Dyeing Over These
Summer 2026's Top Hair Color Trends Have A Warm, Sun-Kissed Glow
Think soft dimension, glossy shine, and low-maintenance grow-outs.
Between the beach weekends, rooftop drinks, and last-minute getaways, summer doesn’t leave much time for a high-maintenance beauty routine. Thankfully, this summer’s hottest hair colors are all about ease.
“The focus has shifted from obvious color and toward soft dimension, shine, and low-maintenance grow-outs,” says celebrity stylist and colorist Reece Walker. “Butter and honey blondes are replacing icy shades, while brunettes are embracing chocolate, chestnut, and caramel tones that look healthy, expensive, and more natural.” This season's reds are getting softer, too, as bright copper gives way to burnt auburn and muted strawberry tones.
The common thread? Hair color is warming up across the board. From golden blondes and brondes to cherry cola brunettes, all the experts agree: the shades that keep popping up all have a similar sunlit quality.
“We’re matching our hair color with our tans this summer,” celebrity colorist Cassie Cohen says. “Even clients with super-dark, almost-black hair have been wanting a mahogany or cherry undertone rather than the blue-based shades we’ve seen in the past.”
Also key: These colors are built for longevity. Techniques like root melting and tonal ribbons are replacing high-contrast highlights and all-over shades, ensuring your hair color looks just as good long after you’ve left the salon.
Ahead, the biggest hair color trends for summer 2026, from bombshell brown to strawberry beige.
1Cherry Cola
Cherry cola hair isn’t getting canned anytime soon — in fact, it’s getting an update this season. While the past few years of the trend leaned into burgundy, today’s take layers in softer cherry undertones. “Blue-black is out, warm black is in,” says Cohen. “Clients with dark brown and black hair are adding reddish tones to their base and gloss formulas.” The result? An expensive-looking brunette that still feels dark and moody, but with dimension that comes even more alive when the light hits it. Think less red hair, more cherry on top.
What to ask for: A warm black or espresso brunette with sheer cherry undertones.
2Hot Honey Blonde
If you have blonde blindness, look away — there’s nothing icy or ashy about hot honey blonde. Instead, the buttery shade mixes champagne ribbons with amber lowlights for a result that has way more depth and dimension than your average blown-out blonde. “It’s how hair looks during golden hour,” as Cohen says. Plus, thanks to the built-in brunette root, you can count on a few extra weeks between appointments.
What to ask for: A golden blonde base with champagne ribbons and amber lowlights throughout, plus a brunette root melt.
3Melted Caramel
Not every summer hair color trend wants to turn you blonde. Case in point: melted caramel, a brunette-friendly way to make your hair look sun-kissed. It combines a rich brunette base with ribbons of warm caramel and honey highlights that are “light but not blonde,” according to Cohen. Even better, you won’t be rushing back to the salon every six weeks for a touch-up. “Tone-on-tone highlights are the best option for something low-maintenance,” says Cohen, who notes that concentrating the brightest pieces through the ends helps the color look even more seamless as it grows out.
What to ask for: Warm caramel and honey highlights that are just a few shades lighter than your brunette base, with the brightest pieces focused through the ends.
4Burnt Auburn
Cowboy copper had a good run, but now, celebrities from Winnie Harlow and Lola Tung to Emma Stone are opting for a version of red hair that looks a little more believable. “A deeper, more natural red is trending,” Cohen says. “We’re steering away from bright copper and toward brown-based reds.” Burnt auburn sums up this new era perfectly: it’s a cinnamon-toned dark ginger that’s “warm, rich, and wearable,” according to Walker — proof that red hair doesn’t have to be loud to make an impact.
What to ask for: A brunette-leaning auburn that’s not too bright. To test-drive the trend before committing, try a semi-permanent glossing treatment, like Glaze’s Super Gloss in Auburn Spice.
5Suede Bronde
Blondes might have more fun, but brunettes have more time between root touch-ups. Suede bronde lets you have it both ways. According to celebrity colorist Cass Kaeding, the shade combines warm beige, caramel, and mocha tones for a look that sits squarely between blonde and brunette. “It’s rich but effortless,” she says. “Velvety with beautifully blended dimension, this teddy bear shade gives the perfect summer glow.” To stay glowing for even longer, reach for color-safe products, like Revlon ColorSilk’s After Color Shampoo and Conditioner, in between appointments.
What to ask for: A dirty blonde with warm beige highlights and caramel and mocha lowlights, emphasizing a seamless blend at the roots for a low-maintenance grow-out.
6Soft Espresso
Black hair dye stans, brace yourself — the coolest hair color this summer isn’t the darkest one. It’s espresso, which Kaeding says “isn’t quite black, but not quite brunette either.” Instead of looking blue-black, the neutral undertone balances coolness with a touch of warmth, creating a “smooth, silky, rich color” that looks closer to dark brown in some lighting. In other words, it’s what happens when you finally put the jet-black box dye down.
What to ask for: A deep espresso shade that lands between black and brunette.
7Strawberry Beige
Strawberry blonde, but all grown up: meet strawberry beige. According to Kaeding, the trend blends creamy beige and muted copper tones for a final result that sits somewhere between “a vibrant and natural color, with sunlit, sophisticated radiance.” Sure, it might not be the easiest shade to maintain, but the payoff is a softer, more wearable take on red hair — one that looks just as at home on a natural blonde as it does on someone transitioning away from copper.
What to ask for: A creamy beige blonde with muted copper undertones and a bright, sunlit finish.
8Bombshell Brown
We’ve got a text: bombshell brunette has arrived just in time for summer, thanks to celebrities like Ariana Madix and Ariana Greenblatt — both of whom have recently been sporting deep mocha hair with chestnut highlights. Take it as proof that “small tonal shifts and plenty of shine can completely elevate dark hair without the need for heavy lightening,” as Walker says. Whether you’re headed to the villa or the office, it instantly pulls a look together.
What to ask for: A deep mocha or espresso base with warm chestnut highlights.
