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The Best Hair Color Ideas to Try in 2024

 

If you're looking for the best hair color ideas, you're in the right place. There's no better way to refresh your look than with a hair transformation, and there is certainly no shortage of cool hair color ideas trends to try right now. The biggest hair color trends of the past year have included high-fashion takes on otherwise low-maintenance color like honey blonde and expensive brunette—and, of course, lots of red and copper.

As for what's trending for the year ahead? “Hair color in 2024 will be low-maintenance and natural while peeking interest with a play on variations of ‘color within the color,’” Diana Mildice, a colorist at Chicago's Maxine Salon, tells Glamour. “This means we will see more dimensional blondes, reds and brunettes that have unique visual movement created by layering various colors within.”

Madison Reed master colorist Shvonne Perkins concurs, pointing to an uptick in quiet luxury-coded colors and styles for the year ahead. “More elegant, sophistication in colors will dominate and we’ll see less emphasis on a push toward fashion shades,” she says. “In general, though cooler to neutral tones are likely to be played up because we just had a big moment for beigey golden tones.” Translation? Expect to see more cool, deep brunettes, bronde blendes incorporating high- and low-lights, low-contrast roots, and even almost-blue reds like Cherry Cola red.

That said, cowboy copper isn't going anywhere. “Everyone loves a beautiful copper, and we will continue the craze in 2024," Mildice says—and seeing as Shay Mitchell literally just debuted her own take on the shade, that's no surprise.

What color should I dye my hair?

“Choosing the best shade for your skin tone depends on several factors,” Abby Haliti, owner of NYC’s Abby Haliti Color Studio, tells Glamour, adding that much of it comes down to finding your skin’s undertone and knowing whether it’s warm or cool. “Generally, people with warm undertone in their skin look best with warm brunette shades like caramel or chestnut,” Haliti says, noting that warm undertones are usually yellow, peachy, or golden. “Those with cool undertones, such as pink or blue, tend to suit cooler brunette shades like ash brown or espresso.”

Nicole Lucero, a colorist at NYC’s Mahogany Grace Salon, concurs, pointing to base shades of caramel and honey brown as ideal for warm undertones. “If you have cool undertones, a base shade of ash brown or dark brown would be the best choice,” she says. “If you have neutral undertones, you can do like a rich chestnut brown or dark cherry brown.”

Haliti also notes that it’s important to consider your eye color and natural hair color when selecting a shade. “For personalized advice, it’s best to consult a professional hairstylist who can assess your skin tone and help you choose the most flattering brunette shade,” she says.

With that in mind, see the best hair color ideas to dye your hair in 2024.

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Bronde Blends

Some of the top hair color trends for 2024, according to Perkins, are going to be bronde blends. “These shades sit in the in-between space between blondes and light brunettes that look seamlessly highlighted and don’t go all the way to white-bright blonde tones,” she says. Think Selena Gomez's new look.

As for why they're trending? “These shades look more natural and softer than what we’ve been seeing the past couple of years in heavily highlighted and platinum looks with darker roots,” Perkins continues. “The blend is more seamless.” If you are starting with blonde or highlighted hair, you can achieve this look by perfecting your tone with Madison Reed Color Therapy Mask in Perla or Color Reviving Gloss in Crema.

Winter Frost

“Although many love to go darker in the winter months, bleach and tones never go away,” says Lauren Mildice, a colorist specialist at Maxine Salon. “This color captures light and snow, with a slight lavender wash and the waves resemble a melting icicle. Typically, platinum blondes can look empty or colorless, but winter frost has the slightest pigment to keep you guessing.” A perfect example of the shade? Beyoncé's new icy blonde.

Vintage Brown

Brunettes of 2024 will be reminiscent of the past, adds Lauren Mildice, meaning natural and undone. “By placing subtle ribbons of walnut and nutmeg underneath and through the length, we stay true to the brunette world with color that appears organic,” she says.

Cherry Cola

Cherry cola, which is an almost-blue take on the red trend, is deeper and darker than what we’ve been seeing for a lot of 2023. “This shade is more of a violet-infused red that has blue undertones, and a bit more dramatic and less natural than what we’ve seen lately trending in reds," says Perkins.

Blurred Roots

“The trend that will continue to dominate highlighting in 2024 is low-contrast grow-out,” Perkins continues. “While the money piece and chunky 90s highlights made an appearance in 2023, the general aesthetic will remain a soft, blurred grow out line that stays away from visible stripey growout.”

Luminous Blonde

Diana Mildice points to “high lumen” blonde as another ideal color for anyone considering blonde. “This luminescent blonde is created by blending multiple tones of metallic gold and platinum throughout the hair allowing one tone to define the other by creating a backdrop for the lightest tone to shine through,” she says. “When we outline our lightest blondes with a warm topaz tone, we create a natural balance.”

Smoky Brunette

That said, we'll still see lots of brunettes in the new year—just a new take on the shade. “There has been quite a bit of focus on warm and golden brunettes which look more sun-kissed and naturally highlighted,” says Perkins. “The smokey brunette tones have a level of elegance that we see trending into next year in fashion and beauty.”

Warm Apricot

Known as “kettle copper,” this warm apricot shade is enhanced by blending shades of apricot and peach throughout the hair. “The diffused face frame is complimentary to the overall color,” says Diana Mildice.

Honey Highlights

Another variation on bronde is honey blonde. We've already seen lots of it in the lead-up to the new year: Keke Palmer, Kim Kardashian, and Rihanna have all debuted the shade.

“This look is usually achieved in a combination highlight/lowlight service.” says Perkins. “In order for the shade to look multi-tonal and complex, it’s important to leave plenty of lowlight or background pigment in the hair to keep it toasty and “bronde” as opposed to fully blonde. This shade can be either warm or cool toned. That will be up to preference.”

Pantone Peach

“Pantone named Peach Fuzz for their color of the year for 2024 last week, but the color peach has been secretly trending with hair color professionals,” says Maxine Salon colorist Tina Deeke. “Some versions of peach hair color are spicier like an actual peach, others are creamier like Pantone’s version. In hair the spicier version will add more shine but either way it’s a fun way for juicy peach hair.”

Copper Brunette

Deeke also points to peach and copper tones incorporated into darker colors as an up-and-coming trend. “I personally add a peach mixer into a bunch of my glosses, it just adds a little something special,” she says.

Cream Blush

Blush latté, which is a creamy blonde shade Diana Mildice named, is created by sprinkling pale blonde, taupe, and a hint of soft rose within the hair. “This palette contains hues that all complement each other and softly swirl  together seamlessly,” she says.

Cherry Violet

Another blue-tinted red to consider? Cherry violet, as worn by Megan Fox. “It’s a bolder take on red that can feel more exciting and more of a statement than the soft approach of natural warm reds from recent trend,” says Perkins. “The depth and more austere look of these shades speaks to some of the structure we expect to see in haircut trends next year.”

As for how to get the look? “Typically, achieving this shade will require at least one overall permanent color appointment using a product like Madison Reed’s Radiant Cream Color in Rimini (5RV), before glossing appointments for maintenance using something like Madison Reed Color Reviving Gloss in Barolo,” she continues. “For that first color, you’ll want to use violet-blue-ash references.”

Soft Ombré

Lauren Mildice also says that sombrés, or subtle ombrés, are on the rise. This makes perfect sense, seeing as we're leaning more towards subtle grow-out periods.

“There is something really appealing about a not-so-tried-for look. Sharp highlight lines that lead the eye right up to the scalp can look obvious and outdated,” Perkins concurs. “A deeper, more grown in root actually emphasizes the lighter pieces by giving a natural base and brings the focus to the eyes and cheekbones, which highlighting is supposed to do. It’s a more modern effect than having light bright pieces originating from the scalp.”

Strawberry Frost

According to Lorena M. Valdes, a colorist at Chicago's Maxine Salon in Chicago, we can expect to see an influx of “frosted berry” next year, which she defines as a beautiful strawberry blonde.

Cool Brunette

“Cooler more solid brunettes with more violet silver tones. This is more of a statement brunette that is ultra ash and less concerned with looking sunkissed,” says Perkins. “The dimension comes from the reflection of the cool tones that give a sort of icey feel to the overall shade."

Praline Blonde

“Here we blend a praline face frame with diffused vanilla length,” Diana Mildice says of a shade she's coined as praline blonde. “The depth around the face is deeper and creates the  perfect frame without washing out skin tone,  In this case, our brightness is encouraged to live within the length of the hair keeping a low maintenance result.”

Cowboy Copper

Of course, cowboy copper isn't going anywhere. “Everyone loves a beautiful copper and we will continue the craze in 2024,” Diana says.

Vanilla Sundae

Another delicious hair color blend? Vanilla sundae blonde. “Fair golden and slightly cool tones intermix creating the smooth tone from your beloved dessert, says Lauren Mildice. "By backdropping this color with a light brown tone, it creates a soft, chocolate drizzled effect. It will be popular since it is a great in between blonde that still remains bright. It's not too golden or too ashy."

Hazelnut Hues

"Hazelnut lights are going to take over 2024,” Lauren Mildice concludes. “Now, many are inspired to change up the tone of adding dimension. Hazelnut colored hair adds richness along with combining the dripping butterscotch tones creates a beautiful golden effect. Gold tones flatter every skin tone."

Pearly White

Valdes also predicts an uptick in winter pearly white; bright hair with a violet hue to it.

Sun-Washed Blonde

Rita Hazan, celebrity hair colorist and founder of the namesake salon Rita Hazan, is behind Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour dye job, a summery shade Hazan is calling sun-washed blonde. “I lightened her natural color three shades,” says Hazan. “And then I customized where I wanted to place the highlights.” As for where the sun-washed name comes from, Hazan says her inspo was end-of-summer hair, “when you spend all summer on the beach and the sun and salt water give you the ultimate color.”

Expensive Honey

Jennifer Lawrence turned heads at Cannes Film Festival, where she debuted an expensive honey dye job. “The shade is a warm blonde hair color trend that looks and feels expensive,” says Korab. “Expensive honey has a redder and browner undertone, creating a multidimensional and rich-looking hair color. It can suit a variety of skin tones and types and is a popular choice if you are seeking a neutral and flattering look.”

Copper Coin

For a modern take on Ariel's iconic red hair, hairstylist Camille Friend opted for a more subtle copper shade on star Halle Bailey. “When I start designing a character for a movie, I begin with a few questions,” she told Glamour. “What are the actor's skin tones and undertones? What is their eye color and facial shape? Based on that information, I chose a golden-orange shade of red that would look most flattering on Halle.”

Dusty Rose

 

“We are starting to see a lot of dusty rose gold in the salon,” Korab continues. “Dusty rose gold is a toned down trend of the copper we are seeing. This trend combines blonde and a warm gold to create that dusty rose gold. We saw this trend first in the early 2000s and is now making a comeback.”

Face-Framing Highlights

Money-piece highlights aren't going anywhere. “I'm still seeing lots of pop highlights in the front,” hairstylist Glenn Ellis points out. “When the two front pieces of the hair have more of a chunky highlight, it gives more of a sun-kissed blonde look.”

Midnight Onyx

Wednesday-inspired goth glam is taking over hair color too. “This rich black with extra shine, as if to look reflective, is trending after Wednesday,” Lorena M. Valdes, colorist at Chicago's Maxine Salon, says. “For Wednesday’s look, ask your colorist for an allover color from roots to ends. Malibu C treatments are great to remove any buildup that helps dull and greasy hair.”

Rich Burgundy

As is to be expected, we'll be seeing more burgundy hair color and red hair color this year. “Since we've turned the corner for the new year, we have seen the trend of burgundy and reds coming back,” says Korab. “This trend is adding more violet to your reds creating more of that burgundy or merlot color.”

Golden Blonde

“The ‘ash blonde’ is going to be less relevant and we are going to be seeing more gold and honey tones,” says hairstylist Nicholas Taylor. “I predict the Playboy bunny golden blonde is making its comeback as well as deep honey blondes. Chris Appleton just did a honey blonde on Kim Kardashian and I’m obsessed.”

Deep Auburn

And, of course, more red. “This year is going to be huge for auburn hair,” Taylor says. “Ciara is rocking gorgeous auburn hair right now that I’m obsessed with. Browns and auburns are taking the cake as next year’s number one color trend.”

Expensive Brunette 

Over the past year we’ve seen many blonde celebs like Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber trade in their blonde for a pretty brown hair color, and we expect to see more following in their footsteps. “Expensive brunette is all about giving deeper hair energy, dimension, and detail,” says celebrity hairstylist Tom Smith, European creative director for Evo Hair. “It’s all too easy when going for a darker shade of hair color to apply one tone all over, a similar result to using a box dye at home. I’m of the opinion that it’s professional hair colorists’ responsibility to give our clients something they could never get at home, and so expensive brunette is all about adding detail and interest with multiple deeper shades to make the result more dimensional and expensive looking.”

Golden Copper 

Like we said, shades of red has been steadily trending this year. In fact, it’s only getting brighter. This shade is popular among people who want a bold change,” says Jenna Perry, celebrity colorist and owner of NYC’s Jenna Perry Hair. “It’s equal parts sexy and playful.” Just keep in mind that red is one of the hardest shades to maintain, so plan for regular touch-ups, and make sure to use only color-safe shampoos.

Winter White 

Expect to see brighter blondes popping off too. “We are really loving the retake on this classic bottle blonde look on Anya Taylor-Joy,” says Mark DeBolt, colorist and co-owner of Mark Ryan Salon. “There is just something about that one-tone, even color that is a high-lift, or double-process, blonde. This color is great for the person that wants to stand out in the crowd—this blonde can transport you back to glamour of Old Hollywood beauties like Marylyn Monroe and Jane Mansfield.” Though anyone can get to this shade with enough bleach, DeBolt really only recommends it for those with lighter natural hair colors, since it’s such an intense process.

Brown Balayage 

Subtle highlights are a great way to refresh dark hair colors without veering into drastic territory. “Brown balayage gives hair lots of dimension and pop,” says Jamila Powell, owner of Miami’s Maggie Rose Salon. “This color gives a nice, subtle sun-kissed look and works for everyone.” Ask your colorist for varying shades of brown placed throughout your hair for the most dimensional and natural look. 

Shades of Red

DeBolt says he’s loving deep, rich shades of red, particularly for the colder months ahead. “The richness of this red shades perfectly complements winter looks,” he says. “This looks beautiful on women with deeper skin tones. For someone with brown eyes, the red enhances the warm tones. For someone with blue or green tones, it sets the eye color as a contrast color and creates a beautiful contrast. Ask for a rich red or auburn shade that doesn’t skew too violet. Semipermanent hair colors are great for this look because they are conditioning and add brilliant shine.”

Subtle Face Frame 

For a softer take on last year’s chunky highlights, go for a subtle face frame. A brighter shade right around your face will bring all the attention to your eyes, without any harsh lines. “A super-effortless face frame with bright endlights and a base drop is a more evolved ombré that’s less contrived and sexier,” says colorist and Matrix ambassador Rachel Bodt. “It’s great way to add dimensions and not take away from the depth you may love.” To get the look, she suggests asking for a face frame with some color melting and to leave the ends out to keep the brightness. 

Black Diamond 

“This power color gets us back to a place of control and glamour,” says Liz Burns, the creative director and lead stylist at Goldie x Bob Salon in Denver. “This shade color represents power, authority, and charisma.” Since black hair looks so shiny and healthy, Burns says this color actually flatters a wide range of skin tones—on paler skin it has a Snow White effect, and on darker skin it can bring out richer tones. When talking to your stylist, ask for an inky-black hair dye and a gloss to make it look as shiny as possible.

Flower Child Blonde    

“This year is about ushering in effortless-looking blondes that can be worn all year long,” says celebrity colorist Jeremy Tardo. Case in point: this rooted retro-blonde. “Keep your roots natural and fade baby blonde shades into your hair,” he says. “And ask your colorist for a natural-blonde color melt that you can touch up twice a year.” Keep in mind that the look will be way more low-maintenance if you’re a natural blonde, as darker hair will require more frequent upkeep.

Cinnamon Red

DeBolt loves this softer take on red if you aren’t ready to go bold. His number-one tip? “Bring plenty of pictures to your colorist,” he says. “There are so many types of red, and you want to make sure to get the right tone for your skin. This shade looks beautiful on creamy skin and anyone who has peachy warmth. Cinnamon reds look particularly beautiful on anyone with green or hazel eye color.” 

Fine Lines 

Last year’s bold highlights are being replaced by finer, more natural-looking highlights. For a bright blonde, ask for a mix of finely woven highlights and lowlights. “As seen on Khloé Kardashian, it gives you an allover statement blonde,” says Karissa Schaudt, a colorist at Maxine Salon. “Ask for babylights to ensure the pieces aren’t chunky and are very blended. This is best on short to medium hair lengths and great on our want-to-be blondes all year round.”

Caramel Ribbons 

“I love a good brunette that doesn’t read red but has elements of warmth throughout,” says LA colorist Matt Rez. “It gives a really balanced result.” If you’re a natural brunette, ask your stylist for midlights one or two levels lighter than your base and neutral-warm highlights. “The combo of the two will pick up so beautifully without unwanted warmth taking over and reading as a red,” he says. “Done right, warmth on brunettes is unbeatable.”

Mahogany Glow  

Tinges of red and peach to full-on pumpkin spice hair were trending hard for 2022, and these shades aren’t going anywhere. Mahogany glow is the latest iteration of the trend, and it’s perfectly suited for dark hair. “These red-brown accents reflect light beautifully on rich brunette locks,” says Tardo. “The tones are especially flattering if you have textured hair with a dark natural base color.” For a similar look, he says, ask your colorist for mahogany pigments to be mixed into your usual brunette color.

Hazelnut Brunette 

For an update on brown, Burns looks to nature—for this color, she found inspiration in hazelnuts. “This brunette is a tone-on-tone brown with glimpses of golden light browns to depths of a deeper ashy brown,” she says, calling it “low-maintenance with high impact.” For a similar look, she recommends bringing plenty of photos to your hairstylist so they can understand what tones you’re looking for.

Reverse Balayage 

“Reverse balayage is definitely a new trend,” says Lauren Grummel, a hairstylist in New York City. “So many people are looking for lower-maintenance color, and this is a perfect solution.” If you already have bright highlights but are looking for something with an easier grow-out, Grummel suggests asking for a root color that’s one shade lighter than your natural. “It will blend seamlessly with the highlights and your natural color, creating a lower contrast. But you’ll still have pops of the highlights,” she says.

Buttercream Blonde 

If you’re a natural blonde and want to go lighter but not quite platinum, go for a baby blonde with a hint of warmth. “With a natural light canvas to work off, you are already cutting through several layers of underlying warmth that takes a brunette hours to accomplish,” says celebrity hair colorist Bianca Hillier. “This grows out nice and easily without much maintenance. You can get away with highlights once or twice a year. Make sure your colorist gets a great look at your eye, skin, and lip hues to conclude what is too buttery or just enough.” (Be sure to check out more of our favorite blonde hair color ideas if you’re thinking of going lighter.)

Fantasy Blue    

Hillier says to expect blue to take over pink as the fun color du jour. However, there’s a reason it’s not as common as pink, since it’s a little harder to nail. Hillier says it looks great on pale skin but can bring out any redness you have, so be careful if that’s a concern of yours. It can also tinge green if your hair isn’t lightened enough, so be sure to ask your colorist to fill your hair to knock out any yellow tones before going in with your shade of blue. Hillier recommends an Olaplex treatment with all major hair changes, but especially one like this where bleach is involved. All the work is worth it though, as there’s no denying the finished look is cool as hell.

Barely There Highlights 

If you’d like highlighted hair, this is a great option for a little lift with barely any upkeep. Grummel says to ask for highlights only a couple of shades lighter than your natural shade to add some some dimension without any harsh grow-out. 

Amber Brown 

If you want a simple change for your winter hair color once colder weather hits, DeBolt recommends asking your stylist for a blushy, warm gloss on brown hair. “If you have faded highlights from summer, a simple gloss would do the trick and will add shine and warmth for the months ahead,” he says. “If your hair is one single color, you will need to add some delicate, hand-painted highlights around your face and throughout the crown.”

Matte Brown 

“For anyone who is on the fence about going blonde, this is your first step in that direction,” says Hillier. “A matte brown works well with almost every skin tone.” She says to be sure your colorist tones your hair for longer than usual to create a dense, long-lasting brown—and to avoid brassy tones. 

Golden Pops 

Bold highlights can be done on all hair colors—not just blonde. The key is getting the tone right, and Hillier suggests keeping it in the gold family. “Soft golden pops are great for everyone, since gold is what reflects the most light creating the utmost shine,” she says. “Clarify with your colorist on exactly how blonde you want these pops so you don’t end up looking like a platinum Barbie doll.”