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Hair

15 Radiant Copper Highlights That Add Instant Warmth to Your Hairstyle

 

Go subtle and sparkling or dramatic and highly saturated.

There’s no better way to update your hair color for fall and winter than with a sprinkling of rich, warm, glossy copper highlights. Like a steaming mug of apple cider or marigolds in bloom, copper highlights are unequivocally fall-coded—plus, they look amazing on every hair color, from rich brunettes to natural redheads.

To find the right hue for you, pay attention to your skin’s undertones, as Lorena M. Valdes, colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, previously told InStyle. Those with warm and golden undertones look best in equally warm, sun-dipped copper shades, while those with cool undertones suit more red-based coppers. Meanwhile, if you have neutral undertones, Valdes recommends a shade that’s a similar intensity to your skin tone (i.e., a deep copper for deep skin tones and light copper for light skin tones).

Below, discover 15 hairstyles with copper highlights to stoke the flame of inspiration for your next hair transformation.

Copper-on-Copper

Emma Roberts’ hair is colored a rich, glowing shade of copper, with ribbons of lighter copper highlights twisting throughout for added dimension. To maintain a similarly vibrant color, consider adding an at-home gloss to your routine.

Golden Copper

These gorgeous, face-framing highlights melt effortlessly into a warm brunette base. With bright money pieces, the overall effect is soft and luminous.

Hot Copper

Keke Palmer turns heads with a voluminous bob and a bright, hot-rod shade of red. Light copper highlights twinkle throughout, giving her style a lush body and dimension.

Cherry Copper

Copper highlights accentuate this client’s trending cherry cola hair and make her layers pop. This color is especially ideal for those with fair skin and cool or neutral undertones.

Copper Crochet

These micro-crochet twists are dipped in a lustrous shade of copper that catches the light at every turn. Finish the style with a deep side part and a universally flattering collarbone length.

Copper Bob

Ayo Edebiri’s chocolate brown bob is softened by a scattering of soft, whisper-thin copper highlights. If you’re looking for a subtle and low-maintenance way to update your color, let this look serve as inspo.

Touch of Warmth

Copper highlights sparkle on Zendaya’s dark, whiskey-brown base color. Her look is proof that even the most subtle color changes can make a big impact.

Natural Redhead

Julia Roberts may not actually be a natural redhead, but she could’ve fooled us with this warm, muted shade of red tinted with light copper highlights. Sun-kissed ends give her style an effortlessly cool, lived-in look.

Brunette Copper

Amal Clooney transforms her dark, almost-black hair with warm, buttery copper highlights throughout. For a seamless grow-out, ask your stylist to leave at least an inch of natural color at the root.

High-Contrast Copper

Fiery, all-over highlights give naturally dark hair a dramatic and eye-catching makeover. If earlier sunsets are getting you down, catching a glimpse of this bold color every time you pass your reflection will put some much-needed pep in your step.

Subtle Copper

Softly spiced highlights add a moody, fall-ready shift to Khloe Kardashian’s espresso-brown base color. When the sun shines, these highlights really sparkle.

Extra-Dimension

Go bold or go home. A mahogany base is enlivened by bright, glowing copper highlights that add a can’t-miss level of contrast.

Buttery Copper

Move over, butterscotch blonde—buttery copper exudes the same quiet luxury aesthetic with a fall-ready spin. On Maya Rudolph, the color takes the form of warm, sun-streaked highlights.

Tiger’s Eye Copper

Megan Fox’s waist-length copper hair is almost jewel-like in its intensity and dimension. Emulate her look with a dark root and subtle, face-framing highlights carved throughout.

Light Copper

A punchy copper color is even bolder with baby-blonde and pale copper highlights sliced throughout. This color is the perfect melding of punky wearability.