Hair Color Ideas 2018
These Are the 10 Hottest Hollywood Hair Colors For 2018 — According to Experts
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The old way of thinking — dark hair in the Winter, lighter hair in the Summer — is so outdated. In 2018, you can rock any damn hair color you please, be it denim blue, ashy blond, or almost-black brunette. Just make it your own and wear it with confidence.
To help you choose your next hue — or hues, because rainbow hair is still a thing — we consulted master colorists. They weighed in on what hair colors will reign in 2018 on Hollywood's red carpet, in your Insta feed, and along your neighborhood sidewalk. From vivid duo-tones to rich cinnamon, true gray to honeypot blond, the spectrum is a colorful and inspired one.
Cinnamon-Brunette
The color: Cinnamon-Brunette
Celebrity inspiration: Sarah Hyland
Description: “‘Rich’ is the word. This cinnamon dusted color is a subtle, but dramatic, change from the cool browns we have been seeing, and is one of my favorites this season,” said Deanna Burnette-Doty, a color expert and partner educator for SEVEN Haircare.
“To create the look, I would start with a nice, warm, chocolate brown applied to regrowth and a full foiliage. Then, for lavish definition, I’d use toners formulated to create warm copper and buttery caramel tones.”
Who it works for: This color is ideal for anyone who wants to add warmth to their look, said Burnette-Doty. It’s like curling up next to the fire! For at-home care that maximizes the richness of this color, moisturize often and finish with a finishing spray, like SEVEN Haircare’s SEAL Spray ($28), to lock in toner.
Millenial Rose-Gold
The color: Millenial Rose-Gold
Celebrity inspiration: Kesha
Description: Kathy Benghanem, a celeb hair stylist at NYC’s Gemini 14 Salon, calls this a light pink pastel with a kiss of rose gold. “The beauty of this color is the slight variations of pink. To achieve, the hair must be lifted to a level 10 blonde, removing as much of the yellow undertones as possible,” she explained.
“Then the hair needs to be toned in three parts. First, the front hairline, which is slightly lighter and the tone is rose-gold. The rest of the hair was toned with a light pastel pink (notice this pink is slightly darker than the hairline and pinker than rose). The final and key step is a root smudge. A root smudge gives depth in the root and creates a less polished look. The tone of the root is very specific to ensure it is complementary to the colors that it is next to.”
Who it works for: Benghanem said this hue works especially well for medium to find hair types and those with light to dark brown color. “To achieve this color, it is required to remove most of the warm undertones. Dark, coarse hair would be extremely difficult to remove the undertones without seriously compromising the hair.”
Sandy, Sunkissed Blonde
The color: Sandy, Sunkissed Blonde
Celebrity inspiration: Gigi Hadid
Description: “I would describe this color as a sandy, dark blonde base with golden blonde highlights,” said celebrity colorist Rita Hazan, whose colored celebs such as Beyonce, Katy Perry, and Jennifer Lopez. “To achieve this color, you would need to have highlights that frame your face. You also need to lighten the ends of your hair and highlight your hairline to achieve the ‘chunky’ look.”
Who it works for: Hazan said, “This color works best if you are naturally dark blonde or lighter. It transitions better and looks more natural.”
Carob
The color: Carob
Celebrity inspiration: Kendell Jenner
Description: Kendell’s hair is a striking, near-black brown that’s ultra-rich. “It can be best achieved by using a semi-permanent hair color which is used to deposit color and add shine,” said Delilah Fernandez, a celebrity colorist at Pierre Michel Salon.
“It requires no maintenance unless the base color to begin with was red or blonde. Only then will color fade a lot faster and require a rinse to fill in.”
Who it works for: “Jenner’s dark hair is best suited for women with cool, olive, or darker skin tones,” said Fernandez.
Chocolate and Caramel
The color: Chocolate and Caramel
Celebrity inspiration: Naomi Harris
Description: “This look is excellent for someone looking for less maintenance,” said Benghanem. “Because the exterior color is without highlights, there will be no line of demarcation on regrowth. These highlights can be achieved by using a hybrid of foiling and balayage. A foliage technique is best for this look, because you are still using balaygae placement while using foils, which generates heat to aid getting rid of the red tones.”
After lifting and highlighting, she recommended using a level eight toner to add shine and deposit custom pigments for desired caramel results.
Who it works for: “This look works for everyone! It is low maintenance and easily achievable,” said Benghanem.
Copper Fire
The color: Copper Fire
Celebrity inspiration: Christina Hendricks
Description: This fresh, fiery copper hue is legit lit. “You can achieve this look with permanent hair color. In some cases, it may require using a higher peroxide volume for best results,” said Fernandez. “Glosses in between can help keep the vibrancy.”
Who it works for: “Christina’s strawberry blonde, or light copper red, works best on women who are fair,” noted Fernandez. “Also, it looks most natural when starting with a base color that's dark blonde or lighter.”
Ultra Violet
The color: Ultra Violet
Celebrity inspiration: Justine Skye
Description: Ultra violet is Pantone’s color of the year, which means we’re about to see it everywhere: including hair. “Some bleaching is required to achieve brighter or lighter tones before adding violet color,” noted Fernandez. You’ll also want to do deep conditioning on the regular.
Who it works for: “Skye’s ultra violet hair is great for anyone who wants a bold look,” said Fernandez. “No rules apply — all fun.”
True Grey
The color: True Grey
Celebrity inspiration: Helen Mirren
Description: “True grey is one of the most dramatic statements a woman can make. It can be a powerful transformation to ease up on intense color and go for a more natural look,” said Burnette-Doty. “This color is won in its toner. It is achieved by heavily highlighting the hair and toning it to a beautiful natural grey tone.”
Who it works for: “This is for a sophisticated client ready to make a statement. It doesn’t get bolder than true grey,” said Burnette-Doty. Condition frequently and tone consistently to maintain.
Duo-Tone Vivids
The color: Duo-Tone Vivids
Celebrity inspiration: Lady Gaga
Description: “When you just can’t quiet your inner Unicorn, Gaga gives us a stylish way to modernize,” said Burnette-Doty. “Multi-color can look low maintenance, but the lifespan of vivids is pretty short. I like to see this as an opportunity to mix things up when boredom strikes.”
To recreate, ask your colorist to create a “soft, lived in” color by placing highlights a little bit off the regrowth area. The goal is to create a really heavily highlighted look throughout the whole head. After your colorist drys the highlights and tones them to a beautiful bright blonde, place the accent color.
Who it works for: Anyone who loves to stand out in a crowd can rock this look. “Natural color face-framing makes sherbet tones workable, even for those whose skin tone normally looks sallow next to warm pastels,” she said. Deep condition often to keep hair healthy, strong, and shiny, and wash with lukewarm to cold water to preserve vivids as long as possible.
Ice Princess Blonde
The color: Ice Princess Blonde
Celebrity inspiration: Cara Delevingne
Description: “It doesn’t get hotter than icy blonde,” said Burnette-Doty. “This color is accomplished by lifting the natural hair color — not once, not twice, but until it reaches the pale, yellow state. Follow up with a strong yellow controlling toner. I would use Dia Light 10.21 and clear with nine volume until I reached my desired tone,”
Who it works for: “This is for the client who is addicted to her short hair and is looking to turn heads on the street this season,” said Burnette-Doty. Just note that it’s a bit high maintenance. You’ll need to cover up regrowth often, and deep conditioning will become a full-time job.
She said she wouldn’t let her client leave the salon without SEVEN haircare’s complete Kente Bond System ($88) in hand. You need a routine that prevents breakage and provides deep healing so your gorgeous icy blonde can stay that way.
