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7 Hair Colors Worth Trying Now, According to Pros

 

In the last four-plus years, hair color went from boxed hair dye and grown-out roots to some semblance of normalcy. Now, experts say the best new hair-color ideas you'll see in 2024 will lean one of two ways: either very low-key or kicked up 10 octaves. There is no in-between.

What that means is there's something for everyone. "Many people are steering toward a low-maintenance direction," celebrity hairstylist Bianca Hillier tells PS. "In the past, people were more dedicated to visiting the salon and committing to color that requires frequent upkeep for highlights and bases that demand frequent toners. Right now, color that's extremely low-maintenance will be the vibe."

The upside about this approach, she says, is that these easier-to-upkeep hues "tend to have more depth and muted dimension for movement." The downside: it doesn't scratch that itch for a big hair transformation that so many people are experiencing. That's where the next wave of trends comes in: of brighter blonds, streaks of copper, and bold, single-process colors. We're talking cherry red, glossy blacks, and, in terms of hair-color ideas for blonds, warm, buttery hues.

No matter which camp you fall under, there are countless hair-color ideas to look forward to for 2024. Ahead, we've asked a handful of pros to break down each and every one.

Experts Featured in This Article

Bianca Hillier is a celebrity hairstylist.

Jason Backe is a celebrity colorist and cofounder of Starring by Ted Gibson in Los Angeles.

Jeremy Tardo is a celebrity hair colorist.

Lorena M. Valdes is a colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago.

George Papanikolas is a celebrity colorist and Matrix brand ambassador.

Matt Rez is a celebrity colorist.

Giancarlo Carollo is a colorist at the Marine Robinson Salon in NYC.

Jennifer Korab is a hair colorist.

 

Cherry Red

Bright, bold hair colors are proving to be a popular choice this year, and cherry red is emerging as a fan favorite. The shade is vibrant yet wearable. It's already made a splash in Hollywood among celebrities like Dua Lipa, Zendaya, and Teyana Taylor. We love this trend because it can be customized to flatter all skin tones. Whether you're switching things up in a big way or looking for hair color ideas for redheads, this one is sure to please.

Bronde

Bronde hair color is nothing new, but it's had a resurgence lately due to its easy maintenance. "[It's] when a brunette wants to have an element of blond, but doesn't want to be described by her girlfriends as being 'blond,'" celebrity colorist Jason Backe previously told PS.

This hair color idea for brunettes uses the balayage technique to paint on lighter pieces, which makes the entire look appear very natural. As for the actual shade, "It's basically the opposite version of blonds with a tint of violet to them — it's the cooler version, both literally and figuratively," Backe says. "It's brunette with lighter pieces of khaki. It's so ash, it almost has a little bit of green to make it cooler."

Bropper

"I have been working a lot with earth tones," colorist Jeremy Tardo says, adding that the "bropper" trend is an earthy "copper with depth." Colorist Lorena M. Valdes adds: "This intense copper with auburn roots will be a head-turner."

The bropper color specifically is a buzzy new variety of copper that's perfect for brunette and redhead beauties alike. It combines the two popular hues into one ultra-warm and glossy shade.

"This look works well for you if you have dark or light hair that you want to change up and brighten," says Tardo. Those with a lighter skin tone should go for strawberry and light copper hues; darker skin tones should opt for auburn and rich copper shades. To get that rich tone with lots of depth, "Ask your colorist for balayage or highlights to create dimension on the ends," says Valdes.

If you want something slightly lighter, try a toned-down version of rouge that teeters into copper territory. "Copper-ginger is one of the most attention-grabbing colors out there — just look at model Carmen Solomons," says celebrity colorist George Papanikolas. "You can't not see her wild and curly copper hair, which shows that copper hair is not just for those who are fair skinned. This tone can be warmed up for golden skin tones or also cooled down to a more auburn copper."

"Midlights"

Highlights are the definition of an easy, breezy summer look, but they don't really get much more natural-looking than the "midlights" trend. The term, coined by celebrity colorist Matt Rez, is a hair-color technique that connects your base shade to your highlights for a seamless blend that doesn't look stripe-y. The difference: while highlights lighten the hair and lowlights darken the hair, midlights are a midway point that adds a sun-kissed tint without using bleach.

"To achieve the lift of a midlight, color is used, not lightener," Rez previously told PS. The best part? Anyone can try this hair-color idea. "All hair colors and hair types can look enhanced and more seamless with a secondary color and tone for dimension," Rez says. "Those with permanent base colors can achieve 1-1.5 levels of lift since bleach is not used; so just make sure highlights are not more than two levels lighter than the midlights for cohesion."

Glossy Black

Turns out, glossy black is the new go-to hair color idea for dark hair. "This rich black with extra shine treatments to give it a reflective look is trending," Valdes says.

Still, before you grab a box of hair dye, know this: "This sounds easier than it is since most people think of glossy black as one color, but there are actually multiple tones involved to get the right shine and movement without looking inky and solid," Papanikolas says. "Hair color comes in 10 levels, and half of them are in the dark family, ranging from level one, black, to level five, medium brown. Glossy black incorporates all of these."

Hillier agrees, adding, "Jet black is a vibe, it's a whole commitment. Cool-tone black gives off an eclectic feel, helping any artist get into the groove. Be sure to specify with your colorist what tone you want the hair to shine in the light to nail it exactly."

Reverse Balayage

This is one you've probably seen 10 times over on TikTok, but reverse balayage isn't going anywhere in 2024. "The reverse highlight has been making a grand appearance," Hillier says. The trend gets its name because it's the polar opposite of balayage you immediately think of (read: light, sun-kissed color). Instead, it's all about utilizing darker hues to bring in that contrast.

"The idea is to blend the client's natural color, or a tone that you and your colorist agree upon, into previously highlighted hair to create a melted, gradient look from root to ends," color expert Giancarlo Carollo previously told PS.

Buttery Blond

When you hear the word "butter," maybe you think "The Great British Bake Off" (and you're not wrong). But in 2024, it's also forecasted to be a huge hair-color trend for blonds. "Clients who are usually lovers of bright platinum hair are requesting a darker golden blond to warm things up for winter," says colorist Jennifer Korab. "We are seeing a shift in bright blonds to warmer, darker tones with more lightness around the face. A lot of my clients are adding money-piece highlights to keep that pop of blond around the face."