If you’re over and done with all the nutty references and the (maybe dreaded) pumpkin spice tones that have become part of the fall lexicon of hair colour, it might be time to dip your tresses into a palette of deep, rich browns.
How Browns Have Evolved
To those who have been paying close attention to hair colour in the last year or so, you will have noticed that the very pale blondes are less present than before. We had ‘mushroom blonde,’ which was sandier and toned down — cooler, too. Then ‘expensive brunette’ showed up, playing a major role in the whole quiet luxury trend in fashion and beauty. Brown’s presence is very important when you examine the latest fashion runway shows, and even going into spring/summer 2024.
Proof that browns have widened their appeal? Celebrities like Hailey Beiber went all in for the darker shades and Miley Cyrus (shockingly!) ditched her signature blonde for a chocolate brown. That Californian, tousled, beachy hair vibe? Yes, that too, is fading from the limelight while brunette is definitely having a moment.
However, one thing is abundantly clear: this brunette is never a solid colour. In fact, the brunette for fall 2023 requires all the skill of a talented hair colourist to create those darker, beautiful shades with snippets of colour one shade darker or lighter, or slightly more ash than the base colour (‘micro slices’ hair colourists call them) so that the overall effect is multidimensional, never flat. Translation: boxed colour can never recreate the beautiful effects you will get in a salon.
It’s All About the Shine
Like many elements in fashion and beauty at the moment, we are collectively taking a good nostalgic look at everything 90s and Y2K. And that includes super shiny, glossy, hair. Some colourists like calling the new deeper browns of this season ‘bitter chocolate glaze’ because of it looks very dark, almost black in some cases. Maybe not for all, but just the most daring.
If lighter shades and blondes appear to give off more light, the deeper you go with colour, the more intense the shine becomes. Plus, a beautifully balanced darker shade, created at exacting angles to give depth and dimension, always looks richer. It’s about the perfect application of colour, so it always looks natural despite being very dark.
Caring for Your Rich Colour
You will have to go back to the salon for a colour touch up about every six weeks to maintain your new beautiful ‘liquid brunette’. But depending on your natural colour, the percentage of white, and the speed at which your hair grows, this might fluctuate slightly.
If you haven’t already, and you’ve had coloured hair for a while, now is the time to implement an at-home routine using a shampoo, conditioner and mask specifically formulated to protect and beautify your hair colour. There are even pigmented masks like Alchemic Conditioner in Chocolate from Davines to intensify and illuminate your chocolate shade.
And, lastly, a hair gloss at the salon is a must for regular upkeep of your ultra shiny tresses. Gloss treatments (also known as toners or glazes) have the ability to add a true liquid finish and condition hair. They’re like the exclamation point to punctuate your beautiful colour!