Listen Up: This Fall Hair Color Is about to Be *Everywhere* (2024)

If you incorporate bright blond highlights into braids or twists like Julissa Calderon, above, just stick in a bundle of blonde braiding hair to fake it (meaning legit zero maintenance whatsoever). But if you want to dye your own hair, just ask your stylist to incorporate a shadow root or balayage to give you extra time between salon visits.

I knew fall was right around the corner when Emily Ratjkowski debuted this spicy, auburn hair on Instagram for fall 2023. There’s a lot of dimension throughout the color, including her deep-auburn shadow roots, which make this feel even more moody and autumn-appropriate. Plus, this makes this shade much easier to maintain (granted, you should still expect to coat your hair in a copper hair gloss—I personally like Glaze's Conditioning Gloss Treatment—every three to four weeks to upkeep).

If you wanna keep your current shade but just zhuzh things up a bit, try this amethyst-toned balayage look. The deep purple shade blends beautifully with an already-dark base, but it could be toned down to a more pastel shade if you have lighter hair. Just keep a color-depositing conditioner on hand to brighten up the color as it starts to fade (which, sadly, will be prob in three to four weeks).

This ultra-light, baby-blonde shade goes against all odds for fall, which is exactly why it’s so chic (expect the unexpected, ppl!). Instead of darkening your hair, go for an all-over white-blonde shade and add a slight cool tone to give it a snow-y vibe. Just be sure to keep your shower stocked with purple shampoo to prevent your icy color from turning brassy.

I just saw Barbie and am now dreaming of everything pink, including this mid-tone pink shade on Lizzo. Instead of light pastels or bright neons, this shade feels fall-appropriate due to the medium depth. But in all honesty, we’ll prob all be on the Barbie train for a while—so expect to see pink hues like this way past fall.

Hair colorist Abby Haliti previously told Cosmo that her clients are v interested in adding warm dimension throughout their hair this fall because it feels soft and natural (as seen on Khloe Kardashian above). Ask your colorist to mix together a caramel or honey toner to warm up your highlights and create a cozy fall look.

This shade is extremely low-key, which is why it kinda gives off the "quiet luxury" trend vibe a bit. It's so simple that it looks rich and effortless. To keep your new color looking luxurious like Ashley Tisdale the tone needs to stay neutral, so incorporate a purple shampoo once a month to neutralize any unwanted orange tones.

Remember when the internet (ahem, TikTok) was up in arms that blonde hair was "cheugy"? Well, I believe Sofia Richie-Grainge has sufficiently squashed that beef with this classic, natural-looking shade. It's not too warm or cool, has a little bit of dimension and root, and just genuinely looks like it's the color that's always grown out of her head. What's it like to be God's favorite?

If you're not ready to give up the whimsy of summertime, inject a lil bit into your hair with this vivid, coral-toned red as seen on Eva Mendes. Any version of a spicy, red hair color fits the bill in the fall, but this specific shade feels different and exciting compared to the deep-burgundy shades we're used to—which is exactly what we're going for with a seasonal hair-color refresh, right?

Greta Lee's color here is almost like a blackened charcoal, which gives a classic black dye job hella dimension. You'll prob want to see your stylist to get a similar shade—unless you're a Picasso with at-home hair dye—and ask for a gray-toned black. And def make sure you finish with a gloss to get this mirror-like shine.

Why choose one vivid shade when you could just get 'em all? The oil-slick hair trend is basically the perfect nod at rainbow hair in an ever-so-slightly subdued way, as it mixes purples, blues, pinks, and greens with your base color to get that galaxy-like blend you see when the sunlight hits oil on pavement. Plus, you can totally play it up depending on your base color, whether you opt for a dark-shade like above or a lighter-blonde look.

Lola Tung's red hair color is basically the La Croix of red hair, because it has just a sweet, tiny whisper of red tones atop her natural light-brown shade. It adds dimension without brightness too, making it ideal for those who want to change their color for fall without going necessarily lighter or darker. Just coat your hair in a red hair gloss once a month to give it this copper-y hue on the low.

When I saw Sabrina Carpenter on tour a few months ago, I, obviously, loved her performance, but admittedly could not stop staring at her bright, creamy-blonde hair. Her mix of highlights, lowlights, and shadow root blend together like a ~dream~, making this shade look fairly natural. When you're in the salon, make sure to bring a bunch of inspo pics (just scroll her hairstylist Scott King's IG—he's got endless options for her color in diff lighting) to show the depth and tone you want.

Growing up, everyone told me I had “mousy-brown” hair. And I’m glad to say this mid-tone, neutral-brown hair color has finally gotten its much-deserved glow-up (I mean, even Hailee Steinfeld’s got it). Because this is an all-over color, too, it’s super easy to maintain, whether you go in for a dye job every eight weeks or just coat your hair in a medium-brown glaze once a month.

If you’re not quite ready to go full redhead, just incorporate the fiery tone into a light or medium-brown hair color. Just ask your stylist to mix in a few red shades (depending on if you want it more ginger-y or auburn) to your toner.

This deep, chocolate-y, almost-black hair color on Lily James just screams fall (thanks to its ~spooky~ vibe, ya know). And it’s shockingly easy to achieve with an at-home hair gloss. Just note that constant heat styling will make your color fade, so always load up on heat protectant and consider incorporating a few heatless curlers into your usual styling rotation.

Platinum-blonde colors will always be in style, because they just look so striking. So if you're looking to make a bold color change this fall, book yourself a bleach and tone, then coat your hair in a bond-building treament like Olaplex or K18 to help repair your hair. I'm not telling you to also get a pixie cut like Tiffany Haddish, but I'm not not telling you, either.

Strawberry-blonde hair colors are officially a mainstay for spring and summer to give your blonde some major depth. But if you make the red hue a bit more subtle, like Nicola Coughlan has here, it's actually so perfect for fall, since it's so muted and like a gentle nod at warmth without feeling too summery.

If you're not ready for an all-over dye job try some face-framing highlights, like the blonde seen here on Isabela Merced. "People want to get a strong fall color, but they don’t want a lot of maintenance," says Brown, which is why she recommends "low-maintenance, high-impact" hair colors, like these highlights. To help soften the grow-out phase, stick to highlights just two to three shades lighter than your natural hair color.

When Bodt did my hair a few months ago (flex), she said she expected creamy, cool-toned brunette hair to be one of fall’s biggest hair trends, and unsurprisingly, she was right. Mushroom-brown hair is on the rise, thanks to the fact that it’s easy to achieve for blondes and brunettes alike with cool-toned highlights or a taupe hair gloss.