Source: Courtesy of @nicoleashleyartistry
Winter is in full swing, meaning it’s time to update your clients’ look and embrace the season with a trendy, cool hair color. In past years, the chilly weather meant many clients opting for darker hues, however 2024 is taking on a new trend featuring a variety of warm, cozy tones that perfectly transitions the hair between fall and winter shades.
Follow along as celebrity hair colorist and Matrix global brand ambassador, George Papanikolas (@georgepapanikolas) highlights the top five winter hair color trends stylists should watch out for in 2024.
Cherry Cola Hair
Source: Courtesy of @live2dye
Paying homage to the nostalgic drink, this trend is as sweet as it sounds. Dua Lipa traded in her signature black color for this fiery shade that combines deep brown and burgundy for a velvety darker reddish brunette.
“This shade will be very popular with brunettes who want to be playful with their color. If your client isn’t ready for the full commitment, you can experiment with this popular shade with a gloss with Matrix SoColor Sync Pre-Bonded Alkaline Toner over highlighted hair. Typically, you will choose tones with a red/burgundy 6R or a red violet tone 6RV,” says Papanikolas.
Arctic Blonde
Source: Courtesy of @blassomhair
As seen on Kim Kardashian, this Nordic-inspired icy blonde color features ashy undertones and will instantly brighten up your client’s look.
“These tones usually look best and are most easily achieved on clients with or lighter than natural light, brown or dark blonde hair. It can be done on darker hair, but it can be much more harsh and damaging, so proceed with caution. Once the color has been pre-lightened to a pale yellow, then you can go back in with Matrix Tonal Control Pre-Bonded Acidic Gel-Cream Toner in 11PV (Pearl/Violet), which will give a balanced, cool tone and neutralize any unwanted yellow,” says Papanikolas.
Espresso
Source: Courtesy of @desireealyssahair
This deep shade embodies the warmth of a hot cup of coffee with hints of black and brown. We love how sophisticated and dimensional it looks on Vanessa Hudgens, who is currently rocking this hue.
“As a general rule for universally-flattering hair color, never go darker by more than two shades of your natural color, otherwise it can look very harsh. Most brunette hair pulls natural warmth, so if you want to neutralize it, use Matrix Tonal Control Pre-Bonded Acidic Gel-Cream Toner in 5J (Jade) to neutralize any unwanted red tones,” advises Papanikolas.
Candlelit Brunette
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Inspired by a crackling bonfire or flickering candle that lights up your face, this warm, rich brown shade à la Hailey Bieber and Kaia Gerber features subtle highlights of mahogany, gold, copper, ginger or auburn that frame the face and add dimension.
“These colors sit right in the middle of the hair color spectrum and have a universally flattering appeal. The tones can be skewed, warm or cool, depending on the desired end result. Most brunettes tend to pull a lot of warmth, so you’ll want to neutralize it with either Matrix Tonal Control Pre-Bonded Acidic Gel-Cream Toner in 9V/Violet or 8GV Gold/Violet, which gives them more balanced tone,” says Papanikolas.
Cowgirl Copper
Source: Courtesy of @live2dye
After taking TikTok by storm in the fall, the previous season’s it color is here to stay. Inspired by the rich red undertones of Western leather, this shade is somewhere in-between brunette and red, and is a favorite among celebs including Riley Keough and Emily Ratajkowski.
“This color looks best on fair skin, neutral skin and golden skin, but it can be adjusted warmer or cooler depending on the skin tone. This color is very characterized by its richness and depth, and is accented by the copper with rich brown undertones. It’s important not to go too vivid with this color to keep it current, especially at the root area. You’ll want the root area to have more of a copper/brown undertone and then you can gloss the middle and ends with a more vibrant copper using Matrix SoColor Sync Pre-Bonded Alkaline Toner in 6GC (Gold/Copper),” says Papanikolas.