Something shifted this year. My clients stopped coming in with vague ideas and started bringing me very specific references, mushroom brown, milky tea blonde, navy blue, deep magenta, peach ombre at the ends. Bold is back in a real way, but also very subtle and natural shades, and ladies are getting real specific with what they want! Love to see it. I have personally been loving the vivid colors and the really mushroomy/cool tone brunette colors, the ones that look like they have a light source somewhere inside them.
But the quiet colors are just as good. The beige tones and sandy blondes are still everywhere and they look so effortless I almost prefer doing them. 2026 is a great year to be sitting in a salon chair.
Silk Glass Bronde
This is warm and a little brown and a little blonde at the same time and it just looks perfect. So shiny it almost looks fake but in the best way possible. If your hair is already a medium brown this color is going to look so good on you.
Cool Ash Mushroom Brown
It is a cool toned brown with just a tiny bit of gray mixed in and I am really into it right now. My clients keep asking me for this color lately. This is so perfect if you are a brunette who wants something a little different without going anywhere near blonde.
Sandy Blonde Bombshell Waves
The waves are so big and full and bouncy and I love every single one of them. It looks like the sun kissed this hair on a beach somewhere warm. Fine hair girls, this one is for you if you want volume that actually looks real.
Dark Cherry Bordeaux
This deep dark red has a little purple in it and it looks so rich. I love how the loose waves make the color move and shift. On deeper skin tones this color looks absolutely incredible.
Dark Root Platinum Ombre
The roots stay dark and then it fades into this really pale silver blonde and it is so cool looking. You get the platinum look without the crazy upkeep and I think that is a really smart move. The ends are almost white which I love so much.
Icy Pearl Long Waves
This is basically white hair with a tiny pearl shimmer in it and it is stunning. Finding a colorist who can get it this clean is the real challenge honestly. The soft waves keep it from feeling too severe.
Ash Blonde Butterfly Layers
This medium ash blonde is not too light and not too dark, just right. The butterfly cut gives it so much volume around the face that I kind of want to cry about how good it looks. Those flicky ends are doing a lot of the heavy lifting here.
Warm Chestnut Hollywood Waves
A warm brown with a little red in it sounds simple but this color is anything but. The Hollywood waves make it look so glamorous and polished. I could honestly recommend this to just about any client who walks into my salon.
Warm Copper Curtain Bangs
This copper is warm and bright and I love it so much. The curtain bangs frame the face in the best possible way. You can really see how vibrant the color is right around the face where all the light hits.
Vivid Red-Orange Fire
Bright and bold and the color is just on fire, literally. The top is more orange-red and underneath it gets a little darker which gives it so much depth. If you want people to notice your hair the second you walk in a room, this is the one.
Midnight Navy Blue Sleek
It looks almost black until the light hits it and then you see that deep navy blue underneath. The hair is super long and perfectly straight and so glossy. What a cool way to do dark hair with a little secret color in it.
Dark Cherry Magenta Waves
This deep pink-red is so pretty and rich looking and I keep coming back to it. The waves help the color look even more dimensional. I have seen this color in person and it genuinely brightens up a whole face.
Ash Brunette Silver Money Piece
The base is a deep cool brown and then there is this silvery blonde piece in the very front. Really intentional and modern looking, not like an accident at all. It frames the face so well without being over the top.
Dark Root Sandy Balayage
This is my go-to recommendation for almost anyone who wants to go blonde. The roots are dark and natural and the ends fade into a soft sandy blonde. Honestly it looks like you just got back from a really nice vacation.
Vivid Copper-Red Showstopper
I gasped when I first looked at this color, I genuinely did. The waves are so full and the color is just so vivid and rich. If you have warm or olive skin you need to show this photo to your colorist right now.
Black to Caramel Balayage
Dark hair with caramel pieces melted through it is always going to be a good idea. The contrast is pretty but the blending is soft so it never looks harsh. I love this for dark haired girls who want color that actually shows up.
Auburn Copper V-Cut Layers
The V-cut at the back shows off all those layers so beautifully. This auburn is warm and rich and the ends flip out in the most natural looking way. It also fades really pretty which is a bonus I always mention to clients.
Champagne Pearl Straight
Somewhere between gold and silver and it is just elegant. The hair is really long and smooth with a tiny wave at the ends to keep it looking alive. That slightly warmer root makes the grow-out look graceful instead of grown-out.
Dusty Rose Sleek Lob
This pink is not too loud and not too soft, it is just perfect. I love the lob length with this color so much. This is actually a really great starter color for anyone who wants to try something fun but does not want to go too crazy.
Warm Beige Mushroom Blowout
This beige mushroom color has been everywhere and it is popular for a good reason. No chunky highlights, just this really smooth even warmth that looks so natural and pretty. The blowout with the ends curled under makes the whole thing look really put together.
Vivid Crimson Red Highlights
The base is almost black and then there are these super bright red pieces all through it. Such a dramatic look and I love how bold it is. Getting those reds that bright takes real skill so find yourself a good colorist for this one.
Black Root Teal Ombre
This goes from black roots all the way down to a vivid teal blue and it honestly looks like ocean water to me. Teal is having such a moment right now. It takes real commitment but the result is stunning.
Pumpkin Spice Copper Waves
This orange-copper makes me so happy every time I look at it. It is the same color from root to end which is actually really hard to pull off and looks amazing. The long waves show off just how rich and warm this color really is.
Soft Lavender Pearl Ombre
The lavender fades into a pale blonde at the ends and it is so dreamy looking. In natural light it almost looks iridescent which is something I have never been able to get over. Already lightened hair is going to love this color.
Dark Root Sandy Blonde Waves
Medium brown roots that melt into sandy blonde ends and it is so natural looking. This might be the most wearable version of the dark root trend I have ever seen. The beach waves make it look really effortless which is kind of the whole point.
Onyx with Silver Highlights
Thick chunky silver pieces through a black base and it looks so dramatic and cool. This is the kind of look that makes people stop and stare. If you are going gray naturally and want to own it, this is absolutely how you do it.
Silver Steel Lob
A clean even silver on a medium lob and it is so sleek. No highlights, no dimension, just smooth cool silver and it works so well. This is perfect for someone who wants gray hair that looks completely on purpose.
Chocolate Brown Butterfly Cut
This butterfly cut gives the chocolate brown color so much shape and life. I love the curtain bangs with this so much. Thick and heavy hair girls, this cut was made for you.
Black to Steel Blue Tips
Mostly dark brown but those ends have this cool steel blue in them that I love. Inside it looks like normal dark hair but step outside and the blue really shows up. A really great way to try a fun color without being too bold about it.
Deep Mahogany Gloss Straight
This dark brown has a warm red undertone in it that makes it look so rich and expensive. It is super long and straight and the shine on it is really something. Such a pretty alternative to a plain dark brown.
