Winter’s shorter days and cooler temperatures often have us spending more time indoors. It’s natural to feel a little restless and crave change during this time. One of the easiest and most exciting ways to reinvent yourself is by switching up your hair color. A fresh winter hue not only adds vibrancy to your look but can also uplift your mood during the dreary months.
From fiery reds to frosty blondes, this season’s trending hair colors offer something for everyone. Whether you lean toward warm, cozy shades or cool, edgy tones, we’ve rounded up the best winter hair color ideas to inspire your next transformation. Plus, we’re sharing pro tips to ensure your new hue looks flawless all season long.
Trending Winter Hair Colors this Year
Warm Tones for a Cozy Glow
Classic winter colors like chestnut, caramel blonde, auburn, and chocolate brown are timeless for a reason. These shades bring a golden warmth that enhances your complexion, giving you a healthy glow even when the sun is scarce.
According to experts, there’s been a shift from the icy blondes of past years to warmer, more natural hues. Rich golden undertones in blonde and brunette shades are making a major comeback, adding a touch of sophistication to any look.
Cool Shades for a Frosty Edge
If warm tones aren’t your thing, embrace cool hues like ash blonde, espresso, or gray. These shades mirror winter’s chilly vibe and add an air of mystery and elegance to your style. Red tones, such as ginger and cowgirl copper, are also having their moment, with influencers and celebrities alike showcasing these bold looks on social media.
How to Choose Your Perfect Shade
When selecting your ideal winter hair color, consider your skin tone:
- Fair skin: Cool reds like strawberry blonde or copper add radiance.
- Medium skin: Deep auburn or caramel tones complement your complexion beautifully.
- Darker skin: Purple-toned reds like burgundy or warm chocolate hues offer a striking contrast.
For the best results, consult a professional colorist who can guide you based on your natural hair shade, maintenance preferences, and overall style goals.
Should You Go Lighter or Darker This Winter?
While lighter shades often evoke spring and summer, they can look stunning in winter as well. Opt for frosty tones like platinum or ash blonde to echo the season’s chill, or add subtle warmth with caramel and honey highlights for a soft, flattering glow.
Darker shades, on the other hand, bring depth and a moody allure to your look. Espresso, black, or deep auburn shades pair perfectly with winter’s cozy aesthetic. Reds and fantasy colors like violet or rose gold are also excellent choices for adding a fun, unexpected twist to your winter style.
Keep in mind that lighter and more vibrant colors typically require more upkeep, so think about how much time you want to invest in maintaining your look.
The 30 Best Winter Hair Colors to Try
Jet Black
Channel winter’s moody charm with a sleek, jet-black mane. This bold shade exudes elegance and works best with a glossy finish to enhance its shine. To maintain that reflective, mirror-like effect, use an at-home gloss treatment or consult your stylist for a professional shine-enhancing service.
Blonde Mocha
Inspired by your favorite warm beverage, blonde mocha is the perfect blend of mocha brown and golden reddish blonde. This shade adds warmth and depth to your look. For a natural, low-maintenance effect, ask your stylist to hand-paint subtle balayage highlights that grow out seamlessly without frequent salon visits.
Magenta
Fantasy shades are making a big statement this winter, and magenta is leading the pack. With the resurgence of dreamy, bold aesthetics, vivid magenta adds a pop of confidence to your look. It’s a striking choice that never fails to turn heads.
Ash Blonde
Who says ash blonde is just for summer? This cool, beachy shade is perfect for the colder months too. Have your stylist weave tonal ash blonde highlights throughout your hair for a natural, multidimensional look. Add texture with a sea-salt spray for that effortlessly tousled, wind-swept vibe.
Blended Blonde Highlights
Keep your blonde effortless and easy to maintain this winter. Blended blonde highlights are the perfect solution, offering a soft, natural look that doesn’t require constant touch-ups. This style is ideal for cozy days by the fire or busy schedules.
Ginger Brown
Not ready for a full-on ginger makeover? Blend ginger tones with your brunette base for a warm, spicy effect. This balayage technique adds a subtle pop of color that’s perfect for testing the waters with this trending shade.
Caramel Balayage
Caramel balayage is a winter favorite for its versatility. It adds brightness to dark hair, dimension to brunettes, and warmth to lighter shades. This sophisticated, sun-kissed style complements any base color and requires minimal upkeep, making it a go-to for many.
Glossy Blue-Black
Elevate classic black hair with a subtle twist—a hint of blue that shines through under bright light. This glossy blue-black shade is perfect for cool, fair skin tones, offering depth and dimension without straying too far from a natural look.
Black and Silver Balayage
Love the idea of silver hair but not the maintenance? Black and silver balayage is your go-to. This combination blends natural black roots with shimmering silver highlights, creating a low-maintenance, striking contrast that grows out beautifully.
Mulled Wine
For those cozy evenings curled up with a glass of red, why not let your hair match the mood? Mulled wine hair, a spicy burgundy shade, adds warmth and richness to your winter style. Regular care keeps the color vibrant, making it a great choice for bold, seasonal vibes.
Ultra-Violet
Make a statement this winter with ultra-violet hair. This vibrant, cool-toned purple is anything but subtle, turning heads wherever you go. Keep it sleek and shiny by incorporating hair oils into your routine to combat winter dryness and static.
Smokey Blue
Channel the warmth of a winter fireplace with smokey blue hair. This rich shade weaves together ashy gray and charcoal tones, creating a moody yet cozy aesthetic. It’s a versatile look that complements a variety of skin tones.
Ashy Brown Balayage
For fans of cool-toned colors, ashy brown balayage is a chic winter option. This shade features icy undertones that give depth and texture to brown hair. Use a blue-toned shampoo to keep brassiness at bay and maintain the ashy tones.
Metallic Pink
For a soft yet daring look, metallic pink hair offers a blend of fantasy and sophistication. This silvery pink shade reflects light beautifully, adding a dreamy, ethereal quality to your style. Perfect for those who want to explore color without going too bold.
Snow Blonde
Frosty and ethereal, snow blonde is the ultimate icy winter shade. Achieving this ultra-pale look requires heavy bleaching, but the payoff is worth it. Strengthen and nourish bleached hair with a restorative haircare routine to maintain its health and shine.
Chocolate Almond
Chocolate brown gets a luxurious upgrade with chocolate almond hair. This rich hue combines caramel and golden highlights with a deep brunette base, creating a warm, multidimensional look that flatters nearly every skin tone. It’s perfect for adding vibrancy without going too bold.
Subtle Auburn
Want to dip your toes into red hair without making a dramatic change? Subtle auburn is the way to go. This look blends fine streaks of auburn throughout a brunette base, creating a warm, understated red that’s perfect for winter.
Gingerbread
Just like the festive treat, gingerbread hair is the perfect mix of cozy, spicy, and luxurious vibes for winter. This rich blend of deep brown and auburn tones adds a warm glow that flatters a range of skin tones, making it a versatile and chic choice for the colder months.
Bronde
Torn between blonde and brunette? Bronde offers the perfect compromise. This versatile shade can be customized to suit your skin tone, with warmer or cooler undertones to highlight your natural beauty.
Dark Purple
For those curious about fantasy shades but hesitant to fully commit, dark purple is ideal. This eggplant-inspired hue appears nearly black indoors but reveals deep purple tones in the sunlight, making it both subtle and striking.
Green
Celebrate the festive season with a bold dark green hue. Reminiscent of lush evergreen trees, this color brings holiday vibes to your style. Keep the look fresh with leave-in conditioners to maintain hydration and shine throughout the season.
Red Velvet
Inspired by the holiday favorite dessert, red velvet hair is a vibrant, cool-toned red that looks stunning against pale skin. Its richness and depth make it a standout winter shade, perfect for turning heads.
Pop of Color
Add a playful twist to your hair without going all-in on a fantasy shade. Face-framing highlights or colorful dip-dyed ends are a great way to experiment with bold colors while keeping your base natural.
Face-Framing Highlights
Nostalgic for the ‘90s? Face-framing highlights bring a modern twist to the bold streaky highlights of the Y2K era. High-contrast blonde streaks against a brunette base offer a chic and playful retro-inspired look.
Mushroom Brown
Cool-toned and understated, mushroom brown is an ashy brunette shade with gray undertones that pairs beautifully with cool complexions. This low-maintenance look offers a sophisticated vibe for winter.
Cowgirl Copper
This earthy red-brown hue takes inspiration from the rich tones of Western leather. Cowgirl copper is the perfect mix of brunette and red, offering warmth and subtle vibrancy to brighten up chilly days.
Copper and Amber Highlights
Channel the cozy warmth of a mug of hot cider with copper and amber highlights. These shades add a glowing, dimensional effect to brunette hair, making it a versatile and flattering choice for winter.
Mermaid Highlights
Missing the warmth of summer? Mermaid highlights bring the beach vibes to winter by blending whimsical shades of blue, purple, and green into your hair. This dreamy, colorful look is perfect for those who love bold, fun styles and want a reminder that sunny days are just around the corner.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon hair color has been a favorite for several seasons, and it’s not going anywhere. This cozy reddish-brown shade is warm and inviting, making it an ideal choice for winter. Its soft, spicy tones flatter a variety of skin tones and add a subtle glow to your look.
Chocolate Cherry
Chocolate cherry hair combines the richness of deep chocolate brown with the vibrancy of cherry red. This striking blend offers the perfect balance of boldness and elegance, making it a head-turning choice for holiday parties and winter gatherings.
FAQs
1. How do I maintain vibrant shades like mermaid highlights?
Fantasy shades require regular care. Use color-safe shampoos, deep-conditioning treatments, and limit heat styling to keep the colors vibrant and prevent fading.
2. Who can wear cinnamon hair color?
Cinnamon hair complements almost everyone. Its warm reddish-brown tones suit fair, medium, and darker skin tones alike, making it a versatile option for winter.
3. Is chocolate cherry hair high-maintenance?
While it’s not as demanding as fantasy shades, chocolate cherry hair benefits from gloss treatments and color-refreshing shampoos to maintain its depth and shine. Touch-ups every 6–8 weeks keep it looking fresh.
