Fall 2026: The Hair Color Trends That Will Be Everywhere

Fall 2026 is a time that heralds change, and this applies to your hair color. Similar to how the most comfortable fall 2026 fashion trends are adapted to the changing season, the hair color trends to look out for are aligning with this season's rich color themes. To get a more in-depth look into the hair color trends that will dominate fall, Women spoke to color specialist Leslie Shores of Eric Marshall Salon for her top-notch expertise.

According to Shores, rich browns and soft golden tones are the most in-demand shades for women this season. "Clients are more likely to ask for warmth and gold this time of year," Shores says, while adding that client requests vary depending on their natural hair color. "Brunettes request to be richer. Blondes begin to ask for buttery blond or blond." Fall 2026 is looking to be a moment for the harmonious combination of several darker, amber-toned shades, instead of simply adding highlights or sticking to a one-tone looks. 

A healthy golden-brown shade is always desirable, but you can never go wrong with infusing your locks with soft golden tones to add a sprinkle of romantic flair into your look. This can provide a bit more structure to your hair rather than leaving it appearing flat and lifeless. And based on Shores' expertise, this is one of the easiest looks to pull off at the hair salon. 

"This looks best on just about anyone who prefers timeless, sustainable color," Shores explains to us, before adding a particularly useful tidbit. "It's achieved with no bleach lightener or balayage, and an ammonia-free demi-permanent hair color." Rather than slapping on visible highlights that frame the face, this shade evokes understated elegance. What's more, it's certainly a color that will prove easy to style along with fall 2026's biggest dress and skirt trends that you'll want to wear all season long.

Fall 2026 is shaping up to be a season where visible streaks of highlights are temporarily out of fashion. Everything is about achieving seamless transitions, while maintaining dimension and structure. And nothing demonstrates this style philosophy better than the dark brondette color trend that perfectly encapsulates the fall season. It's characterized by its deep cocoa hue with subtle dark blond highlights that blend flawlessly into each other.

For those with olive skin tones, Shores says that this look is practically made for them, while completely channeling effortless style and grace. And Shores has just the perfect request you can submit to your hairstylist to execute this look. "Ask your colorist for an all over color with ammonia-free color around a level 7, 6, or 5," the professional hair expert advises Women. Truly, you can never go wrong with this hair color trend.

Classic caramel is set to be a surefire hit this season, though hints of amber are preferred. Not only will your hair look good enough to eat, but its glossy finish will make you look stunning whatever the hour. And according to Shores, this particular look is best suited for brunettes, as well as those with naturally voluminous hair that could really elevate the color to another level.

Our expert colorist has the details on how to get this look for yourself on your next visit to the hair salon. "Ask your colorist to paint Balayage big golden pieces mainly in the front of the hair to match the big volume and layers," Shores exclusively shares with Women. Caramel certainly looks good with anything, and it's the perfect go-to for anyone searching for a bit of inspiration when it comes to their fall hair looks.

In a departure from the mostly dark, rich shades that has fall 2026 in a chokehold, white ash-blond hair is proving to be a viable option. It's also one of the hair color trends that should be on your radar in 2026, showing just how popular the color is this season. While you may assume dark, golden, and more amber shades are more fitting for fall, this heavenly color demonstrates how versatile it is because you definitely don't need to switch hair colors when fall turns to winter. 

"[It's] bright platinum without the constant touch up," Shores details to us, before adding her recommendation, "Ask your colorist to use bleach Balayage or Foilyage to get as light as possible." White-blond hair ensures that you stand out among a sea of ombre, chocolate, and caramel hair colors and it also serves as a low-maintenance look. The best of both worlds, clearly.