Warm tones, coppers and deep auburn shades. After a summer of bright tones and sun-kissed color, clients are pulling away from that summer palette, shifting into fall. Fall is the time when clients come in looking for a rich and dimensional look.
Google searches for brunette hair color increased 30% compared to this time last year. So what fall colors and styles are clients asking for this season? Top salon professionals give full breakdowns, formulations and key tips and tricks for the next color client who sits in your chair.
Sharon Spellman x Matrix Fall Color Breakdown
(Lowkey Spellbound Collection)
- Myrtic Brunette: A velvety mahogany brunette with soft violet undertones for a glossy, dimensional finish.
Courtesy of Matrix
Formula:
- Filler: Super Sync 6G + 8G + 8CG + Clear + 10 Vol.
- Highlights: BlondeMax 9+ + 10 Vol.
- Between Foils: Super Sync 5M + 6G + 6P + 10 Vol.
- All-Over: Super Sync 8VG + 10 Vol
2. Copper Charm: A vibrant copper softened with shimmering amber for a naturally fiery glow.
Courtesy of Matrix
Formula:
- Lighten: BlondeMax 9+ + 20 Vol.
- Base: SoColor 5CG + 7CG + 20 Vol.
- Midlengths – Ends: SoColor 7CG + 7CC + 20 Vol.
- All-Over: Super Sync 8CG + 10G + 10 Vol.
3. Gilded Blonde: A radiant golden blonde with honey highlights for luminous, sun-kissed dimension.
Courtesy of Matrix
Formula:
- Lighten: BlondeMax 9+ + 20 Vol.
- Base: SoColor 5CG + 7CG + 20 Vol.
- Midlengths – Ends: SoColor 7CG + 7CC + 20 Vol.
- All-Over: Super Sync 8CG + 10G + 10 Vol.
Before taking a client from a light summer blonde into a deep fall shade, Sharon Spellman shares questions she keeps in mind when providing a client with a color transformation with the collection.
“The biggest thing for me is not looking at it as simply “going darker.” You have to look at what summer actually did to the hair first. How light are the ends? How porous are they? How much warmth is missing? And, most importantly, how much of that brightness does the client actually want to give up?,” says Spellman.
If a client has been heavily highlighted all summer, she is mindful about putting a deep formula all over. While paying attention to where the client is starting, Spellman makes the primary focus to replace some of the underlying pigment so the color doesn’t result in a hollow or muddy look.
“I also love preserving pieces of their summer color instead of covering everything. Maybe I keep some brightness around the face or a little lightness through the ends and create depth behind it. That little bit of contrast is what makes the darker color feel dimensional instead of heavy,” she adds.
Sierra Adam x Danger Jones Fall Color Breakdown:
Clients often come in wanting a look that requires customization. Customizing hair color gives the stylist more control to layer and create more dimension.
Sierra Adam, Lead Education Ambassador for Danger Jones, talks techniques to customize color and recreate three of the season’s standout color trend looks behind the chair.
- Burnished Brunette: A rich brunette infused with warm copper, cinnamon and amber tones, Burnished Brunette sits somewhere between brunette and red. This color offers just enough warmth to make the hair look rich, shiny and dimensional.
Courtesy of Danger Jones
Formula: 6-34 + 33 + 7-4 with Epilogue
“Danger Jones allows me to customize the warmth based on the individual client rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all brunette formula,” says Adam.
Burnished Brunette is for brunettes who want a change without going too dark; it also works for blondes wanting a bigger fall transformation. When educating clients on at-home maintenance, Adam recommends using a color-safe shampoo and conditioner, washing in cooler water and always using heat protection. A gloss between appointments helps keep the warmth rich and the hair shiny.
2. Mulled Wine: For clients looking to embrace a deeper red color, Mulled Wine combines a brunette base with burgundy and warm red tones for a rich, dimensional result.
Courtesy of Danger Jones
Formula: 6-46 + 7-4 + a small amount of 6-52 with Epilogue
Adam recommends customizing the red based on the client’s starting level and desired intensity, making the shade adaptable across a range of brunette bases.
“Fall is when clients start wanting deeper, warmer colors. This is great for brunettes who want a big change without going lighter. I wouldn’t recommend it for someone planning to go blonde soon because red can be difficult to remove.”
For at-home maintenance, recommend clients wash less often, use cooler water, use color-safe products and schedule a gloss between appointments to keep the red rich and shiny.
Tracey Cunningham x Schwarzkopf Professional U.S. Fall Color Breakdown (Celeb Edition)
Another element of this season is beautiful color that also offers softness, shine and a really healthy-looking finish. In this department, Tracey Cunningham, Schwarzkopf Professional U.S. Creative Director of Color & Technique, has her eye on the “Vanilla Taupe” she recently created for Madelyn Cline.
Formulation:
- Lightener: BlondMe Premium Lightener 9+ + Olaplex No.1
- Root: Rooted with Igora Vibrance
- Hairline: Vibrance 10-51 + 6vol lotion
- Gloss: Vibrance 8-0 + 8-1 + 6vol,
Product Tips: With Schwarzkopf Professional’s IGORA VIBRANCE, professionals can customize tonal nuances and create a seamless, glossy finish. The product is infused with vitamins B3 and B5 that shield the hair and lock in hydration for a vibrant shine.
“It's a beautiful balance of taupe, soft beige and creamy blonde shades. I wanted to keep her blonde bright and luminous but give it a little more sophistication for the season…The Vanilla Taupe shade is a great option for blondes who want something a little softer for fall without giving up their brightness," says Cunningham.
Dana Rollo x ACTIIV Hair Science Fall Hair Color Integrity Insight
Preserving clients' hair health and preventing warmer fall shades from becoming dull or overly brassy is the next and almost the most important step in a fall color transformation.
ACTIIV Hair Science Head of Education and Hair, Stylist/Colorist Dana Rollo unpacks what professionals can keep in mind during their color appointments:
Courtesy of ACTIIV
“First, we need to remember that warmth and brassiness aren’t the same thing, so always check if the warmth you see is intentional or if it needs to be adjusted. Warmth can be beautiful and intentional. Brassiness is usually the warmth we didn’t plan for, or warmth that’s become too dominant as the color fades,” says Rollo
Rollo explains that when creating a warm-toned result for a client, professionals need to make sure to mix in a neutral or cool tone to keep the warmth balanced. It's also important to know what level of lift you are working with, so that you can formulate accordingly. “If we only use a warm tone, we can lose some of that beautiful dimension we’re trying to create, because it will dominate and take over visually. Incorporating a neutral tone into our formula and controlling the underlying pigment makes a huge difference,” explains Rollo.
Beyond results, hair condition plays a big role as well. Rollo breaks down why damaged or porous hair needs a gentler approach to coloring. “Porous hair doesn’t always accept or hold color evenly, so protecting the integrity of the hair throughout the coloring process is just as important as choosing the right formula. ACTIIV's INTEGRITYrx system helps us to keep hair healthy by protecting and stabilizing bonds during a service and it gets to work repairing damaged hair at the same time,” says Rollo
“Since the right formula and color choices depend on how well clients care for their hair, having a conversation about maintenance with each client that sits in our chair can be the difference between a successful appointment and an unsuccessful one. Clients should understand going into an appointment that even a beautiful, rich brunette or copper requires some upkeep,” she adds.
Janell Stephens x Camille Rose Color After Care Insight
A chief complaint from clients after a color service is dry-feeling hair and lack of moisture. This is where keeping your client educated on proper hydration and protective habits to preserve moisture comes into play. Janell Stephens, Trichologist and CEO and Founder of Camille Rose, weighs in on how professionals can effectively educate clients to combat these complaints.
“Maintaining moisture after color services requires a consistent regimen that supports the hair’s hydration, softness and strength. Color treatments can alter the hair’s cuticle and increase porosity, making it more difficult for the hair to retain moisture.”
A key element of the Camille Rose brand emphasizes nourishing the hair with ingredients that help improve softness, manageability and the overall appearance of healthy curls. Professionals can assist clients in achieving this with essential post-color regimen steps.
- Deep condition consistently.
- Deep conditioning helps nourish, soften and condition the hair and is especially important for color-treated curls that feel dry or lack elasticity
- Stephen’s recommendation: Camille Rose Algae Renew Deep Conditioner
- Cleanse without neglecting moisture.
- Encourage clients to use a consistent cleansing and conditioning routine that leaves the hair feeling clean, soft and manageable.
- Protect against heat styling.
- Helps protect hair during heat styling and reduce the additional stress that can contribute to dryness and breakage.
- Stephen's recommendation: Camille Rose Temp Tamer
- Maintain moisture between salon visits.
- Educate clients on the importance of regular conditioning, gentle detangling and limiting excessive heat. For curly and textured hair, maintaining moisture is essential to helping curls retain softness, definition and flexibility.
As a professional, it’s important to stay on top of the trends, especially when seasons change and clients' mood boards shift. But bringing your client's desired look to life is just one element. Keeping their hair health top of mind, educating them on at-home maintenance and staying up to date between appointments goes a long way in building yourself as a stylist with great technique but also a trusted one.
