COLOUR
The BIG SALON CENSUS of COLOUR TRENDS
FROM GLOSSY BRUNETTES AND CREAMY BLONDES TO EVOLVING GREY BLENDS AND PLAYFUL COLOUR BLOCKING, WE ASK STYLISTS WHAT’S SHAPING SALON COLOUR FOR AUTUMN – PLUS THE TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES HELPING THEM KEEP COLOUR CLIENTS COMING BACK
REVLON VISIONARIES: REMASTERED TEAM 2025
While many of us look to hair trend forecasts inspired by fashion weeks from around the world, the red carpet, and social media, there are no colour predictions more respected and anticipated than those that come from you – the hairstylists and salon owners who are on the ground working on real clients. We spoke to some expert stylists and hair professionals to ask what colour trends they are seeing, how they keep clients booked in and what colour techniques they are loving right now.
COLOUR TRENDS ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS
ASHLEY LONG, REVLON CREATIVE ARTIST
QUIET LUXURY – HIGH GLOSS, LOW MAINTENANCE
The trend for quiet luxury hair colour, which features rich, low-maintenance tones and an emphasis on glossy texture, has continued throughout this year. Stylists were unanimous in stating that clients are prioritising hair health over colour treatments that could damage or compromise hair integrity. “I’m seeing a big move towards healthy, expensive-looking hair rather than bold colour changes,” explains Julie Horne, owner of Chop and Change in Surrey. “We are seeing a rise in rich chocolate brunettes with lots of shine and bespoke copper shades that are tailored to each client’s skin tone.”
The trend for hair colour that offers a glossy shine that exudes health is something that Jane Wanniaratchy, Sally Europe Head of Product & Technical Education, has also observed. She states: “Clients are asking for colour with incredible shine and dimension, rather than dramatic contrast, which is why glossing services have become such an important part of the salon experience.”
JAKE NUGENT FOR OSMO
INNERSENSE
ELEVATED NATURAL COLOUR
Similar to quiet luxury hair, one of the trends bubbling under in salons is elevated natural colour. So, rather than clients opting for a dramatic colour transformation, they are selecting colour treatments that enhance what they have naturally. “I’m seeing a lot of elevated natural colour trends this year”, says NXT Brand Ambassador Holly Bullock. “Think golden, soft blondes, subtle blended face frames, dimensional warm brunettes and striking coppers. This is combined with an ever-increasing demand to enhance the natural greys using grey-blending techniques.”
JOICO
GREY BLENDING EVOLVING INTO ‘GREY BLONDING’
It’s probably no surprise to hear that the trend for grey blending isn’t going anywhere. With many midlife women embracing the middle years as a period of growth and transformation, we are likely to see the trend for grey hair continue for years to come, which is truly a positive thing. Like most trends, however, it will evolve. Stylists are continuing to see an uptick in clients requesting grey blending, yes, but they are also becoming more experimental with grey hair, opting for complementary shades. “We’re seeing the grey-blend trend naturally evolve into what we’re calling grey blonding”, enthuses James Davies, Senior Educator at Moroccanoil. “Rather than simply disguising grey hair, clients are embracing it by enhancing their natural tones with soft, luminous blondes. The aim is to work with the natural grey pattern, adding warmth and brightness to create an overall lighter, healthier-looking result. It’s a modern, low-maintenance approach that leaves clients feeling brighter and more confident while celebrating their natural colour.”
METROPOLIS
BUTTERY BLONDES
Blondes are becoming softer, warmer and more delicate according to stylists who are on the ground working in-salon and responding to client requests. “One shade that my clients keep requesting is crème brûlée blonde”, states Bona Jörg, JOICO Creative Color Artist EMEA & Blonde Life Ambassador for Europe. “This shade features a beautiful blend of warm blonde and mocha hues, offering lots of gorgeous depth and dimension with a brown, warm finish. It also grows out beautifully, which makes it an ideal choice for those seeking a colour that evolves rather than fades.”
James Davies has also seen an increase in requests for soft blonde, adding: “Blondes are leaning towards crème brûlée tones – soft, creamy vanillas blended with delicate golden coppers to create a warm, caramel-inspired finish”. Ashley Long, Creative Director of Directors in Kent, and a Revlon Professional UKI Creative Artist, agrees, adding: “Creamy blondes remain incredibly popular, especially softer, buttery blondes that feel healthy and expensive rather than icy or over-processed.”
How stylists keep clients booked in
As hair professionals, we all know that the colour service is just the first step when it comes to haircare. The follow-ups of hair treatments, glossing services, and root retouching are really what determine how healthy a client’s hair remains. So, how do you keep clients booked in after they’ve left the salon with their brand new colour?
“We bring colour to life by naming everything, like our Liquid Brunette that then went into our Liquid Noir. It makes it feel more like a make-up service where clients are aware of their colour names. We take colour consultations really seriously, including skin tone and wardrobe consultations.”
ZOE IRWIN EDITORIAL COLOUR AMBASSADOR FOR L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL
“Consultation doesn’t stop once the colour has been applied. Throughout the appointment, we talk clients through the evolution of their colour, discussing how it will develop over time and what the next step in their hair journey will be.”
JAMES DAVIES SENIOR EDUCATOR, MOROCCANOIL
“It all starts with education. Every appointment includes a detailed consultation where we discuss lifestyle, budget, maintenance and long-term hair goals. We create a personalised colour plan instead of thinking about just one appointment. Before clients leave, we recommend their next visit and explain how glosses, toners, treatments and the right homecare will help keep their colour looking fresh.”
JULIE HORNE, OWNER OF CHOP AND CHANGE
“For me, I keep my clients booking in by cultivating a relationship with them from the moment they walk through the salon door. It’s all about enhancing their personal client experience to the max – talking them through what you’re doing to build trust, prompting them to book in for their next appointment”
SEVDA DURUKAN, SENIOR CREATIVE ARTIST, JOICO EMEA TEAM MEMBER
HOT TAKES FROM THE EXPERTS: The Colours clients are requesting
“Clients are requesting forehead lightening, softer creamy beige tones, multi-tonal copper golds, and glossy deep reds. Our liquid noir trend – a deep, romantic black – is also getting bigger. More than anything, clients are requesting shine, with glossing services driving huge demand.”
ZOE IRWIN, EDITORIAL COLOUR AMBASSADOR, L’ORÉAL PROFESSIONNEL
“Cool coppers continue to gain momentum, alongside rich espresso brunettes, dimensional reds, and deep red violets that deliver incredible shine and depth. We’re also seeing playful requests for soft pinks, lavenders, peaches, and muted gold tones that add personality without feeling overwhelming.”
RACHEL BERKE, REGIONAL MANAGER, INNERSENSE
“A key trend that I am obsessed with is dimensional colour, which I like to call ‘premium colour’. It’s the perfect technique to complement all the layers we are seeing clients have more and more.”
HEATHER SHAW, WELLA GUEST ARTIST & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, FRANCESCO HAIR SALONS
“The biggest requests are glossy espresso brunettes, soft smoked sand tones, buttery blondes, champagne blondes and expensive-looking coppers with subtle depth rather than vibrant intensity.”
ANDREA DORATA, ALFAPARF MILANO PROFESSIONAL BRAND AMBASSADOR UKI
“Clients are embracing colour that looks effortlessly luxurious. We’re seeing a move away from one-dimensional shades towards rich, glossy colour with depth, movement and a beautifully healthy finish. Think expensive brunettes, softened coppers and creamy, lived-in blondes.”
JANE WANNIARATCHY, SALLY EUROPE HEAD OF PRODUCT & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
“Charcoal brunette will be everywhere this Autumn. It sits in the middle of coolness and warmth, being loved for its muted nature. Even though it is a darker hue, it maintains depth and dimension to give hair a mesmerising shine.”
BONA JÖRG, JOICO CREATIVE COLOR ARTIST EMEA AND BLONDE LIFE AMBASSADOR FOR EUROPE
“Luxury brunette continues to be one of the biggest requests in the salon. Clients are looking for glossy, rich brunettes with plenty of depth rather than a solid block colour.”
ASHLEY LONG, REVLON PROFESSIONAL UKI CREATIVE ARTIST
“Blondes are always a favourite as we head into a new season. Uptown Blonde is a clean, bright and polished blonde with fine highlights for a quiet luxury finish, while Milk Tea Blonde is a neutral, beige-blonde with creamy taupe undertones that offers a soft, muted look.”
DARREN WEBSTER, ELECTRIC LONDON
“My clients are all looking for a Bronde tone, the brighter blondes are also still in for summer but soon we will start to see the warmer copper tones.”
JAKE NUGENT, OSMO AMBASSADOR
“The calico trend is creeping back in again but with different colour combinations! So, instead of auburn, clients are choosing violet, blonde and black, or cherry red, brown and blonde. I’m loving seeing people become more playful with intentionally mapped out ‘random’ colour blocking again.”
TAYLOR ANTHONY, PROCARE PRO AMBASSADOR
JOICO
THE COLOUR TECHNIQUES STYLISTS ARE LOVING RIGHT NOW
With colour techniques ever-evolving and innovation at an all-time high. We tapped our stylists for their opinions on the colour treatments and techniques that they are loving right now.
“I’M LOVING HIGHLIGHTS WITH A MIX OF LOWLIGHTS. IT REALLY MAKES THE BLONDE POP AND EVEN LOWLIGHTING SLIGHTLY WITH AN 8 BASE, CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THE FINISHED LOOK.”
JAKE NUGENT, OSMO AMBASSADOR
“COLOUR MELTING WILL CONTINUE TO REIGN SUPREME, AS CLIENTS ARE CRAVING COLOUR WHICH FEELS MORE INTENTIONAL AND BLENDED, AVOIDING ANY HARD RE-GROWTH OR VISIBLE LINES. THIS TECHNIQUE IS A SUPER LOW-MAINTENANCE, MELTING FROM ONE SHADE TO THE NEXT, MAKING FOR A SEAMLESSLY DIFFUSED COLOUR TRANSITION.”
DAN SPILLER, JOICO EMEA COLOR AMBASSADOR
“CLIENTS ARE LOVING OUR NATURALISATION TECHNIQUES, WHERE WE FINELY WEAVE THEIR NATURAL COLOUR BACK THROUGH THE BLONDE TO CREATE A SEAMLESS, EXPENSIVE-LOOKING RESULT. IT LOOKS LUXURIOUS WITHOUT RELYING ON THE HEAVILY ‘LIVED-IN’ EFFECT.”
CERI CUSHEN OF METROPOLIS, REVLON PROFESSIONAL UKI CREATIVE ARTIST
“LIVED-IN COLOUR REMAINS INCREDIBLY POPULAR BECAUSE CLIENTS WANT BEAUTIFUL, WEARABLE RESULTS WITH LOWER MAINTENANCE. TECHNIQUES SUCH AS SOFT BALAYAGE, COLOUR MELTING AND FACE-FRAMING HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, CREATING BESPOKE COLOUR THAT’S PERSONALISED FOR EVERY CLIENT.”
JANE WANNIARATCHY, SALLY EUROPE HEAD OF PRODUCT & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
“A SOLID-LOOKING RESULT DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN FLAT COLOUR. BY INCORPORATING TECHNIQUES SUCH AS FINE BABYLIGHTS, AND ADJUSTING COLOUR DEPTH AND DEVELOPER STRENGTH, WE CAN CREATE SUBTLE HIGHS AND LOWS THAT DELIVER SHINE AND NATURAL MOVEMENT.”
JAMES DAVIES, SENIOR EDUCATOR, MOROCCANOIL
“DIMENSIONAL COLOUR CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AREAS OF OUR INDUSTRY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS EVERY GUEST TO HAVE SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNIQUE. RATHER THAN CHASING UNIFORM RESULTS, STYLISTS ARE EMBRACING TECHNIQUES THAT CREATE MOVEMENT, DEPTH, AND SEAMLESS TRANSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE HAIR.”
RACHEL BERKE, REGIONAL EDUCATION MANAGER, INNERSENSE
“I’M STILL LOVING COLOUR BLOCKING AND PANEL PLACEMENT BECAUSE THEY ALLOW ME TO CREATE SOMETHING BOLD WHILE TAILORING THE RESULT TO THE INDIVIDUAL. STRATEGIC PLACEMENT CAN COMPLETELY TRANSFORM A HAIRCUT, ADD MOVEMENT AND MAKE CREATIVE SHADES FEEL MORE INTENTIONAL.”
TAYLOR ANTHONY, PROCARE PRO AMBASSADOR