Sherbet Hair Is Giving the Unicorn Trend a Run For Its Money

Once in a blue moon, a Summer hair trend comes around that's so perfectly named it actually reminds you of the beach and cool treats — and this season is all about sherbet hair. When Kaley Cuoco debuted her new sherbet 'do on Instagram, photos of her silvery strands spread like wildfire. It became pretty obvious that sherbet would take over as one of Summer's most-requested shades. Which brings us back to two very important questions: what, exactly, is sherbet hair — and how can you get it right here, right now?

Put simply, if you close your eyes and imagine yourself holding a cup of sherbet, your dessert's vivid hue is exactly the shade your colorist will try to achieve on your hair.

"Sherbet hair is creative color, usually pastel tones, that mimics the color of the iconic sweet treat sherbet," said Miranda Shaffer, color expert at Adel Atelier in New York City. "Think unicorn hair color."

Depending on the color of your natural or already-dyed hair, it may take a few steps to transform it into the shade of sherbet you desire. Speaking generally, this is a "tricky" trend to master, Shaffer said, but one that may totally be worth the extra work.

"To truly achieve the desired tone, your hair must be bleached out to as light as possible before toning it the perfect shade," Shaffer said. "If there are still yellow tones in the hair before toning, the color will fade quickly, and not in the way you might like it to. For example, light blues will fade to muddy greens while pastel pink will lean more toward orange."

Because the hair must be bleached before toning, it's important to share with your colorist every detail possible about your "hair history," Shaffer said. "If you have any previous color or very dark hair, it will be near impossible to achieve the look without damaging the hair . . . . For a more piecey, swirly sherbet look, it would be easier and more beneficial to your hair to add some highlights of the desired tones to avoid having to dry out and damage your locks."

Once you've gone the extra mile and are safely sporting sherbet hair, Shaffer said there are a few important haircare steps to keep in mind that will help make your new color last.

"Avoid shampooing every day for more lasting results," Shaffer says. "Creative colors like these tend to fade much faster than more natural tones. Try shampoos for color-treated hair without any sulfates or parabens. Use deep conditioning treatments whenever possible. And rely on a professional to refresh your tones at the salon."