Colorists Break Down the 5 Hair Trends Everyone Will Be Getting This Spring

Spring is a complex, mysterious citadel of delights. Sometimes it rains. These days, sometimes it also snows. One minute you're KonMari-ing your apartment to the brink of extinction, and the next you're wondering how you'll possibly make that salon appointment you forgot to cancel without a raincoat. The seasonal confusion is coming at you from every angle, but the solution here is simple: dye your hair.

Yeah, you heard us. Dye it a color that brings the sunshine, sparks some joy, and, most importantly, won't change by 5 p.m. (Hello? Is that you, stability?) "The mood for Spring is always lighter, brighter, and a lot more fun," said George Papanikolas, Matrix celebrity colorist. If the clouds would part for long enough, you'd see that the hair color forecast looks like the return of vivid colors, creamy shades of blond, and more — but you can just read all about it ahead. Umbrellas are, obviously, welcome.

Faded Pastel Hair
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Faded Pastel Hair

Pastel hair has seen its heyday(s) many moons ago, but the latest iteration for Spring is a lot more washed out — in a good way. "Faded pastels will make a comeback, but they will be more powdery and white feeling — think Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes," said NYC-based colorist Stephanie Brown. "Soft blues and pinks will be seen a lot."

"Faded pastels will make a comeback, but they will be more powdery and white feeling."

To pull it off, keep in mind that "this is for the person who has very pale highlights or platinum hair," according to Brown, who added that yellow undertones make you lose the powdery effect. "Since these colors are so pale, they can be hard to maintain, but there are at-home shampoos and conditioners that can help. I like Bleach London, Overtone — and Muvo makes a pretty pink. To make sure the pastel stays pale, mix the formula with a plain shampoo or conditioner so the colors don't come out too vibrant."

Copper Hair
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Copper Hair

Not only did it see a 30 percent increase in pins on Pinterest last December, but copper hair will also be making yet another appearance come Spring. "For blondes, go for a strawberry-honey color," said Brown. "It's a great cross between red and blond, without taking the jump to commit to either color fully. Connie Britton on Dirty John is the best example of this."

If your hair is darker, she suggests opting for a dusty-copper shade. "This color is a mixture of copper and neutral tones, so you don't have that orange feel when you step out in the sun, just a rich, silky, warm color. Isla Fisher, Issa Rae, and Emma Stone are all good examples."

Still, no matter your base, Papanikolas said, "Pairing [the color with] tone-on-tone highlights gives it a luxurious finish."

Baby Blond
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Baby Blond

"This trend is a union of the snow-bunny blond and the creamy blond we've been seeing all Winter — it's like a baby blond," said Brown. "It's a neutral, warm, pale base color with near-white highlights, like what we've seen on Dove Cameron, Margot Robbie, and Lili Reinhart. For people with darker hair colors, it's more of a sandy blond or beige. Once the warmer weather comes, people like to see brighter, lighter colors. Since this is a mixture of warm and cool tones, it works well with all skin tones."

Dark Neon Hair
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Dark Neon Hair

"Spring is the beginning of the festival season, so we will see the return of vivid colors and glow in the darker neons," said Papanikolas. "These can be applied over existing highlights/Balayage for a hint of color or all over on prelightened hair."

For this trend, look for deeper tones of blue, purple, and maroon — the kind where you can only see it with the naked eye when the sun hits it just so.

Mocha Brown
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Mocha Brown

For darker brunettes, the color forecast is looking a little softer than what you saw in Winter. "This is more of a rich brunette or mocha ombré," said Brown. "It's still very dark but will have fine and very subtle — so you'll barely see them — babylights to an ombré. You want the highlights to be subtle because you don't want them to end up looking red or brassy; you want them on the neutral side. You also want the highlights to be slightly lighter at the ends, like [with] Ashley Graham and Gabrielle Union."

This brunette color has loads of dimension that creates a "soft contrast between the dark base color and mocha-colored highlights, which refreshes and lightens brown hair for Spring," said Papanikolas.