2024 offers plenty of exciting color trends to explore, whether you’re an auburn-haired natural blonde searching for subtle dimension or an auburn brunette desiring an internal glow. To give you some help selecting your hue this year, we enlisted some of the industry’s premier colorists who shared their advice about what shades should make an appearance this year.
This spring, balayage gets an updated style in the form of lived-in babylights as seen on Sofia Richie. This look adds warmth and vibrance to your complexion for maximum impact.
Golden Blonde
An exciting new year calls for fresh new looks–and what better way to revitalize your look than with an eye-catching change? From buttery blonde to strawberry gold or adding warm caramel highlights, there is sure to be the ideal blonde hue out there.
Lived-in blonde is the go-to hair color choice for those seeking an authentic sun-kissed look in 2024, according to colorist Sachi Kumagai. “We’re seeing more natural, lived-in shades like buttercream to balayage and golden highlights,” notes Sachi Kumagai. Lived-in blonde seems more leather than just brand new coat.
Brunettes looking to go darker this year have plenty of choices available to them when it comes to hair color. Deep red tones have become very trendy (as evidenced by Dua Lipa’s marshmallow pink strands), while rich browns with cool undertones make an excellent alternative option to the vampy red trend. And for those already sporting brown locks, adding subtle dimension with ashy babylights could bring something special and unexpected into the equation.
Ash Blonde
This year’s trending color is rich and warm with an intense sheen that illuminates your complexion’s natural radiance. To maintain it for optimal results, get face-framing babylights or use an nourishing leave-in product such as one from Bumble and Bumble to apply color glaze at home.
If you’re not quite ready to commit to bleaching your locks completely, opt for a muted brown shade that leans more toward grey with silvery mushroom undertones – like Lucy Boynton has done in this look worn by Halley Brisker. She suggests it as a great choice if you want dimension without going too dark.
Reach the desired effect with balayage, in which gently painted highlights emulate the natural highlights found on children’s hair. This timeless classic offers low maintenance needs while remaining stylish – plus, it looks fantastic on everyone!
Caramel Brunette
As the perfect autumn shade, caramel hues create an iconic fall feel; yet this rich brown shade adds sophistication with natural tones that feel sophisticated yet natural. When applied using the balayage technique, they produce an understated sun-kissed effect which instantly elevates any client’s look.
Balayage bronde, as its known by many stylists, combines the depth of brunette tones with caramel highlights for an eye-catching combination. Balayage bronde offers an effortless way to add dimension and increase shine; Mildice suggests this trend as an option for those seeking natural-looking highlights.
Like lived-in blonde, balayage bronde is an effortlessly natural look that’s easy to maintain. For maximum vibrancy, she recommends using weekly shine treatments to hydrate and lock in moisture for the ideal hue. Achieve this style by highlighting mid-lengths and ends with warm babylights for seamless blend, painting over with light caramel shade before adding rhinestone barrettes as finishing touches for added polish – you’re good to go for any day out.
Honey Blonde
Spring hair color trends offer an array of stunning hues to instantly elevate your look, from icy blonde and copper hues to caramel brunettes and more. But which option is the right one for you? To help answer this question, we consulted experts in the field.
Instead of opting for an icy platinum shade, consider asking your stylist to create warm golden blonde roots with light caramel highlights throughout. “This looks more lived-in and it will lessen any obvious signs of regrowth,” according to hairstylist Francesca Spirito.
Mildice tells TZR she believes murky volcanic tones are the way forward this season: the rich color is spicy while still having warm undertones that balance it out, she says.
Salons have given balayage new life this year by using subtle highlights to add subtle highlights onto the ends of your locks – similar to what’s seen on TikTok stars like Rihanna or Blake Lively – easily maintaining and adding major shine.