It’s a new year (thank goodness!) and time for a new you. Getting some new hair color ideas for 2023 can inspire a new look, give you a new lease of life and make you feel like a whole new person.
We’re here with everything you need to know about the best hair color trends this year, and all the hair dyes you need to get the look at home!
Table of Contents
- 1 In 2023 you’ll see a lot more fun and vibrant colors.
- 2 The best hair color ideas for 2023.
- 3 #1 Silver
- 4 #2 Chocolate brown.
- 5 #3 Strawberry blonde
- 6 #4 Lilac.
- 7 #5 Midnight blue.
- 8 #6 Rich reds.
- 9 #7 Honey blonde
- 10 #8 Caramel blonde
- 11 #9 Lavender
- 12 #10 Ash brown
- 13 #11 Light Ash blonde
- 14 #12 Rose Gold
- 15 #13 Copper
- 16 #14 Burgundy
- 17 #15 Chestnut Brown
- 18 #16 Jet black
- 19 #17 Ice blonde
- 20 Get the look.
- 21 #18 Dark Auburn
- 22 Get the look.
- 23 #19 Cinnamon
- 24 #20 Black cherry
- 25 Should I dye my hair at home?
- 26 What is the most popular hair color?
- 27 What hair color is right for me?
- 28 What hair color suits me?
- 29 What are the types of hair color?
- 30 Do I have warm or cool undertones?
- 31 What color hair makes you look younger?
- 32 Keep life colourful!
In 2023 you’ll see a lot more fun and vibrant colors.
The latest trends in color will include: pastel tones, gray and silver, dark brown hair and an abundance of balayage!
The balayage trend is set to continue into 2023 – it’s a great way of creating more natural looking highlights that make your hair look and feel healthy and glossy.
Pastel tones are the next daring step in color trends – not too cold or warm but just right!
If you’re looking for something soft and sweet try lavender, turquoise or lilac colors.
Even though pastels are huge this year, they’re not just for spring anymore.
Pastel hair colors like mint green and lavender will be sticking around for the long run.
If you’re looking for a bolder style, go for a pearly color tone or some glitter highlights or even hair tinsel!
Gray and silver are always in, especially if you’re looking for a striking look.
Strawberry blondes are making a big comeback this season too, plus if you never thought about red hair color before, now’s the time to give it a go!
Read more about the hot hair trends this year below!
The best hair color ideas for 2023.
Without further ado, here are the biggest hair color trends this year that will change your hair and rock your world!
#1 Silver
Shimmer and shine with Silver.
Silver is a hair color trend that really took root (sorry!) in 2021 and it’s here to stay as a top hair color idea in 2023.
It’s a cool tone that mixes platinum blonde and silver hair to create an ashy, shimmery tone.
Before diving straight in and choosing a shade of silver you love, you’ll need to take the shade your hair is now into consideration.
Brunettes, you’ll need to pre-lighten your hair first with bleach to achieve the ashy blonde silver look. It’s also a fab way to blend in those grays.
Natural and highlighted blondes are in luck and an at-home silver box dye like this one should give you the silvery silk results.
Gray hair is also a more muted, up-and-coming trend that gives a dustier, grungier look.
Best for:
- Blonde or highlighted hair
- Paler skin with pink undertones
Not so good for:
- Brunette hair
- Warm undertones
Get the look.
#2 Chocolate brown.
Sweet like chocolate.
The rich, classic tones of warm brown are endlessly flattering shades for women of all ages.
We particularly love chocolate as a dark brown, on-trend idea as it can make dark locks appear fuller, thicker and doesn’t appear orangey when it starts to wash out.
Natural brunettes will find their color is enhanced with chocolate brown gloss and we find even our skin appears more vibrant and healthier too!
It’s also an amazing base for dark caramel balayage, blonde and caramel highlights and ombre hairstyles that are all over our insta feed this year.
For blondes, this is not as simple as coloring your blonde locks brown.
You can dye your hair a neutral or warm brown after filling your hair with a copper or red shade.
But this is an intensive process that’s best left to the professionals to get it right.
Best for:
- Brunettes of all shades
- Making hair appear fuller, thicker and healthier.
- Warmer complexions
Not so good for:
- Blondes
- Cool undertones.
Get the look.
#3 Strawberry blonde
Naturally gorgeous strawberry.
Strawberry blonde is the latest hair color trend that’s all over our radar this year.
It’s a shade that dances between blonde and red hair and is not quite one or the other – it’s the best of both.
It’s a tone blondes or redheads enjoy flirting with to add a bit of depth or lighten their natural hair color tones.
Strawberry blonde is a warm blonde shade with a golden-reddish tint. If you have fair skin, eyes and freckles, it’ll look awesome on you.
That’s not to say cooler tones can’t carry it off. Here you’ll need to pick a deeper, cooler hair dye hue like an ashy rose gold to make it shine with extra dimension.
This sought-after shade is a tint of red or pink on blonde hair, so there’s no such thing as strawberry blonde hair dyes.
You’ll need to find the right tone of red or pink box dyes to get strawberry blonde hair at home.
Best for:
- Warmer skin tones
- Natural blondes
- Light eye colors like blue, green and hazel
Not so good for:
- Cooler skin tones
- Dark hair bases will need to be pre-lightened
Get the look.
#4 Lilac.
Get the pastel perfection.
Lilac is the latest pastel hair color idea to make its debut. Pastels are a major trend this year and lilac is one of our faves.
Derived from the pink pastel pallet, lilac is a hue that comes in many variations – from dusty lilac to lilac pink.
Every one gives you a creatively gorgeous hair color that’s bang on trend.
You can nail the lilac trend with a home dye kit although your locks will already need to be bleached, highlighted or naturally light blonde for the full effect.
For a dusty lilac look, try the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Purple, which is formulated to work on blonde, highlighted, and bleached hair.
It’s semi-permanent and you can dial down the vibrancy if you need to by mixing it with conditioner.
Best for:
- Blonde, bleached or highlighted hair
- Light brown is a maybe – do a test
- Fair and pale complexions
Not so good for:
- Darker brunettes
- Warm undertones
Get the look.
#5 Midnight blue.
The cool cover of darkness.
Bright, rainbow pastel hair colors aren’t the only way to make a colorful statement with your hair this year.
We can’t get enough of edgier shades like midnight blue.
One of the best things about this blue black hair color, is that since it’s such a dark shade, you won’t have to have your hair bleached to get the look.
So it makes it a color trend that’s totally doable at home.
We particularly love how this looks on black hair and we love the variations with contrasting colors for low-lights and dipped ends – although you’ll need a hair stylist’s or hair colorist’s help to nail these awesome looks.
For a semi-permanent midnight blue option, Garnier Nutrisse Permanent Hair Dye in Midnight Blue is the one for you.
It’s designed for darker hair but keep in mind that it will start to wash out over the course of about four to ten shampoos.
Best for:
- Mid brown or dark blonde hair colors for the most vibrant results
- Dark Brown hair and Black hair for a more subtle wash
- Particularly powerful with short hair styles
- All undertones
Not so good for:
- Bleach blondes will get a brighter blue and not the midnight blue effect
Get the look.
#6 Rich reds.
Fire up!
Velvety, fierce and luxurious, red hair is more than a hair color idea, it’s a statement.
Red says you’re up for some fun and you don’t care who knows it. This is in the top hair colors this year but this hair trend is here forever.
The best thing is, it’s a hue that works for everyone. Every skin tone, every eye color.
It’s all about finding the hue that works for you. Rich reds are also easy colors to dye your hair without using bleach.
The lighter your hair, the pinker your red will be compared to a brunette who will experience darker and richer shades of red.
Experiment with shades lighter or brighter than you normally would. That’s what having new hair color ideas are all about.
Best for:
- Everyone!
Not so good for:
- No one!
Get the look.
#7 Honey blonde
Golden honey goddess.
Honey blonde is a warm, light blonde with hints of gold. It’s not as light or cool as ash blonde, but not as deep and warm as almost-brunette caramel blonde.
It’s the perfect shade that’s in-between the two.
Honey blonde really suits people with warm natural coloring but that’s not to say cool tones can’t pull it off.
It’s a fabulous color to mix into brown balayage, ombre and highlights, so you’re bound to find a shade that suits you.
Champagne blonde, sandy blonde, buttery blonde and beige blonde colors are also cooler, creamier variations of golden honey blonde.
If you suit honey blonde, it’ll make your skin glow and your eyes pop. If you’re thinking of going blonde from dark hair, honey blonde is a great color for a smooth transition.
It’s a shade that glistens in the sun, gives off California vibes and looks awesome with beachy waves.
Best for:
- Warm undertones
- A light colored base
- Mixing with highlights, brown balayage or ombre
Not so good for:
- Cool toned and pale complexions
- Dark coloured bases will need gradually lightening
Get the look.
#8 Caramel blonde
Tasty toffee caramel colour.
Caramel is a creamy colored sensation. A dark blonde/light brown blend of sun-kissed tones that add dimension and depth to any look.
Caramel is a deeper, darker blonde than other warm blonde tones like honey, but not as light or cool as ash blonde.
Its toffee-colored hues are a great face-framing shade that makes green and blues eyes really pop. It’s also a great transitioning color to mix with other shades.
From dark brown caramel tones to golden brown, warm caramel and beige blonde, the range of caramel shades and hues work amazingly as a brown base for other on-trend styles like ombre, caramel balayage and caramel highlights.
It’s a warm, rich hue that can transition well with mocha brown or dark roots for a on-point, grown-out look.
Best for:
- Warm tones
- A light colored base
- Mixing with lighter blondes like honey or even ash blonde
- Or low lights like warm chocolate or espresso.
Not so good for:
- Cool toned although it can blend with cooler colors
Get the look.
#9 Lavender
Luscious pastel lavender.
Lavender is the edgier sister shade of pinker Lilac which is also one of the hot hair shades that are all the rage this year.
Pastel lavender is a super soft colour and the perfect blend of purple and blue shades which means it will suit any skin tone – cool or warm.
We love lavender for being such a versatile colour – it can be soft, it can be bright, it can be pastel, electric or neon.
And it looks completely fantastic with lavender ombre, balayage, hair streaks or highlights styles.
Lavender is also a great blending partner for all kinds of silver and blonde hair shades.
Lavender is typically used to colour-correct yellow and brassy tones, so you know with pastel lavender your lush look will always stay cool.
Best for:
- Warm or cool undertones
- If you’re cool – go for lavenders with a blue base
- If you’re warm – go for pinker bases and tones
Not so good for:
- Darker hair colours will need to be lightened to get the perfect purpley colour
Get the look.
#10 Ash brown
Cool brunette shades.
Ash brown hair is a cool blend of brown hair color and silver that creates a shimmering natural color and looks stunning on those with cool undertones.
But that’s not to say that warmer tones can’t get the look too. It’s a great base color to blend with other shades and keep you on-trend from season to season.
It’s is a soft, flattering color that is loved for being multi dimensional, low-maintenance and a perfect color partner for blonde balayage, brown balayage, ombre and highlights.
It gives the best results over pre-lightened, blonde or light brown hair to achieve the ashy brown effect. We love it on long hair but a lob or bob will rock this shade too.
It’s the most lusted after shade right now for a gorgeous, all-over natural hue.
Best for:
- Cool skin tones
- Works as a great base for highlights or balayage
- Warm it up by color melting with chocolate or caramel shades
Not so good for:
- Warm complexions and hair that naturally draws red
Get the look.
#11 Light Ash blonde
Light smoky blonde hues.
Light ash blonde hair color is the lightest of the ash blondes – a lustrous, smokey mix of silver and icy platinum blonde hues.
The cool blonde color of the season has multidimensional tones of blue, purple, silver and dirty blonde looks fab with these colors blended in it too.
Light ash blonde is different from platinum blonde because of it’s distinct gray-silver undertones.
Your hair will need to have an almost-white light base color to achieve this super cool blonde.
It also looks fantastic with dark roots for a grown-out effect and right now ash blonde highlights, ombre, balayage looks and money piece highlights are so on trend.
Best for:
- Cool tones
- The perfect highlighter shade for highlights and babylights
- Those with a super light base to begin with
Not so good for:
- Warm tones
- Darker hair
Get the look.
#12 Rose Gold
Golden rose glimmer.
Rose gold is part of the fabulous family of metallic hair colors like copper and silver that are filling our hearts and our homes (rose gold kitchen utensils anyone?) with their edgy fabulous vibes.
Rose gold is an ashier shade of pink than warmer tones such as strawberry blonde or copper, so it’s more suited to those who have slightly cooler undertones.
That doesn’t mean you can’t introduce some warmth to it too – it’s a hair color shade that both blondes and red heads love playing with for its multi-dimensional look.
Best for:
- Cooler tones
- Adding depth to red and auburn shades
- Bringing colour to blonde hues
Not so good for:
- Warmer undertones
Get the look.
#13 Copper
Metallic copper vibes.
Copper is one of this years most popular hues right now.
It’s a bold, fiery, statement color that gets you noticed and keeps you warm from season to season.
It’s a heady mix of golden, red and orange tones that magically combine to create a soft, subtle color with a pop of brightness.
Along with rich auburn and cool rose gold, it’s one of the most coveted hair shades this year.
Despite it’s metallic name, most natural redheads have copper tones in their hair rather than the red tones you’d expect.
Natural red hair looks more like a dark copper-blonde than an actual vibrant red. Those kinds of reds are thanks to the wonders of our best friends the box dyes.
Best for:
- Warmer skin tones
- Natural red heads
- Light eye colours like blue, green and hazel
- Works well with dark hair color bases
Not so good for:
- Cooler skin tones
Get the look.
#14 Burgundy
Dark purple richness.
Part of the purple hair family, burgundy hair color is a rich, deep purple color with undertones of brown and red.
It’s also known as wine, aubergine, deep cherry red, cherry brown, dark violet, plum, maroon and blackberry.
It’s an awesome shade for fall or the winter months. And it’s especially loved for being multidimensional and making blue and green eyes really pop.
It’s also fabulous mixed with other shades like black, dark brown, pink and even blue to create balayage, ombre or highlights effects.
Burgundy hair color is a really easy color to dye your hair at home. There are loads of burgundy box dyes to achieve the right color for you.
Be careful to match the color your hair is now to the side of the box.
Best for:
- Warm or cool skin tones
- Warm tones go for a red base
- Cool tones select blue-based hair dyes
Not so good for:
- Good for everyone!
Get the look.
#15 Chestnut Brown
Nutty but nice brunette hair hues.
Chestnut brown hair is a warm brunette with undertones of red and is a perfect blend of copper and chocolate.
It’s best suited to those with warm skin tones but it can be cooled by mixing with ashy browns, hazelnuts and bronze blondes too.
The low maintenance, multidimensional look is here to stay and is a great base for other gorgeous color trends – like blonde Balayage, blonde highlights, caramel highlights and blonde ombré.
It’s easy to do a chestnut brown dye job! But the color you’ll achieve depends on the shade your hair is now.
If your hair is particularly dark or black, you’ll need to pre-lighten your hair with bleach to get the right base for chestnut hair.
Best for:
- Warm skin tones
- Adding richness to brunette bases
- Blending with warm blonde shades like honey for balayage highlights and ombre styles
Not so good for:
- Cool skin tones or ash blonde base colours
Get the look.
#16 Jet black
Deep and mysterious deep color.
Jet black hair is a powerful, show-stopping statement and one you need to be sure about.
Once this is on your hair, it can be really hard to get rid of, so you need to be ready for long-term commitment.
This elegant hue suits a variety of skin tones and hair types. And thanks to multidimensional depth and tone, jet black hair makes everyone’s hair appear thicker and healthier.
Whatever your style, black goes with everything so there’s bound to be a shade for you.
Black is an easy one to do yourself at home but you might need a couple of boxes to get really good coverage – especially if your base shade is light.
Best for:
- Everyone!
- Commitment – it’s really hard to get rid of.
- Solid colour and all over coverage for gray hair
Not so good for:
- People who like to change their hair colour often!
Get the look.
#17 Ice blonde
Icy white coolness.
Ice blonde hair color is an almost-white, super platinum blonde with ashy silver undertones.
We love it because it goes with any style and mood and is the perfect hue to mix with silver, pink and purple pastels or balayage, ombre and highlighted.
Getting the ice blonde hair at home look means using hair bleach which damages your strands and can lead to haystack hair!
So you need to look after it before, during and after with tons and tons of love and good conditioners.
Ice blonde hair colors are not for everyone. It can wash out your skin tone and make you look ashen if it’s not right for you.
Cool tones will suit it best and those with naturally lighter hair are more likely to carry it off.
Best for:
- Cool undertones
- Healthy hair that can withstand processing
- Hiding gray hair roots
- All-over coverage or highlights
Not so good for:
- People with dark hair bases as it will take a lot of bleaching
- Already dry, damaged or brittle hair
- Warm undertones
Get the look.
#18 Dark Auburn
Dark red-orange depth and tone.
Dark auburn is a rich color from the red hair family and is a luxurious red-orange hue with brown and red undertones.
It’s fab because it’s a more natural looking, flattering shade that suits pretty much everyone.
The red gradient can be anything from a medium to a dark auburn red, with chestnut hair, copper, blonde and strawberry hues thrown into the mix.
So warm or cool, you’re likely to find a few different shades to suit you.
Best of all, it’s a multidimensional color that’s always on trend because it’s so versatile.
It looks amazing as an eye-catching base for color blended styles like caramel balayage and caramel highlights and mixed with a darker shade for ombre and lowlights.
Best for:
- Mostly those with warm undertones
- Dark bases
- Color melting with browns and rich reds for ombre or balayage highlights styles
Not so good for:
- People with cool complexions although you can cool it down with purple shades
Get the look.
#19 Cinnamon
Toasted spicy cinnamon
Cinnamon hair color is a reddish brown shade that is perfect for those with warm complexions.
If you are looking to add a little spice to your look, this is the perfect hair color for you!
To successfully dye your hair cinnamon, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First, this is a warm shade. If your skin is cool or neutral, you may want to consider a different hair color.
Second, cinnamon hair color is a very natural shade, so it will require regular touch-ups to maintain its brightness.
If you are not willing to put in the work, this may not be the right hair color for you.
Finally, cinnamon hair color is very versatile.
It can be styled in a variety of ways, so you can really let your personality shine through.
Best for:
- Warm undertones
- Brunette bases
- Color melts or classic all-over jobs
Not so good for:
- People with cool undertones although you can cool it down with ashy shades of brown or blonde
Get the look
#20 Black cherry
Rich and juicy tones.
It is a deep brown shade with reddish undertones, and it will complement those with cool complexions.
Black cherry hair color is also very low maintenance, it grows out well without any harsh lines or color banding and the color fades to a reddish purple hue.
It also looks amazing with lowlights in shades of deep black and brown colors.
Or mix it up with bright red cherry for a color melt effect.
Best for:
- Dark hair colors
- Blending with other red shades
- Long lasting color
Not so good for:
- Warm undertones
- Blonde hair colors
Get the look
Should I dye my hair at home?
We always recommend seeing a hair professional or hair colorist at your local hair salon who can determine what shades are right for you.
Especially if you’re going for something that needs stripping, bleaching, highlights, or any other effect that is best done by an expert.
They can assess the things that make a difference to your color – like your hair condition, porosity and texture as well as your natural coloring and base.
They’ll also have their finger on the pulse of the latest on-trend hues.
We also know that there are times when you might not have the time, or the money and you just want to have a go at revamping your hair yourself.
We’ve been there!
Just follow our expert advice for the best box dye you can buy for the color you want to be.
What is the most popular hair color?
Black is the most popular hair color in the world with an amazing 80% of people having dyed, natural or very dark brown-black hair color!
What hair color is right for me?
Working out which of the latest hair trends will suit you involves more than knowing what colors are hot this year.
Your ideal hair color can depend on your skin tone, pigment, the condition of your hair and even how brave you are!
Luckily we have a quiz for that! Take our quiz to find out the type of shades that will suit you!
What hair color suits me?
What are the types of hair color?
The types of hair colors can vary from different shades and tones of blonde, red and brunettes and the other type is black.
The hair color wheel can also help you choose the type of color that will suit you depending on your undertones and natural coloring.
Do I have warm or cool undertones?
Knowing if your undertones are warm or cool will also help you pick the right hue for you.
Use our handy checklist below to find out your undertones below!
If you have cool undertones:
- Your skin tone is pink or pale.
- You blush easily!
- Jewel and pastel colors are so your thing.
- The color yellow washes you out and does not look good on you.
- You have blue not green veins in your wrist.
- Pearls and silver jewellery look awesome on you.
If you have warm undertones:
- You have red or golden tones in your natural hair.
- Your complexion is golden, tan or olive.
- You might have freckles.
- You have green not blue veins in your wrist.
- You suit bright or rich shades better.
- Gold jewellery looks awesome on you.
What color hair makes you look younger?
The key to choosing a hair color that makes you look younger is getting the right shade, one that compliments your skin tone and eye colour.
It’s crucial for these colors to be slightly lighter or darker than your own natural shade. Choosing the most suitable hue means you’ll look younger instantly!
For cool undertones:
If you have cool undertones (blues, purples and pinks) we recommend trying a lighter shade of blonde or pink – but not too light! – to bring your skin tone forward.
Lighter shades can create an air of sophistication and elegance, so try making it just a few shades lighter than your natural color for the best effect.
For warm undertones:
Choosing warmer colors such as mahogany reds or golden blonde tones will complement your skin’s rosy glow and give you a youthful appearance.
Warm tones are never out of fashion, so go ahead and try some subtle face framing highlights if you’re feeling brave enough!
Keep life colourful!
So those are the top trending hair colors for 2023 that you can realistically achieve at home with pretty fabulous results.
You’ll be on-trend, on point and rocking the latest fashion for your head.
Don’t be afraid to play around with hair styles and try various hues and tones, there are variations in the mix.
Eventually, you’ll find what shades will work for you.
And don’t forget to heed the advice in our How to look after your coloured hair and keep it looking luscious for longer to maintain the best results!
