By Alison McGill
Let’s talk about hair colour and how things have gone dark. Expensive looking brunette shades are trending, and we’re seeing a flood blonde-loving celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, and Billie Eilish going back to their roots, opting for rich, glossy shades of brown.
This return to more natural hair colour shades speaks to where we’re at in our attitudes towards beauty, and embracing a more relaxed, lo-fi aesthetic. Many of us are looking for high impact looks requiring less maintenance and going brunette can be a beautiful way to do that. “Over three quarters of the world’s population have naturally dark brown hair,” says Maggie Melrose, field education trainer for Wella Canada. “The brunette trend makes sense today in an age when people want easy care hair, and less damage which becomes a huge factor when you significantly lighten it.”
Melrose reports she’s been seeing a shift towards big brunette energy since early last fall. “Typically, as summer winds down and we enter cooler months, there’s a tendency to go a bit darker with hair colour,” she reports. “Within an appointment or two I usually see clients wanting to lighten up again, but this season is different. Everyone is loving their darker, more dramatic shades and sticking with them so I would say brunettes are going to continue to be haute throughout 2022.”
Below, Melrose shares her thoughts on finding your tawny tone colour match, and how to keep hair colour looking on point between colour services.
What’s new and fresh when it comes to brunette shades?
“We are seeing everything from dark chocolate tones famously worn by Olivia Rodrigo and the Kardashians, to ‘bronde,’ a colour that’s a happy place between blonde and brown. Incredible shine is such an important factor when it comes to modern brunettes, and services like glossing and glazing are big because they deliver that glass-like finish everyone wants.”
Advice for finding your perfect brunette shade?
“I like to say everyone can be a ‘Billion Dollar Brunette!’ In the salon we are using multi-tonal services to create colour that looks super-luxe. To ensure a beautiful colour match, your stylist will work with you to create a shade that perfectly complements your eyes and skin tone—these are the factors that will influence whether your brunette shade will be warm or cool.”
How can you keep hair looking gorgeous and glossy between hair colour appointments?
“Use a colour-preserving shampoos and conditioner to ensure you are not washing your colour down the drain. You can keep your colour looking salon-fresh for up to seven weeks with a colour-safe cleansing system. Heat styling is another factor which causes hair colour to fade so be sure to incorporate a heat protectant into your styling regime. Amp up shine by using a moisture replenishing oil. Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of a good hair trim to keep your colour looking rich. Heathy hair is the secret to gorgeous hair!”
