts minimal upkeep. For the perfect mushroom brown, ask your stylist for a cool toned brown that sits close to your natural root color with some balayage or highlights peppered throughout the mid-lengths and ends. We love how this shade defines Amaka Hamelijnck’s curls.
Baby balayage
Cyd Charisse, hair colorist and Hairstory contributor, predicts salons will breathe new life into traditional balayage in 2024. This time around, it’s finer and more understated; colorists are calling it “baby balayage." Charisse says, “The heart of 2024’s hair color fashion is subtlety. We’re talking about delicately hand-painted highlights, just at the tips of your locks, which create a mesmerizing, naturally dimensional look that’s chic, effortless and natural.” Look to this shade by Zoë Irwin, editorial, color and trend ambassador for Matrix Haircare.
Copper apricot
Introducing the new copper, a “tangy” shade which merges apricot, strawberry and peach tones, says Ferraira. “Copper apricot can be worn as balayage [freehand highlighting from the mid-lengths to ends], as well as all over color or highlights,” Ferraira says (the latter of which usually starts at the root). Balayage requires less effort to maintain, adds Ferraira. “This look is relatively easy to create as hair tends to naturally warm up when lifted, meaning you needn’t treat the hair as much to get the perfect hue.” This shade by hair artist Ryenne Snow fits the bill perfectly.
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Expensive brunette
“Expensive brunette” shows no sign of letting up: “This is a new wave of ‘quiet luxury’ hair, where rich, opulent brunette shades reign supreme,” says Charisse. It’s the glossy finish that makes it appear expensive, so keeping your hair in tip top condition is key. Invest in regular trims, particularly if you’re using hot tools. Also try a hair mask like Amika Hydrorush Intense Moisture Mask, or a gloss treatment like OUAI Hair Gloss. Jennifer Covington-Bowers, stylist, colorist and Hairstory contributor, also calls this “deep cocoa brown." Ask your stylist for a rich brunette with depth.
Caramelized peach
If you’re not quite swayed by blonde, brunette or copper, settle on caramelized peach, which occupies a space between the three. Darijo, artistic director and signature colorist at Gielly Green, says that caramelized peach suits all kinds of personalities and haircut styles. They advise asking for a mix of deeper caramel tones mixed with light pink hues throughout the mid-lengths and ends to keep the hair balanced. It works especially well on this layered cut by Marcela Hernandez.
Opalizing
Opalizing is the new way to wear platinum blonde, according to Irwin. It marries very subtle blue, violet and pink tones to give an otherwise quite flat color lots of dimension, like this shade by Paco Latorre, creative director at Live True London. Irwin’s technique is to blend all three hues in a herringbone pattern so that each strand of hair glistens in the light, just like an opal stone. Darijo also calls this trend “celestial silver” thanks to its holographic nature, while Live True’s Ferraira has coined it “pearlescent white." Make no mistake, it could take a long time to reach the desired level of brightness, says Ferraira. Be prepared for regular maintenance, too.
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Atomic blonde
Atomic blonde is a trend that Irwin has been working on at the John Frieda salon in London. It’s all about “deep teasing”, she says: using a natural color at the root and melting this into the mid-lengths and ends at different levels. This means that those with dark hair, brows and eyes can wear it easily. “The atomic age is a sub-genre of science fiction and retro-futurism,” says Irwin. Take inspiration from this blended, icy color by Reggie Graham.
Grey contouring
Deep, graphite tones make dark eyes pop, says Irwin, who predicts that gray will come into its own in 2024. In fact, it’s all about gray contouring: dyeing specific sections of hair so that they stand out among the rest for a real statement. “Previously, people were simply just accepting gray but this is gray as a trend,” says Irwin. Take a cue from Glory Rose on Instagram, who proves that gray contouring works beautifully on curls.
Root melting
Covington-Bowers has noticed “root melting” making its way into salons across the globe. It’s a graduated, dark-to-light look starting at the roots, says Covington-Bowers, which flows seamlessly into the mid-lengths. This makes the hair look “lived in” and eliminates the dreaded line of demarcation (aka obvious regrowth). It means lower maintenance. This is a good blonde option for those who want less upkeep. Take inspiration from this bronde (blonde-meets-brunette) color by balayage specialist Teegan Hurren at Live True London.
Champagne blonde
If you aren’t keen on the icy blonde tones taking hold, Francesca Spirito, stylist at Neil Moodie Studio, says that warmer, golden hues are just as on trend — much like this color posted to Instagram by award winning afro and textured hair specialist, Michelle Thompson. “Tell your colorist that you want to go for a honey-caramel vibe, and they will talk you through what’s possible,” advises Spirito. With a richer tone like this, regrowth is slightly less noticeable compared to aforementioned atomic blonde.
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Smoked lavender
“I’m seeing so much of this head-turning and flattering shade,” says Irwin of this lilac-grey tone. In fact, she predicts that gray experts are going to be just as big as balayage specialists in 2024, thanks to the exciting color palettes that they now have to play around with. This smoky, muted lavender by Sara on Instagram hits the nail on the head.
Sonic silver
Irwin drew inspiration from the Paco Rabanne and H&M collaboration, specifically the metallic dresses and mirrored accessories, which were a nod to the ’90s. “I felt a tone needed to be launched around this because it brings designer to a new audience,” says Irwin. Enter: sonic silver. Ask your colorist for a “beige, silver ash." We love this shade by hairdresser Miki on Instagram.
Midnight navy
“Midnight navy is blue within a gray palette,” says Irwin, who predicts that this will be a key tone in 2024. “It looks amazing on textured hair and curls, especially,” adds Irwin, like this color on Grace Francis, posted to Instagram by Michelle Thompson. The intense shine that the blue tinge lends each curl is mesmerizing.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or social media accounts to demonstrate first-hand expertise. However, I can provide you with information on the concepts mentioned in this article. Here's a breakdown of the different hair color trends mentioned:
Mushroom Brown
- Mushroom brown is a low-maintenance, cool-toned, earthy brunette hair color.
- It is characterized by a cool-toned brown that sits close to your natural root color, with balayage or highlights peppered throughout the mid-lengths and ends.
- This shade is considered a natural and minimal upkeep option for those who prefer a more subtle hair color change [[1]].
Baby Balayage
- Baby balayage is a more understated and subtle version of traditional balayage.
- It involves delicately hand-painted highlights at the tips of your locks, creating a naturally dimensional and effortless look.
- This technique is known for its chic and natural appearance [[2]].
Copper Apricot
- Copper apricot is a tangy shade that combines apricot, strawberry, and peach tones.
- It can be worn as balayage, all-over color, or highlights.
- Balayage is a freehand highlighting technique that starts from the mid-lengths to ends, while all-over color or highlights usually start at the root.
- Copper apricot is relatively easy to create and maintain, as hair tends to naturally warm up when lifted [[3]].
Expensive Brunette
- Expensive brunette is a trend characterized by rich, opulent brunette shades.
- The glossy finish of this hair color gives it a luxurious appearance.
- Keeping the hair in good condition through regular trims and using hair masks or gloss treatments can help maintain the expensive brunette look [[4]].
Caramelized Peach
- Caramelized peach is a hair color that combines deeper caramel tones with light pink hues.
- It is a versatile shade that suits various personalities and haircut styles.
- This color is achieved by mixing deeper caramel tones with light pink hues throughout the mid-lengths and ends of the hair [[5]].
Opalizing
- Opalizing is a technique used to create platinum blonde hair with subtle blue, violet, and pink tones.
- The colors are blended in a herringbone pattern to give the hair dimension and a glistening effect.
- Opalizing is also referred to as "celestial silver" or "pearlescent white" due to its holographic nature [[6]].
Atomic Blonde
- Atomic blonde is a trend that involves using a natural color at the roots and melting it into the mid-lengths and ends at different levels.
- This technique allows those with dark hair, brows, and eyes to easily wear the atomic blonde look.
- The atomic blonde trend is inspired by the sub-genre of science fiction and retro-futurism known as the atomic age [[7]].
Grey Contouring
- Grey contouring is a trend where specific sections of hair are dyed gray to create a statement look.
- It involves dyeing certain sections of hair to make them stand out among the rest.
- Gray contouring is a deliberate trend, not just accepting natural gray hair, and can be particularly striking on curls [[8]].
Root Melting
- Root melting is a graduated, dark-to-light hair color look that starts at the roots and flows seamlessly into the mid-lengths.
- This technique creates a "lived-in" appearance and eliminates the obvious regrowth line.
- Root melting is a good option for those who want a blonde look with lower maintenance [[9]].
Champagne Blonde
- Champagne blonde is a warmer, golden hue that is on-trend.
- It is achieved by creating a honey-caramel vibe in the hair.
- With a richer tone like champagne blonde, regrowth is slightly less noticeable compared to icy blonde tones [[10]].
Smoked Lavender
- Smoked lavender is a lilac-grey hair color shade that is considered head-turning and flattering.
- Gray experts are predicted to be just as big as balayage specialists in 2024, thanks to the exciting color palettes available.
- Smoked lavender is a muted lavender shade that falls within the gray palette [[11]].
Sonic Silver
- Sonic silver is a hair color tone inspired by the metallic dresses and mirrored accessories of the '90s.
- It is a beige, silver ash tone that brings a designer feel to hair.
- Sonic silver is achieved by asking your colorist for a beige, silver ash color [[12]].
Midnight Navy
- Midnight navy is a blue tone within a gray palette.
- It is predicted to be a key hair color tone in 2024.
- Midnight navy can look particularly amazing on textured hair and curls [[13]].
Please note that the information provided is based on this article, and the trends mentioned may vary in popularity and availability.
