These hair dye trends are hot for 2023. But which is right for you?
By Diane Small
We’re living in crazy times. It’s hard to predict what will happen next week, let alone throughout the coming months! But one thing is clear for this year: naturally colored hair is pretty much passé.
All you need to do is take a glance at Instagram or Pinterest to see that barnets come in a rainbow of far-from-natural hues, or when they are leaning towards ‘natural,’ they’re much more intense versions of what nature bestows.
There are also loads of hair coloring techniques that are making hairdos really pop these days: ombré, babylights, balayage, and dip-dye, to name a few.
But what are the differences between these techniques? How do you get them, with non-toxic products? And which hair color is right for you?
Choosing the Right Hair Color For You
Before you choose a color for your hair, you need to consider which hues best suit your skin tone and complexion undertones: are you fair, medium or deep? Warm, cool, or neutral?
Here’s how to determine what undertones your skin may have:
- Look at the veins in your wrist. If your veins are blue, you’ve got cool undertones. Green? Warm. A mix? Neutral.
- Do you look better in gold or silver jewelry? Gold is warm, silver, cool.
- Try on a white and a beige tee-shirt. If you have warm undertones, the white tee makes your skin appear more yellow. If you have cool undertones, the beige tee makes your skin look washed out and grey.
When you’ve figured out your skin undertone, it’s time to learn which hair colors will look best on you.
Warm Skin Undertones
- Fair: copper, golden blonde, caramel
- Medium: ‘bronde’
- Olive: chestnut, cinnamon
- Deep: violet red or black, honey, caramel
Cool Skin Undertones
- Fair: icy platinum, baby blonde
- Medium: sand, wheat, and beige
- Olive: chestnut, cinnamon
- Deep: inky black, espresso, blue-black
Neutral Skin Undertones
- If you have olive skin, you most likely have a neutral skin undertone.
- If you have a hard time telling whether your veins are green or blue, you probably have a neutral skin undertone.
- You can rock pretty much any hair color you like!
Still not sure which skin tone you have? Check via the video below!
10+ Hair Dye Trends We Love For 2023
Just because a hair colour is huge right now doesn’t mean it’s right for you. After you’ve determined your skin tone, you can select from the trends below to see which best suits you.
Main image: latesthairstylepedia.com Instagram: @bescene
1. ‘Money Pieces’
One of the most popular trends of 2023 is smudged money pieces. I know, it kind of sounds like the name of a rapper, right? But honestly, this is a trend that will make your mane – and your skin -look magnificent!
Money piece highlights are a type of balayage that involves making the front stripes of hair on both sides of your face brighter than the rest. The highlighted pieces are the so-called ‘money pieces’. They do an awesome job of brightening your complexion and accentuating your face. If, that is, your stylist understands which tone best suits your skin.
This is an uptown-girl look that’s almost impossible to achieve on your own at home. Be sure to go to a good colourist if you want to end up looking like Queen Bey!
Try this trend because: It’s gonna make you look polished, rich and chic. Plus, there are money-piece highlights that suit every skin tone!
Instagram: @beyonce.
2. All Shades of Reds
Wine lovers will love this one! Rich red is bang-on-trend for this year. This trend is super versatile as there are so many shades to choose from. Think: cherry, burgundy, auburn and copper shades. That’s just for a start!
Try this trend because: Red is a great hair colour because it’s versatile, so there is a shade to suit all skin tones. Want a subtle change? Opt for auburn. Want to stand out? Fire-engine red is the one for you!
3. Blonde Salad Highlights
Each year, new shades of blonde pop on the scene. But this year, it’s all about the blonde salad!
What I mean by that is a blend of different blonde highlights to give your hair depth and texture. There’s a blonde mix to suit most skin tones due to the natural warmth in the hue. This is another of those hair dye trends for 2023 you’ll need the help of a stylist to achieve.
Tip: If you’re not straying too far from your natural colour, why not try an organic dye to achieve honey blonde?
Try this trend because: It will give your hair some 3D brilliance!
4. Peachy Rose
In previous years, bold shades have ruled. But one of this year’s top shades is a type of hybrid: not quite blonde, not quite pink. Meet peachy rose blonde! Knocking ash blonde and platinum shades out of the way, peach rose blonde is a flattering shade perfect for those wanting a little fun.
Tip 1: You’ll have to pre-lighten your hair to a pale shade of blonde before you’re able to tiny it with a peach toner. The shade you end up with will be determined by the blonde you start with.
Tip 2: Not quite brave enough? A wig is a fun way to see if you like this trend beforehand.
Try this trend because: This shade is perfect for those looking to subtly transition from their winter hair colour to something brighter for the warmer months.
Instagram:@domenicoparrucchieri.
5. Brown Spice
This is a hair dye trend for 2023 that is perfect for any natural brunette. Instead of harsh, dull brown shades, this softer version adds a natural dimension to the hair by highlighting spicy brown hues into a naturally brunette mane. Think: cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. This blend will give your locks tons of movement, too.
The thing I love most about this trend is its versatility. Chocolate brown locks can be worn short or long, straight or curly. Whether you have long tendrils or a short, sleek bob – this shade is effortlessly chic!
Try this trend because: It’s the perfect way to make a statement without going over the top. It also defines olive skin beautifully!
Instagram: @shaymitchell.
This is a great look to experiment with in winter, as you don’t need to worry about potential fading from the sun. And if your hair is fairly dark naturally, you don’t need to worry much about roots, either, and you can do this pretty easily at home. Natural blondes may want to go to the salon, though, just to be sure they don’t miss a bit. The trend here is uniform, jet black. Not black with lighter patches!
Tip: Did you know you can achieve black hair with gentle, plant based dyes? Check this out, for example!
Try this trend because: This is one of those hair dye trends for this year that’s easy to do for brunettes and blondes alike. This color will dominate over any other! It basically suits anyone with ‘winter’ skin tones. It looks absolutely stunning with silver shadow and a bright red lip, and is a great way to cover up growing out dramatic highlights.
7. Gemini Hair
If you’re looking to enter this year making a statement, the new Gemini is one of the best hair trends for 2023 for you! The trend involves dyeing your hair two different shades, split down the middle. So half your hair is one shade, the other half another. It was inspired by Castor and Pollux, the twins of the zodiac.
Try this trend because: If you love dyeing your hair fun shades, this one is pretty cool as you can choose any duo of shades you like!
Instagram: @bescene.
8. Buttercream Blonde
We’ve all been tempted by a cupcake topped with perfectly swirled buttercream. The sugary treat is now a hair trend for the year ahead. Buttercream hair is basically a light shade of blonde, adding richness and depth to hair. It’s perfect for those with very fair or very dark skin tones.
Tip: To stop hair from turning yellow and brassy, you may want to visit your stylist for a refresh every few weeks for a toner top up. Check out these tips for more info!
Try this trend because: It’s a glossy, upscale blonde that adds polish to those with the right skin tones for this look.
Image: @nikkilee901
9. Pastel Hues
A look that was seen on many catwalks last season was fantasy hair colours. Mainly anime pink, bright pearl and pastel blue are shades set to be everywhere this year! But given that models have to keep their personal looks as neutral and flexible as possible, you can rest assured that the teal, pink, lavender and green hair on display was 100% temporary – or extensions.
The great news is that this is one of the hair dye trends you can do yourself easily! Just purchase a semi-permanent or temporary dye, and see what happens! Try a vegan friendly semi-permanent dye at home. Two brands we love are Arctic Fox and Manic Panic – they both have a wide variety of paintbox-inspired hues.
Tip: These dyes don’t require bleaching before application, but note that the resulting colour may vary, depending on your natural hair colour.
Try this trend because: There’s no major commitment required, it’s just temporary fun, so why not?
Instagram: @bescene.
10. Toasted Caramel
This stunning hair shade is a mix. Think honey blonde and burnt brown shades with a glossy finish. This buttery shade gives an almost illuminating effect thanks to the rich undertones. This hair hue can also be combined with the money piece trend to create an even hotter hair masterpiece!
Try this trend because: It’s simply gorgeous for nearly every skin tone.
Instagram: @gigihadid.
11. Mushroom Brown
Love your fungi? You’ll be pleased to know mushroom shades are one of the biggest hair dye trends for 2023. Someplace between the caramel blonde and chocolate brown trends mentioned above, mushroom brown is an ashy shade. This hair colour is best suited to those with warmer skin tones.
Try this trend because: This is a low-key way to restyle your hair, giving it an instant makeover without dyeing it too much.
Credit: Getty Images
12. Post-Copper Buttery Blonde
Copper hair grown out? Fear not, the experts predict that buttery blonde will be the perfect transitional shade for those wanting to switch up any copper colours.
Copper hair remains popular in the salons, with clients asking for everything from full head copper to balayage and in every shade. It’s almost, but not quite, strawberry blonde, making it perfect for copper hair lovers looking to switch things up for summer. It works well on a number of hair tones, especially as a balayage on darker brown hair.
Tip: If you’re not straying too far from your natural color, why not try an organic dye to achieve honey blonde?
Try this trend because: It could easily transform itself into another one…number 14, below!
Image credit: @metinaykuttt
13. Peacock Hair
What do you get when you blend midnight blue, forest green or teal dye with black hair? Peacock hair, of course! This is a variation of the Midnight hair color trend mentioned above. Ergo, it should appeal to Goths and punks alike.
Tip: This is one of those hair dye trends that best suits wintery skin tones.
Try this trend because: It’s a gorgeous hair trend involving rich color.
14. Blatantly Dark Roots
From Madonna to Hailey Bieber, everyone seems to want them. Yep, we’re talking about dark roots. Whether you’re dyed your hair a cotton candy pink or a honey blonde, you’ll want to show off your color with contrasting dark roots. This is a low-maintenance look that doesn’t have to be touched up as often, so you can go longer in between salon visits. Ask your stylist for “shadow roots”.
Tip: Any contrasting color – be it a neutral blonde or fantasy blue – is great for this look. But note: blonde roots are not the idea here! They should be dark!
Try this trend because: Well, it’s one of the super easiest hair dye trends! Walk out of the salon with it, or just let your roots grow out a few inches.
Image: HairAdvisor.com
15. Hair Products That Reverse Grey
Here’s a bonus trend for you! Thanks to new technology, you don’t need to dye your hair if it’s getting grey. Instead, you can get rid of white hair or grey hair naturally.
Some innovative new products, such as Mayraki Anti-Gray Hair Color Restoring Treatment, use the power of the latest hair care technology to restore gray or white hair to its original shade.
Mayraki’s patented active ingredient boosts melanin production at the bulb and helps stimulate the natural pigmentation of hair during regrowth. The hair is then re-pigmented and restored to its natural colour. This formulation increases the melanin synthesis and boosts the melanin transfer from our scalp to hair, reversing the greying. Plus, it’s 100% vegan, and free of all nasty chemicals!
Image below: @kaihei
Tip: You’ll need to use an anti-greying product regularly to see results.
Try this trend because: It’s much healthier for your hair than dye. Even organic dyes!
- Feel the Burn! The Appeal of Natural Skin Peels - September 30, 2023
- How To Keep Your Summer Tan Glowing Into Fall - September 19, 2023
- How To Wear Streetwear Consciously: An Adult’s Guide - September 12, 2023
White roots blonde ashy hair. I want to make roots darker w streaks at home
Pingback: Hair Color Trends To Try For Summer 2022 - Salon Prive Mag
Thanks for the info! I died my hair red, it’s originally a sandy blonde. How do I tone down the red? Can I die it brown?
Try a hair toner! Here’s our list of some of the best https://eluxemagazine.com/beauty/the-best-natural-hair-toners-for-dyed-and-blonde-hair/
I love this!! Specially the fantasy colors, I want to try but don;t know where to get these colors….
Great article, I love it