For many, the New Year starts with a toast of champagne or sparkling cider. For Allure editors, it begins with a new crop of hair color trends. After all, a brand-new look can be a big boon to your confidence, preparing you for what 2025 has in store.
Whether your style is more aligned with a just-got-back-from-the-beach vibe or the dark academia aesthetic, “the emphasis [for hair color] is on seamlessness, ease, and a clean finish,” says Lena Ott, a New York City colorist and the founder of Suite Caroline Salon. “This is achieved through glossing and/or toning, which can add rich color.”
For blondes, the pros are seeing a shift toward warmer shades. In fact, not one colorist cited icy-cool blonde as an upcoming trend (though many of them did point to Sabrina Carpenter as inspiration). With Hitchcock blonde (a look anticipated by Ott), we see inspiration pulled from the leading ladies of films from the master of horror, while quieter trends like smoky bronze and warm marigold offer a more polished modernity. The latter two colors “reflect how clients are gravitating toward a natural look with a touch of enhancement,” says Mariah Joseph, a colorist at Suite Caroline Salon. “They’re seeking the comfort and ease of looking like themselves, but at their very best.”
Brunettes, on the other hand, will see coppery boosts in the form of delicate balayage highlights. Truer reds are also on the horizon, though they’re much subtler than in previous years. They’ll be peeking out via deep-red undertones beneath rich espresso bases.
There’s also good news for those who have the urge to do something dramatic. If you prefer all-over color in bright, nature-defying hues, rest assured that you have options. “Vibrant jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire, and blue are set to dominate the hair color scene in 2025,” says Marie Nino, a colorist and stylist in New York City.
Feel inspired? It’s time to prep for your next salon visit with photo references of all the best hair-color trends of 2025.
- Mariah Joseph is a colorist at Suite Caroline Salon in New York City.
- Lena Ott is a New York-based colorist and the founder and creative director of Suite Caroline Salon.
- Marie Nino is a colorist and stylist at Arisa in New York City.
- Meri Kate O’Connor is a celebrity colorist at Benjamin Salon in Los Angeles.
- Alex Muckey is a colorist and stylist at Happy Place Studio in Brooklyn.
Hitchcock blonde
Between the recent film The Substance and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” music video, it’s clear that the link between horror and beauty is here to stay. “Clients are craving an anchor rather than a fleeting trend. Enter Hitchcock blonde from stage left,” says Ott. “We may not be able to solve all of life’s mysteries, but we might as well feel as elegant as Grace Kelly in the meantime.” While 2023’s Barbie blonde was a louder look that involved lightening much more of the head, Ott describes the Hitchcock blonde as “toned, yet anything but flat,” letting you channel your inner scream queen.
In case the root-free looks on Michelle Williams (created by Ott), Anya Taylor-Joy, and Solange Knowles didn’t give it away, it’s important to note that Hitchcock blonde is not among the lower-maintenance trends on this list. “Achieved through a bleach-and-tone process, the lift stops just shy of platinum, leaving behind a velvety gold,” explains Ott. “The result is a universally flattering shade that works for all skin tones and hair textures.”
Smoky bronze
The hair color equivalent of stepping through the side door into a dimly lit speakeasy, smoky bronze is described by Joseph as a “rich, layered shade for those seeking something sophisticated with a hint of intrigue.” It’s a hazy, romantic look that complements most skin tones and somehow manages to channel classic film noirs of the 1940s and the dreaminess of 1980s VHS tapes at the same time.
“This handcrafted technique involves using balayage to add layers of smoky, cool-tone shades of brown on top of warm, wet painted ends,” says Joseph. “The result is a high-gloss color with depth that shimmers like shadow and light playing together.” Even better: This trend doesn’t ask much of you in the way of maintenance. “With twice-yearly highlights and a gloss every three months, you’ll find yourself in the chair just four times a year,” says Joseph, adding that for curly hair textures she recommends “bolder strokes throughout to maintain the smoky dimension.”
Mushroom brown
If you’re a down-to-earth type (at least as far as your hair is concerned), Meri Kate O’Connor, a hair colorist at Benjamin Salon in Los Angeles, predicts a subtle shade offering a “more muted, natural color” will climb to the top of the hair-trend charts. “Mushroom brown is a cool-toned brown color that can have taupe and gray in it,” says O’Connor. “You can do this with a single color or highlights, just by getting them in ashier tones rather than warmer ones.”
The upkeep is higher than some others on this list, O’Connor says, because “keeping the cool color may require monthly gloss appointments, especially if you have hard water [in your home] or are in the sun a lot,” as both can rinse out the tone and cause it to fade more quickly. If you’re up for the challenge, though, the finished look is worth it. This calming shade looks gorgeous on a range of ages, skin tones, and hair lengths and textures.
Warm marigold
Warm marigold, a trend spotted by Joseph, is a radiant blend of gold, copper, and cozy brown shades. “Think of a natural redhead with the dial turned up just a bit,” explains Joseph, adding that the shade caught her eye on the Rokh spring/summer 2025 runway.
To create this shade, Joseph says she starts with a “base break” (a process that quickly lifts the natural root to reveal its underlying warmth) followed by a gloss with more golden and copper tones to “temper the warmth and bring an overall satiny feeling.” The result: a gorgeous, healthy-looking hair color that sparkles in the light. Plus, if you’d love a head-turning transformation but don’t feel confident that you can adhere to diligent root touch-ups every four to six weeks, warm marigold may be an ideal trend for you. Joseph says clients can expect to visit the salon every 7 to 10 weeks, providing the forgetful and very busy among us with a helpful buffer.
Vibrant jewel tones
One major lesson the vast majority of society seems to have picked up on in the last decade is that it is important to find joy wherever we can, whether that’s picking up a soothing hobby, attempting to do away with our many micro-insecurities, or finally doing something new with our appearance that we’ve always been too scared to try. Anecdotally, we have seen more people, particularly women who are 60-plus, wearing their hair in the brightest, boldest shades of the rainbow.
Nino predicts vibrant jewel tones, like emerald green and sapphire blue, are set to take the stage in 2025. “These bold, rich shades provide a luxurious, high-impact look that adds depth and dimension to hair,” says Nino.
There are so many routes to take with this trend and if you’ve debated going cobalt blue or sparkly amethyst for this long, there’s a solid chance you’ll love the result more than you can imagine.
Minimalist balayage
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Brooklyn-based colorist Alex Muckey foresees a simpler, quieter look taking hold. “For 2025 hair-color trends, I’m [envisioning] minimalist balayage—barely there highlights that enhance someone’s natural hair color in a sun-kissed fashion,” she explains. This is especially great news if you’ve kept your fingers crossed for the long-delayed exit of ‘90s nostalgia, as Muckey suspects this minimalist trend “will be a great transition from the chunky ‘90s highlights we saw throughout 2024.”
After-sun blonde
If you feel a year-round yearning for the uncomplicated lightness of summer, there’s a sweet new blonde trend coming your way. “After-sun blonde is the sophisticated, grown-up upgrade from those carefree highlights of summer,” says Ott. “Designed to elevate your look with a more intentional feel, this trend focuses on blending post-summer regrowth seamlessly while toning down the bleach for a natural, glossy finish.” Evidence of the incoming popularity of this trend could be spotted on model Rylea Beth, whose casually striking blonde hair on the runway at the Proenza Schouler spring 2025 show was done by Ott.
Ott recommends planning ahead if you’re interested in trying this look. “For spring and summer, we typically leave the highlights raw—bleaching them without toner and working with what is already there—which mimics sun-kissed brightness and acts as a reparative step for blondes,” says Ott. “As fall approaches, we introduce a tonal shift, applying toner all the way to the ends for a smooth, seasonal transition that leaves hair looking polished and refined.”
So, what separates this look from 2025’s other blonde color trends? “It’s all in the toning,” says Ott. “By toning the roots and blending highlights away from the scalp, we create a seamless root shadow and a glossy, all-over finish.” She notes that the approach is the same for curls and, “whether bleached or not, we still use a gloss to maintain shine and vibrancy.” We may also see the continuance of the lowlights trend, which Ott says can bring dimension to otherwise solid ends.
Soft-shadow roots
As previously mentioned, Sabrina Carpenter has been a widely cited influence for blondes since her popularity skyrocketed this year. Her specific shade of flaxen hair is giving a boost to a vintage-inspired trend that’s perfect for blonde fans who prefer lower-maintenance looks. “I’m predicting the return of bright, buttery blondes with a soft shadow root, inspired by Sabrina and models from the ‘60s,” says Muckey. “Sabrina’s look right now is iconic and infectious. I can already tell we’ll be seeing more of her in 2025.” All you need now to complete the look are curtain bangs and a glamorous (yet terrifying) disposition.
Amber glaze
Like a voluminous Selkie gown or a dreamy Jennifer Behr hair bow, the amber glaze trend brings a sense of storybook romance to the table. Ott says this color—applied as a glaze over lightened or blonde hair—is a great option for those who’ve pondered strawberry or red hues but worry about the potential brassiness. “It softens the yellow undertones of copper and introduces a hint of pink or rose,” she says.
Dark espresso
Not quite over the dark academia trend yet? While many fads on the horizon veer in a lighter direction, perhaps a full-bodied brown shade is in the cards for your 2025 aesthetic. O’Connor predicts bold espresso will be one of the year’s biggest hair color trends for brunettes, as seen on Rihanna and Zendaya. “Ask your colorist for a rich, dark, chocolate brown,” says O’Connor. “Once you have this shade, you can maintain it by coloring your roots every six to eight weeks and getting a gloss to ensure it stays fresh.”
If you love the depth and darkness of espresso but all-brown sounds a little too plain for your taste, you could try the delicious, soda-pop twist of cherry cola hair, which became popular in 2023. O’Connor describes it as “deep red with brown undertones—a dark cherry color.” Whether or not you add a touch of grenadine to your hair color cocktail, a striking espresso shade is bound to turn heads.
Read more about hair trends:
- The Top Winter Hair Colors of 2024 Are Simply Delectable
- 13 Bangs Trends To Help Frame Your Face Because You’re a Work of Art
- 9 Bold Haircut Ideas to Try In 2024
Now, watch Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke react to viral internet trends:
