Looking for summer hair inspo? Katie Holmes has got you covered. The actor turned director, beauty icon, and graphic tee connoisseur has done it again, turning heads with yet another legendary hairstyle and corresponding shade.
Katie gave a masterclass on how brunettes can shake things up for the summertime, debuting a fresh take on her usual brunette shade with face-framing caramel highlights.
Also known as brownie batter brunette or soft-frame espresso highlights, this look elevates deep natural brown hair with highlights and balayage, weaving dimension throughout the hair with hazelnut, caramel, honey, and bronde tones.
“It’s a soft, rich brown-toned face frame; a mixture of teasy lights and balayage creates this simple yet luxurious appearance,” says Lauren Mildice, a colour specialist at Maxine Salon. “This is an amazing change for brunettes, since most feel they have to add blonde into their hair to create dimensions or a new look.”
Katie and her go-to colourist, Gina Gilbert of New York City’s Marie Robinson Salon, pulled it off seamlessly, while her waist-length mermaid waves, created by celebrity hairstylist DJ Quintero, showed off the beautiful and bold dimension perfectly.
Katie Holmes, wearing CHANEL, attends the CHANEL Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner at The Odeon on June 10, 2024 in New York City.Raymond Hall/Getty Images
Katie’s summertime shade, which she gave fans another glimpse of before hitting the red carpet, is right on trend. According to Lauren, hazelnut and caramel highlights are on the rise for brunettes in particular.
“The contrasting colours make a bold dimensional look on such a classic technique,” she says, describing the look as a strong hazelnut brown colour, panelled throughout the hair with burnt hazelnut lowlights and contrasting light blond pieces.
“It’s a panelling technique with strong ribbons to create a whirling pattern with her back-combed hair structure,” she explains.
Katie Holmes, wearing CHANEL, attends the CHANEL Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner at The Odeon on June 10, 2024 in New York City.Sean Zanni/Getty Images
Katie Holmes, wearing CHANEL, attends the CHANEL Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner at The Odeon on June 10, 2024 in New York City.Ammar Rowaid/Getty Images
Katie’s new look is also a cool take on brownie batter brunette, which stars like Mindy Kaling and Camila Cabello have worn lately, too. And you can see the dimension even better when her hair is straight.
“This hair colour trend has soft blonde money pieces and a few highlights around the face,” says Jennifer Korab, hairstylist and owner of Renaissance Salon & Spa, who coined the name. “It can also have some softer blonde pieces throughout the hair while still maintaining mostly the rich brunette look.”