Like the spot-on meme that taunts you every time you click open Instagram, there is no birthday trip across the Turkish Riviera, no bar-hopping between rooftops, and no dreamy hair colour you found on Pinterest worth the risk in the wake of a pandemic. For now, the safest thing we can all do is stay home as much as possible, but it’s still fun to have something to look forward to – especially when it comes to planning your next hair-colour adventure.
Even better, all the coolest trends you’ll see this summer are taking a hint from your extended time at home. We’re talking pastel-washed hues, grown-out roots (but in that pretty, professionally intended way), and hair colour that’s easy as hell to maintain. Because aren’t you all just a bunch of pros by now?
“After lockdown, and not being able to see your stylist for a few months, people want to be able to have their color last longer and require less maintenance in case this happens again.”
“This summer, hair colour is all going to be about the grow-out, whether someone goes very natural or a little more extreme – people aren’t going to want to touch up their roots as often,” said Stephanie Brown, NYC-based colourist at IGK Salon. “After lockdown, and not being able to see your stylist for a few months, people want to be able to have their colour last longer and require less maintenance, so they don’t have to come into the salon as much in case this happens again. There are going to be a lot more conversations between colourists and clients about what will look beat and what will grow out best on each individual.”
Translation? You can expect the five “easy” hair colours ahead to trend from now until the foreseeable future – and damnit, if that’s not a win the world could use right now, we don’t know what is.
Getty / Jeremy Moeller
2021 Hair-Color Trend: Reverse Highlights
Getty / Christian Vierig
2021 Hair-Color Trend: Rouge
If you want something slightly lighter, try a toned-down version of rouge that teeters into copper territory. “Copper-ginger is one of the most attention-grabbing colors out there – just look at model Carmen Solomons,” said Papanikolas. “You can’t not see her wild and curly copper hair, which shows that copper hair is not just for those who are fair skinned. This tone can be warmed up for golden skin tones or also cooled down to a more auburn copper.”
Getty / Christian Vierig
2020 Hair-Color Trend: Fantasy Pastels
For the people out there itching for a major change in the new year (*slowly raises hand*), choosing what Hillier calls a “fantasy” hair color might be just what the doctor ordered. What does that look like, exactly? Purples, blues, pastels, and brights – the bolder, the better.
“Soft pastels will be reoccurring this year as people have been stuck at home bored and ready for a big change that is only temporary,” said Hillier. “Pastel hues can work on almost any blond and will only last for a few weeks if done professionally/properly. Keep in mind, when playing with fantasy color, the fade is rapid, and if you’re wanting a longer-lasting color, you should take it a couple shades darker than desired so it prolongs the inevitable.”
Getty Images / Edward Berthelot
2021 Hair-Color Trend: Creamy Ribbon Highlights
Getty / Edward Berthelot
Spring 2021 Hair-Color Trend: Root Melt
Getty / Christian Vierig
Spring 2021 Hair-Color Trend: Cinnamon Brown
For brunettes who don’t want to be locked in to repeat salon visits every few weeks, the cinnamon brown shade is a great low-maintenance option. It adds some warmth to naturally dark hair. “We are seeing clients coming in with six to seven months worth of regrowth and the clients want to work with their natural hair,” hair colorist and R+Co brand ambassador Richy Kandasamy said. “For a lot of clients, this has been a positive reset and they want to embrace their natural hair color or stay as close to their natural color as possible.”
