PureWow

Beauty

Cherry Cola, Vinyl Espresso & 14 More Trendy Spring Hair Colors to Usher in the New Season

 

Flowers bloom and a new hair shade, too

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m already counting down the days until spring. Although we’re still a few weeks away, now’s your chance to do some early spring cleaning, starting with a new hair color. I’ve tapped a roster of hairstylists to share their recommendations for 2025, including a few pointers on what to ask for at the salon and how to prevent your hair color from fading at home so it stays vibrant longer. From ‘Cherry Cola’ to ‘Vinyl Espresso’, here are 16 trendy spring hair colors to try now. 

Meet the Experts

• Lorena Martinez Valdes is a hair colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. She has been with the salon since 2014 and continues to work with her clients on their color requests and jumping in on current trends. She specializes in balayage, bleach and tones, men’s gray blending and subtle dimensional colors.
• Danielle Keasling is a celebrity hairstylist and a Ulta Beauty Pro-Team member. She has 15 years of experience in the beauty industry, working with various brands like Matrix, Biolage and Great Lengths. Her previous clients include Lily Gladstone, Madison Lecroy and Jamie Chung.
• Gregory Patterson is a celebrity hairstylist and a DIY Color & Styling expert for Sally Beauty. He’s based in New York City and has previously worked as a lead stylist for Project Runway. His previous clients include Britney Spears, Anne Hathaway and Julianne Moore.
• Jeannetta Walker-Rodgers is a hairstylist, colorist and hair extensionist. Walker-Rodgers is currently the global technical director of haircare brand Joico. With 25 years in the industry, she specializes in transformative color and hair color education. 

While darker hair colors are often synonymous with colder months, red continues to be a popular shade to rock for any season. “It’s a beautiful dimensional red with a deeper root color, along with highlights and lowlights of red sprinkled throughout,” says Valdes. In order to achieve the shade, she explains an all-over color with pops of highlights (or a balayage) will be done depending on your texture and density. If you need tips on how to maintain red hair like Dua Lipa or Chappell Roan, one way is washing hair with cool water and using color-safe shampoo and conditioner for a boost of hydration.  

2. Vinyl Espresso

Alexa, play “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. Valdes predicts this soft black shade is going to be a hit come March. “It’s becoming more popular to follow your color palette and will mostly benefit those with soft and natural tones,” she says. “Brunettes will have more support from their natural color to make this look effortless and create a subtle movement in the midshaft.” 

3. Teddy Bear Brunette

If you're eyeing a bronde for spring, this trendy shade is putting a twist on the classic. “‘Teddy Bear Brunette’ is a neutral mid-tone brown that strikes the perfect balance between blonde and brunette. This shade combines a rich brunette base with delicate babylights, resulting in a soft, sun-kissed honey tone,” explains Keasling. “It offers a natural, effortless blend that's warm, flattering and beautifully understated—making it a perfect choice for those seeking a subtle yet impactful change with little maintenance.” The expert recommends adding a color-safe shampoo and conditioner that maintains the warmth and richness of the color. 

4. Golden Lux Blonde

Whether you’re a natural blonde or looking for a major hair color change, this golden shade should be on your radar for spring. “‘Golden Lux Blonde’ is all about achieving that perfect balance of warmth, richness and radiance. This shade can range from bright, sun-kissed highlights to deep, luxurious all-over golden tones,” says Keasling. “Depending on the desired intensity, this look can be achieved through various techniques, including balayage, foiling or all-over color application.” 

5. Cocoa Bloom

With Mocha Mousse being the Pantone color of the year, Patterson predicts this trendy shade is going to be blooming for spring. “‘Cocoa Bloom’ is a play on the rich and universally flattering shade with a honey drizzle seamlessly melted throughout. It’s essentially a brunette’s answer to achieving the springtime glow,” he shares. While you can head to the salon, Patterson believes it can be done right at home. If you’re a natural blonde, he recommends a hair gloss that leans towards warm neutral browns. “The key is to keep those golden tones in there, either in your single formulation, or placing some dimensional lights using two formulas, one for the main color and the other for the golden brown as a low light or dimensional light,” he explains. 

6. Deep Grunge Copper

As seen on Keke Palmer and Megan Thee Stallion, this hair color is going to be everywhere for spring. “It’s a bright intense copper with a slight burnished effect,” says Walker-Rodgers. “Major celebs are rocking it right now and it’s catching on. It’s a fresh take on a classic copper, but less natural and bright for warm weather.” Due to the bold shade, the expert recommends applying a  hair mask weekly to straighten locks and maintain moisture, as well as using a heat protectant spray to protect hair from damage or fading. 

7. Root Melt

“This look erases the line of demarcation at your roots, so the results are softer and the growth is less obvious than when you have traditional highlights,” says Karissa Schaudt, a color specialist and owner of Scarlet & Co. salon. “It’s a great option for someone who is looking for dimension with minimal maintenance. Depending on how much contrast you want between your roots and ends, the maintenance will be more minimal.”

8. Silver Vixen

Is 2025 the year you've decided to let your grays shine through? To help you through that in-between stage of growth, you can ask your colorist to add brighter highlights or darker lowlights to blend your incoming grays in with the rest of your hair. (Tip: Use a purple shampoo once a week to minimize any yellowing.)

9. Mahogany Brown

For a much subtler take, you can always go with a warm mahogany brown like our girl Zendaya. These soft reddish-brown tones reflect light well on darker hair colors as seen at the 82nd annual Golden Globes above. 

10. Honey Blonde

FYI, Gigi Hadid, Margot Robbie and Hailey Bieber are great photo references if you want to try out honey blonde this season. “Honey Blonde is a warm, sun-kissed shade with golden and amber undertones that create a soft, natural-looking brightness. It’s the perfect balance between warm and neutral blonde, giving dimension and radiance,” shares Min Kim, a master colorist and global brand ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel. In order to maintain the hair color, Kim recommends getting a gloss service every six to eight weeks. She also suggests using a clarifying shampoo to maintain the multidimensional shine of your fresh honey tones. 

11. Dark Caramel Balayage

Here’s a great light brown hair idea that Ciara has nailed to a T. “It’s a dimensional brunette look with soft caramel ribbons blended into deep brown bases. It adds warmth, dimension and movement to dark hair,” explains Kim. “It’s a low-maintenance look yet impactful—perfect for those wanting a soft change without the commitment of full highlights. Plus, warm tones reflect beautifully in springtime sunlight.” 

12. Peekaboo Highlights

Peekaboo highlights are a brilliant way to have some fun without making a full commitment. Because the colors are hidden beneath the rest of your hair, you just get a flash of the brighter slices peeking through whenever you move or a nice breeze hits.

13. Buttercream Blonde

“Think warm and bright, channeling those 90s supermodel vibes,” says Nikki Lee, celebrity hairstylist and co-owner of Nine Zero One Salon. This particular shade of blonde is softer and more natural looking (especially when worn with loose beach waves like Emma Roberts).

14. Chantilly Blonde

Since the release of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé has been showing off her Chantilly blonde locks. The sweet, milky white hue looks especially flattering on warmer skin tones because of the contrast. "Although this color works on all textures, lightening your hair can make your curls weaker and they may become slightly looser," cautions Sanda Petrut, hairstylist at Maxine Salon. However, if you’re not ready to make the drastic change, there’s always the option of wearing a wig. 

15. Chunky Highlights

I predicted chunky highlights were going to be huge in 2024 and it looks like it hasn’t lost its momentum in the new year. The beloved ‘00s hair trend is all about being bold and showcasing bright blonde pieces throughout the hair. It offers a nice contrast for brunettes—just look at Miley Cyrus at the 67th Grammy awards for proof. Since it requires lots of maintenance, use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner in-between touch up appointments to preserve the vibrancy of the color. 

16. Gray Streaks

If you’re still in the transitioning stage, sporting your grays can be just as chic as Salma Hayek's. There’s nothing wrong with flaunting your silver streaks, so skip the root touch up and embrace the gray. Reach for moisturizing haircare products instead to maintain luster and healthiness. And if you need a matching haircut for your gray hair, I got you covered, too. 

Additional Experts

• Karissa Schaudt is a K-Tip extension, color specialist and owner of Scarlet & Co salon in Chicago. After 11 years behind the chair, Karissa was inspired to open her own salon.
• Min Kim is a master colorist at Butterfly Studio Salon in New York City. She’s also a global brand ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel and premier balayage educator. She specializes in hair trends, styling techniques and color services, specifically French balayage.
• Nikki Lee is a celebrity hairstylist and the co-owner of Nine Zero One Salon in West Hollywood, California. Lee began her career at Fred Segal Beauty, before moving onto the Ken Paves Salon for several years, and eventually opening Nine Zero One Salon alongside her business partner, Riawna Capri. Her clientele includes Hilary Duff, Charlize Theron and Selena Gomez.
• Sanda Petrut is a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. She specializes in precision cutting and shaping all types of textures. She has studied in the Redken Academy in New York and developed the sliding bangs technique for Maxine Salon.