7 winter hair colours you need to know about for 2024

We love the opportunity to reinvent ourselves each season, so obviously we're always here for a jumpstart on the winter hair colours that will be taking off once autumn ebbs away.

Of course, the colder, darker months tend to see the temperature dip when it comes to hair colours, with deep chocolate tones and cinnamon reds getting more requests at the hair salon, but to counter-attack the grey days ahead, a new rendition of red is already climbing the charts and it's not shy, or demure. The experts are pin-pointing show-stopper vibro reds as the one to watch in winter. Elsewhere, there's plenty of ways to wear blonde, whether you want to prolong some warmth with a golden sunflower blonde, or you fancy a cooler icing sugar tone.

Wherever your mood take you, these are the winter hair colours to know for 2024…

Sunflower blonde

One way to keep the warmth going in the winter months is with a warm-toned hair shade. “For the third consecutive season, intensely golden sunflower blonde will continue reigning as the most popular blonde shade,” says top hair stylist and trend forecaster, Tom Smith. “The glow of a golden blonde [can] light up a room,” he says, and it'll “brighten up the grey days ahead as the weather cools,” he adds. “This year we are seeing a lot of yellow undertones in blondes,” agrees Dean Harris, colourist at Larry King South Kensington. Essentially, we're favouring “colours that have that warm reflect that will make the hair appear vivid and healthy during a season where the skies are grey and there is little sun,” he adds.

Cafe au lait

We're seeing a collision between blonde and brunette with a stunning neutral in-betweener shade stealing loads of attention. “The 2024 winter colour trends will see those natural brunettes having soft caramel and biscuit tones, whether that’s with babylights or more of a dimensional balayage, both keeping maintenance low,” notes Sophia Karayiannis, colourist at Larry King Notting Hill.

Celebrity hair colourist Matt Rez agrees. Brunettes, in particular are skipping tradition by heading in a lighter direction. “Going lighter for winter is the trend of the season," confirms Matt. “Just make sure the colour tone suits and compliments your skin tone. If you are not sure of the tones that work best with your skin tone, go for more neutral. I recently took Emma Chamberlain, Hailey Bieber and Chrissy Teigen lighter heading in to winter – we took Hailey soft bronde, and Chrissy went from a medium brown to a honey caramel,” says Matt.

Meanwhile, Nicola Clarke, creative colour director at John Frieda Salons and founder of Nicola Clarke salon is getting behind lots of taupe colours. “The mid-browns and dark blondes,” she says. “The colours are more muted and sophisticated. If you are going with taupe, the roots stay natural and the light pieces are scattered softly throughout,” she says. And for blondes wanting to achieve the look, it's actually easier than you'd think. “In winter it's about altering the tone by using glazes and toners at the salon. This means taking what you've got and putting a shadow over the top of it. You still have the underlying colour so it’s possible to get it back really easily,” says Nicola.

The Olsen dip

If you like a little nostalgia in your hair colour, Luke Hersheson, celebrity hair stylist and CEO at Hershesons salon has just the trend for you.

“I like this idea of the dip dye coming back, kind of like a noughties Olsen twins reference. It’s not in a way where you would see a line, but those very, very light ends with a much darker root. It really pushes the idea that you had your hair done a few months ago, as opposed to it been freshly done," he says. “I really like that blend, but it being much more extreme so it feels a bit rock n roll,” he adds.

Vibro reds

If you want your hair colour to make a statement, vibro reds may be more your level. “Without a doubt the reds are trending,” insists Nicola, who points to Chappell Roan for inspo.

In particular, “we've seen a move to vibro reds, an ‘80s mix of almost copper and red,” she says. “This is the evolution from Dua Lipa’s cherry cola red that has been big,” adds Nicola. But, there's room for play. “The reds can be worn as a drastic look or a more sophisticated high fashion red depending on the colours you choose and the way it’s styled,” Nicola says.

“There’s a powdery and slightly sherbet quality to the vivid reds this year,” agrees Tom who is firmly backing pyro reds. “They have an airiness that makes them feel fresh and youthful, while retaining the attention grabbing nature of true red,” he says. As for matching it to your features, “the suitability of a non naturally-occurring shade depends less on your skin tone and eye colour, and more so on your personality and confidence. This shade will attract attention and compliments, so requires a bit of boldness,” he notes. “That being said, deeper and richer skin tones tend to look phenomenal with this acidic red tone,” he adds.

Heritage blonde

For those opting for a more subtle blonde, Tom recommends Heritage Blonde.

“Finely woven and neutral in tone, this is for the more understated and showcases blonde tones in a more casual and natural looking way,” he says.

“It's ideal for those who like a natural and elegant look, or for those wanting to go blonde with a softer regrowth. This can sometimes only need to be redone every three or four months in the salon and so is a surprisingly low maintenance option. The tone is muted and neutral and so suits a variety of skin tones, and the mix of deeper and brighter shades make it a great choice for those with deep or fair skin,” he adds.

Monobrown

If you're more of a classic babe, and like to deepen your colour as the mercury drops, monobrown is a cool and current way to wear brunette. Coined by Tom, it features a “totally monochromatic finish,” which means you can skip highlights and balayage.

“Various references for tones of rich, neutral or cool deep brunettes are building each week, but they all share a clean, even and high shine base colour, with no obvious contrast or dimension,” he says. “It's great for those with naturally deep hair,” says Tom, bit it also works on fair hair, particularly “if you dye your eyebrows to match and embrace a porcelain doll complexion,” Tom notes. “It can be a beautifully striking look in either case. Just be sure you’re willing to use the correct products to maximise the shine and gloss in your hair,” he says.

Icing sugar blonde

Finally, if you want some high contrast in the other direction, going platinum blonde over the frosty winter season is so on theme.

We recently saw Kendall Jenner switch out her dark brunette hair for a more alpine-inspired icing sugar blonde and influencer, Vanessa Hong has made icy strands a signature statement.

For more from GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk

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