Changing your hair color is one easy way to completely change up your look, no matter what season it is. It's definitely more of a commitment than switching up your manicure, but we're in love with how warm these winter hair colors are. A bold shade can make you feel more daring, or swapping out a neon with a natural color can make you feel more toned-down and moody for cold weather.
We already walked you through last year's fall hair trends, and this winter is all about updated takes on natural hair colors, plus a few fun shades thrown in as well. Either way, you'll look like you've been out in the sun all day long, even if you haven't left the comfort of your bed. Full of dimension and glossy shine, these winter hair colors are chic, natural, and eye-catching. Keep reading for our favorite picks for the winter and we'll see you at the salon.
Chocolate Brown
Add some different shades of brown throughout your hair (like this look, which adds highlights near the scalp) for an emphasis on your hair's length and add some movement to the hair.
If you're missing your summer highlights but don't want to go for an all-out sunny look, focus on adding warmth to your hair instead of just going lighter. Not only will it add a little bit of extra color but it will also add dimension!
If you have cooler undertones or just aren't into a lot of warmth, go for a shade of brown that has just a touch of silver or blue to stay on trend.
You don't have to add highlights or a balayage if you don't want to — dye your whole head a deep chocolate that will have you giving Blair Waldorf vibes at your next holiday party.
Opalescent Blonde
We're obsessed with this shade of blonde that's a little bit white, a little bit pastel, and extra glossy. Add a little bit of lavender to your roots or hidden within your hair for a glimpse of color every time you move.
Once you have that bright blonde color, feel free to add in as many pastel shades as you'd like for the ultimate 2023 take on unicorn hair.
You can add a little bit of pink for a toned-down pastel look. It'll give you a barely-there color while still adding some warmth.
Give the balayage a pastel upgrade by moving from purple to pink around your head. Mix it into different layers for a three-dimensional look.
Mulled Wine
"More and more people are embracing red locks," says celebrity hair stylist Glen Coco Oropeza. You’re going to see all different shades of red from deep violets and chestnut reds to vibrant orange reds and strawberry blonde reds."
Consider this winter hair color to be in between chocolate brown and deep magenta. It warm, it's statement-making, and we're obsessed.
Add more color to your tips (or your roots for a Billie Eilish-inspired look) for a bolder hair color that still feels very winter appropriate.
Balayage isn't just for caramel colors. A muted wine red overtop of black is chic and we are all over it.
Keep the dye to the ends of your hair for just a touch of color without committing to dying your whole head. Dying the end of each layer means that you'll still have color all over.
Icy Blue
We are in love with this icy blue winter hair color (hello Elsa!), and this deep-to-light dye job has multiple shades mixed in to create a complex color that will look great with all your holiday dresses.
Split your dye right down the middle to bring a new meaning to two-toned. We'd recommend sticking to blonde on the other side to keep the look icy.
Picking a shade of blue that has plenty of silver mixed into it will make your hair look extra icy.
Periwinkle is still within the ice blue wheelhouse but adds some purple in to set you apart from the crowd ;).
Ginger Brown
With some brown mixed into it, this take on red hair has tons of dimension and warmth that is perfect for winter.
As opposed to copper hair, ginger brown has touches of cinnamon and muted orange for a shade that is eye-catching but not overwhelming.
Add golden or caramel tones to your balayage for a brighter take on this winter hair color.
Image via Unsplash/Element5
This ginger variation includes a honey blonde tone if you're not read to commit to full-on red. “I’m seeing that blondes are ready for a drastic change, they are going for a richer color," says Schwarzkopf Color Research Stylist, Wendy Gutkin.
Ginger brown hair is also perfect for anyone who wants to try red but is hesitant to go for something like bright ruby red. Add a little bit of chocolate brown for a deeper color *and* a two-in-one trending hair color.
More Winter Hair Colors For 2023
Almost Natural
Try a color that's one or two shades away from your natural color for a natural yet unexpected look. "People are realizing that straying too far away from your natural hair color over time leads to damage," says Glen Coco Oropeza. "Recently, we colored Sydney Sweeney to tone down her popularized golden blonde color and gave her a 'winter gold' hair color that’s much closer to her natural hair color. We are going to see a lot more of that in 2023."
Gemini Hair
This 2023 Pinterest trendis all about incorporating two shades into one look because why pick when you can have the best of both worlds?
Champagne Blonde
If you're going blonde for winter, opt for a champagne blonde that has cool-toned highlights and warmer low-lights for a complex and multi-dimensional finished product that we're obsessed with.
"More natural looking hair will come back in 2023. More sun kissed natural balayage highlights for a more muted dimensional look will become more popular," says Glen Coco Oropeza. "When we do see chunks of hair color, they will be more placed in one portion of the hair, be it the right or left side of the hair or placed underneath the hair so it pops out occasionally when the wind blows."
You can't go wrong with a glossy black, especially in the winter. "We have seemly entered ‘the dark ages’ with women going for striking black hair colors," says Gutkin. "This trend is inspired by edgy actresses and recent streaming hit TV shows, which has led goth to go on to represent glamour."
Follow us on Pinterest for more winter hair colors and beauty tips!
Featured image courtesy of Bruno Thethe/Pexels.
This post has been updated.
