Your Guide To Summer 2023's Subtle Yet Stunning Hair Color Trends
There's good news for those of you who are looking to update your 'do for summer without wreaking havoc on your hair health. Summer 2023 hair color trends are, for the most part, less drastic than the stark contrasts and jewel ombres of years prior. Plus, they include minor variations on the coppery colors and bright shades that dominated during the spring season. What does that mean for you, exactly? So, even if your starting shade is brunette, it means you can likely find a trend to take part in while avoiding the breakage and dreaded dryness that big color changes can bring.
Ahead, we've assembled some of summer 2023's most popular trends, with help from stylists of TikTok. While one upshot is that some are more achievable from a home setting, we recommend consulting with a professional stylist before making a drastic change. However, some of these color trends can be achieved with gentle, and even temporary, store-bought products that allow you to test the waters of various hair hues.
Minimal money pieces
For the uninitiated, "money piece" or "money pieces" refers to a blonding around the hairline. It's a great method for those who want to brighten their look without committing to all-over color. While Spring saw more drastic variations, such as platinum money pieces with bronde base, you can expect to see more subtle versions with more natural blending. Popular TikToker HairByPaula has shown several methods for the money piece, including a tutorial that offers a guide to creating a "nice, seamless look" that is especially flattering when pulled back in a pony.
Blended balayages
This look is perfect for those who opted for the butterfly cut or wolf cut or any of the other animal-inspired haircuts that are trending. This look is similar to the balayage but is more blended to offer a natural dimension, complementing these innovative styles. "There's going to be lots of tonal changes along with low maintenance color," Los Angeles-based hair artist Richard White says on TikTok. "Lots of bronzey, caramelly, cinnamon-spicey, and ash hues. Summer 2023 is going to be all about being as low maintenance as possible and enjoying the sun while looking natural and being the baddie you are," White predicts.
Cherry cola brunette
It seems like summer trends typically revolve around lighter shades, but the cherry cola look is perfect for those who have a naturally or artificially darker base and want to keep it that way. You can chalk this trend up to the nostalgic Y2K fashion trends of the moment, added with — you guessed it — a more subtle hue, and one that comes alive under sunlight. It even works well for those who have an existing balayage. If you're nervous about red, coppery tones lingering in your hair, try opting for a semi-permanent glaze.
Sombre upstages the ombre
While this trend isn't exactly new, it is picking up the heat this summer. "Sombre" stands for "subtle ombre," and it's a more lived-in shade — somewhere between an ombre and a balayage, though it can of course be customized to your liking. As with her slicked-back bun, Hailey Beiber pushed this look forward in 2023 and now it's predicted to be a big summer trend. "You're still going to see that brightness around the face and on the ends, but it's only going to be one to two levels lighter than [the client's] natural color," says Natalie Eiley, a stylist based out of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Milk-tea inspired shades
Another hair color inspired by a favorite drink, milk tea-inspired hair is a hodgepodge of brown and blonde, and it can be customized according to your shade. The overarching goal is an ashy, beige blonde or bronde that takes on the same creamy hue of milky tea. Fashion blogger Tiff.Gif went viral in April for the customized shade on her brunette base and called it "a great transition color if you want dark hair that's not too dark."