At this time of year, hairdressers, colourists, session stylists and beauty journalists are all doing the same thing: looking ahead to the wave of fresh hair colour trends 2026 is about to usher in. As with nail trends and makeup looks, some things are slowly fading into the background, while others are steadily rising up the style agenda.
Which is why I called upon three of the industry’s leading colourists and all-round hair experts to break down the key trends for next year—sharing the seven need-to-know looks here. Regardless of whether you love to change your hair colour in line with the season’s most in-demand looks or if you simply like to browse trend reports for get inspired for a future refresh, we’re in for a treat with this lot. From natural-looking fresh blondes and multidimensional brunettes to more vibrant orange and purple-toned reds, here are the key looks to know about for the year ahead.
The 2026 hair colour trends to know, according to top colourists
1. Blanche
Ethereal blondes that embody the hair version of the 2026 Pantone Colour of the Year, Cloud Dancer, are set to trend this year—AKA blanche blonde. Christel Barron-Hough, founder of STIL London, describes it as “The ethereal blonde trend that will be everywhere next year—think of it as the sister of Scandi blonde, reinvented as a new character. It’s very fresh, clean and calm as we enter a year of new beginnings.” These more natural and pure-looking blondes are already trending, with Barron-Hough noting that the fashion crowd in Copenhagen and beyond are currently wearing their hair super blonde. “The key thing to know is that it contains no hue, neither warm or cool; instead, it appears bright, minimal and reflective,” she continues. “Using a back-to-back highlighting technique, or baby lights, is the best way to create this look, as we’re moving away from all-over colour. It’s more about using craftsmanship techniques such as traditional foil work.”
Barron-Hough tells me that its neutrality means it’s ultimately a very versatile colour, working well with both warm and cool complexions, plus all hair textures. However, “For multi-textured hair, from Afro to wavy, it’s important to dial up bond-building and hydration after the service,” she stresses, recommending the Wella Fusion range to hydrate and rebuild strands. For curly textures, it’s extra important to focus on these as they are already naturally dry. And while you can create blanche blonde on any starting colour, “On darker shades—from dark brown to light brown—you might need to book 1–3 services to achieve a super bright result,” Barron-Hough notes. “This allows us to maintain the condition when lightening the hair to this degree. It’s better to do it ‘low and slow’ to preserve the hair’s integrity. For dark blonde and above, you can achieve the result in just one service.”
2. Digital copper
“Reds and coppers are coming back with a refined edge,” says Abigail Butler, Owner of Strictly Xtended and L’Oréal Professionnel artist. “Think ember, apricot and molten copper blended into brunette depths. This trend bridges natural warmth with a futuristic digital sheen, influenced by gaming visuals and digital colour palettes.” It’s another really versatile trend that can work from any starting point by layering colour and glosses. “On darker bases, you lift the hair just enough to avoid muddy undertones, then glaze with warm reds or apricot blends,” Butler explains. “On lighter bases, direct pigment deposit creates maximum brilliance. This trend really sings on textured hair, where natural light catches the variation in tone as curls move.”
3. Gothic dandy
You need only look at the current winter fashion trends to see that gothic romanticism is everywhere this season—and that vampy vibe is filtering into hair and makeup, too. At the cooler end of the spectrum, red is taking on a moodier edge for 2026. Zoë Irwin, colour ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel, refers to this as the “gothic dandy” trend. “It’s become a lot deeper, so it’s much more of a purple or plum, she explains. “If you look at all of the [accompanying] make-up trends, like the much darker lip and smoky eye, that’s where it becomes more gothic.” Because of its damson hue, it can work particularly well on pale skin, giving it added luminosity, but could be tweaked ever so slightly to complement a variety of skin tones.
4. Lush truffle
As for brunettes, lush truffle is all about luxurious warmth, says Dean Harris, hair colourist at Larry King London. “This shade brings a warmth back into brunette palettes with a refined vision. It’s designed to enhance skin tone and elevate shine, giving hair an expensive glow that feels timeless and dimensional. It’s rich, glossy and indulgent.”
Barron-Hough agrees: “Brunettes are going to become full-bodied in both colour and depth, and we’ll be seeing more of a lush, luxe appearance with warm, rich truffle pigments. It’s a very sophisticated and elegant brown hue that’s full of warmth and glowy tones. In fact, we’re now seeing the cooler browns slowly being replaced with brunettes that have a slight, warm, red glow to them. So this is a really luxe look.
“The great thing about this trend is it can still suit cool complexions, as well as those with warmth in their skin,” she continues. “For warmer skin tones, we would add more red to the brunette, and for cooler tones, we would add more mahogany to create the perfect hue.” Again, it’s one that works on all hair textures. “Depending on how opaque you would like your colour result to be, you can choose between a permanent or a semi-permanent hair colour from a depth of dark brown to lighter blonde,” Barron-Hough explains. “A semi-permanent colour is a great option for Afro to curly hair as it adds depth and tone, plus has lots of hydrating properties. But this colour is also a great option for any hair texture, especially if the hair needs a gentle colour service with natural fade.”
5. Bronzette
Think of that glow that comes from the light reflecting through warm, golden brunettes. That’s bronzete. Irwin, also an ambassador for Glaze, describes it as “a delicate glaze of muted bronze caramel” in a trend presentation, adding, “The bronzette is a delicate airy muted bronze voile of colour that works from a dark blonde to a mid brown.” It works really well for natural brunettes who want to play with tones. For an easy at-home way to try the trend, she recommends Supergloss in Caramel Lights for lighter brunettes or Cocoa Lights for deeper brunettes.
6. Carnelian orange
For those who love bright, bold shades and experimenting with colour, carnelian orange is the vibrant trend to know for 2026. “Taking inspiration from the ‘stone of fire’, this trend is bursting with warm, mood-boosting orange tones and vibrant reddish hues,” says Barron-Hough. “It’s always exciting to see the continued evolution of the orange-red trend and we love how this colour is all about self-expression for the new year.
This look can also be dialled up with semi-permanent colour. “We use a ‘depth and tone hybrid-mix technique’ to create a colour which is ultra vibrant and leaves the hair super shiny and full of life. For lighter starting colours—dark blonde and above—you can opt for semi-permanent colour glosses, which are really hydrating and will add lots of colour as well as shine.” It’s another adaptable option that can be created on any hair colour or texture. “For darker natural levels up to a light brown, you will need to opt for a permanent colour to get the shift and brightness,” Barron-Hough confirms. “This is a great option as it’s less damaging to the hair.”
7. Hyper-dimensional brunette
“This multi-dimensional shade is the future of brunettes,” says Harris. “In 2026, luxury brunettes are all about dimension, and this shade is crafted to capture the light, not compete with it, delivering depth and softness with a couture finish.”
Butler agrees: “We’re heading into a time where deep, glossy brunettes with micro-luminosity will dominate. Think rich espresso or cacao bases with ultra fine ribbons of warmer tones, like chestnut or soft caramel, woven through for an almost mirror finish depth.”
Butler describes it as the antidote to overtly bleached looks as it works well with natural hair growth, tipping L’Oréal Professionnel’s soon-to-launch glosses as perfect for creating this glossy trend. “On curly or textured hair, micro balayage respects the curl pattern so highlights catch light without banding,” she adds, “While on darker starting colours, lift is strategic and careful to keep saturation and shine.”