Spring 2026's Biggest Hair Color Trends Are Bright, Bold, & Rich

Sun-In, but all grown up. Boy blondes start with a dirty blonde base, brightened by golden balayage and babylites for a result that reads more beachy than bottle-made. Take Margot Robbie during the recent Wuthering Heights press run, for instance — a nod to kid hair colors, with warmth and lightness that doesn’t require the commitment of a full dye job. “It’s a softer blonde vibe,” says Jenna Perry, celebrity hair colorist and founder of Jenna Perry Hair. “But balayage shows up with more impact on short hair because it naturally has less room to transition from dark to light.”

What to ask for: A dirty blonde base and brown shadow root with golden balayage and champagne babylites through the ends.

Caramel flan brunette is not brown with blonde highlights, notes Perry. “It’s one of the most underrated hair color trends because of the subtlety,” she says. “You highlight spots naturally lightened by the sun, creating seamless shifts in tone.” Rather than being contrast-heavy, rich brown tones melt together for a polished finish. It’s especially flattering on olive skin because it “enhances the natural warmth,” says Giannetos, the stylist behind Penélope Cruz’s “caramel flan” color.

What to ask for: An all-over espresso shade with warm chestnut and caramel color melted into sunlit areas.

Copper hair has graduated from trend to perennial obsession at this point, claiming A-list fans like Keke Palmer and Leighton Meester in the process. The shade typically blends orange, bronze, and gold tones, but this season’s version shifts that balance — leaning into cinnamon undertones to ground it in something more natural. “Soft copper,” as Cohen describes it, “adds warmth without washing out pale skin.” Giannetos agrees: “LiLo red” is in, inspired by Lindsay Lohan’s Mean Girls-era color.

What to ask for: A brown-leaning copper with neutral undertones. Keep gold saturation low for natural-looking results.

For those convinced their jet-black hair could always go darker, consider this your sign to ease up. “Dark brunettes like Billie Eilish and Olivia Dean are likely not getting colored with black dye,” says Perry. “It’s all about thoughtful layers of light-reflecting glosses and a really great base.” The payoff? Dark hair that looks shiny and dimensional, instead of inky and flat. “Soft black, like Zendaya’s hair, is ultra-flattering,” adds Cohen, noting that a little diffusion can keep the classic shade from feeling too harsh.

What to ask for: The “darkest brunette, but not black” shade, according to Perry, with a reflective gloss to boost shine.

The pros may be calling a warm-to-neutral forecast for spring hair color trends, but if you’re not quite ready to retire your ashy era, almond milk blonde is the exception. Giannetos describes the shade — which he perfected on Lohan — as “bold and fresh.” Combining cool-toned mushroom brown and pearl blonde, it’s creamy, chic, and in line with the skin-tone hair movement. For pink undertones especially, the beige finish “helps neutralize redness and create a brighter, more balanced complexion,” according to Giannetos.

What to ask for: A mushroom brown smudge root, champagne balayage, and pearl blonde babylites for a cool-toned, creamy beige result.

If you thought 2016 nostalgia was going anywhere other than the spring mood board, think again. Perry says that three trends from the era are “classically here to stay”: platinum blonde, balayage, and pastel colors. Peach-pink is the statement shade to try right now, á la Ice Spice, but the effect can be as playful or grunge as you want. A shadow root, as seen on Adéla Jergova, gives the cotton-candy color a little lived-in edge.

What to ask for: A pastel pink gloss over pre-lightened blonde hair, taken up to the root for cohesion or paired with a shadow root for grunge vibes.

Can’t decide between blonde or brown? Bambi bronde makes it easy. Sitting squarely between the two, the shade blends a light brunette base with honeyed blonde highlights for a cute, approachable finish that pairs naturally with baby deer makeup. (Tate McRae is clearly supplying the spring inspo.) “At-home toning glosses can be helpful when you’re unsure about committing,” Giannetos says, adding that they act like a filter over your natural hair. In this case, L’Oréal Paris’s Le Color Gloss in the shade Honey Blonde helped achieve McRae’s warm, sunkissed tone.

What to ask for: A light brown base with low-contrast honey highlights and brighter face-framing pieces.

Red has been trending for a few years now, evolving from golden and pink to orange coppers, notes Perry. “Now it’s evolving into something with higher impact.” She describes spring’s haute red as “fashion-colored,” with celebrities like FKA Twigs, Chappell Roan, and even Addison Rae embracing the rockstar-ready, cherry shade as of late. Bold? Yes — but surprisingly adaptable. Perry suggests copper clients boost intensity, while brunettes try jewel-toned glosses for a subtler update without a full overhaul.

What to ask for: A cherry red with violet undertones instead of orange, applied on bleached hair for maximum vibrancy.