All the Hair Color Inspiration You Need for Fall

With the change of the season, the temperatures drastically drop and so do our normal hair color requests. Simply put, fall is a time of year that embodies transition. The autumn leaves match some of our best hair color trends of the season, ranging in shades from deep auburn and chocolate brown to rich honey blondes and icy-toned highlights. We collected a few tips from our trusted expert to help guide you toward these trending transitional tones.

01of 18

Golden Brown

Just because the temperatures are dropping doesn’t mean we have to shy away from the warmth in our hair color. To keep your color vibrant all season, Alfieri tells us, “At-home care is imperative to achieving and maintaining any desired hair color, and with so many products on the market, it’s easier now than ever. I love the Gem Lites shampoos for at-home maintenance and refreshing.”

02of 18

Rich Berry

We’re swooning over this rich burgundy for fall knowing all the ways there are to play off accessorizing with this color, even just with a pinch of bright eyeshadow.

03of 18

Dark Ombré

Ombré hair colors are still trending, but brunettes may want to consider keeping things darker and slightly more muted than usual. Instead of a drastic fade from roots to ends, keep your highlights a mere two to three levels lighter than your base color. This will eliminate the need for frequent touch-ups and can extend the time between appointments.

04of 18

Overgrown Highlights

Overgrown highlights have never been as in style as they are post-quarantine. Alfieri says people are looking for a “hair color that can withstand a long break from the salon and still look good.” These roots don’t bother us one bit.

05of 18

Caramel Swirls

Swirls of rich caramel can in fact make their way into a low-maintenance, dimensional color palette for your locks. When warm hues drip down this effortlessly, they grow out effortlessly and are, therefore easier, to uphold through the long winter ahead.

06of 18

Goodbye, Brass

Letting your old color fade away is easy with the help of an at-home toner to rid your lingering grown-out highlights of unwanted brassiness. Find a shade that blends seamlessly into your base color for an intentional color revival.

07of 18

Honeycomb

It turns out you don’t need to save your warm, honey blonde color goals for next summer. “Warmer tones are complementary on all hair textures and colors,” says Alfieri. “We all have the tones already existing in our hair, it’s just a matter of exposing the right amount of warmth for our natural hair, or the overall look we’re going for.”

08of 18

Hint of Red

When contemplating your next hair color, don’t forget to consider your skin’s undertones, Alfieri reminds us. “All undertones can look great with warmth, it’s just where on the spectrum that warmth lies to complement your individual undertone. Pinker skin actually softens with rose gold tones and those with yellow undertones can carry those beautiful rich purple-reds.”

09of 18

Dimensional Reds

For a natural-looking red, try keeping ends a smidge lighter than your color at the roots. It will help keep your color looking lived-in and organic.

10of 18

Dark Chocolate

A rich, dark chocolate brown is always a frequent go-to at this time of year. The key to giving it that velvety dimension is incorporating highlights and lowlights of the same shade with subtle variations.

11of 18

Pumpkin Spice

Is there anything that screams fall more than pumpkin spice everything? Didn’t think so. If you’re looking to add these warm copper tones into the mix, check out our collection of pumpkin spice hair color ideas here.

12of 18

Buttery Blonde

If you’re committed to keeping your blonde intact year-round, try punching the warmth up a notch this season. Adding more golden tones will add a rich, buttery look to your strands, says Alfieri, who reminds us to consider color placement for a softer grow-out, no matter how high the contrast.

13of 18

Bronze Dimension

Braids are a great hairstyle to showcase your hair color’s depth and dimension, and we’re loving the bronze shining through the braids on this natural brunette.

14of 18

Peaches and Cream

This creamy, buttery peach is a beautiful color for that transitional time of year between summer and fall, bouncing off the last of those golden rays.

15of 18

Refreshed Natural Base

To my fellow brunettes out there: To keep your natural base looking fresh this season without changing its hue, turn to a clear gloss every couple of months. This will help your tresses maintain shine and vibrancy. As if you just left the salon with a fresh coat of paint, but you’ll be saying, “this is my natural color.”

16of 18

Cinnamon

Cinnamon hair looks great on every skin tone and requires minimal touch-ups. We gathered all the facts on this color trend along with 30 stunning examples for you here.

17of 18

’90s Face Frame

A good face frame is typically a brighter shade than the rest of your hair, but when it comes to tone, being intentional with warmth or coolness is a great way to complement your overall color.

18of 18

Ochre Tips

No matter your length, a stark contrast of color (like this earthy shade of ochre against Solange’s natural dark base) makes a stunning statement. Dying just the tips makes it easy to trim and/or add color when you’re ready for a change.