If there's one thing my mom is going to do in the name of beauty, it's keep up with her hair color appointments. It must run in the family because even my grandma dyed her hair every few weeks until she was 80 years old. Now this may come as a bit of a shocker, but I—a beauty editor—have never, ever colored mine. But all of that might change this month. These fall 2025 hair color trends seriously have me rethinking things.
Fall is typically the time of year when all of the classic brunettes come out to play, but this year is heavy on the transitional hues like "bronde" that create a soft difference. Many of fall's biggest color trends are perfect for anyone who wants to dip their toes into a new shade without going too extreme. Think of strawberry blonde and warm beige brunette as examples.
This is even true of the various shades of red. Red wine supernova, a more polarizing take on red hair, reigned supreme earlier in the year, but natural hues like auburn are back with a vengeance. "You’ll definitely need to chat with your stylist to find a version that’s most flattering on your unique skin tone and undertones, as not all reds work well on everyone," explains Temur Hamilton, premier hair colorist and stylist, owner of TEMUR.
As someone who hasn't dyed their hair before, it's high key very comforting to know that easing into a new color is wildly on trend. While these comforting fall hair color trends might just get me to make that salon appointment, scroll through for yourself to find the perfect fall hair color inspo.
Honey Butter Blonde
Blonde isn't a hair color exclusive to warmer months. In fact, several variations on the hue are coming in strong for fall. "Honey butter blonde is gaining popularity as clients shift away from the cooler, icy blondes that dominated the last few seasons," says Sean Michael, hairstylist and owner of Salon Beau. Honey butter blonde is a blend of soft golden and buttery tones, creating a more natural-looking blonde that Michael explains is flattering and easier to maintain. "It tends to work well on fair to medium skin tones with warm or neutral undertones, and it’s a great option for blondes looking to add dimension and warmth for fall without going too dark," he adds.
Caramel-Coated Highlights
While brunette shades might seem like a no-brainer for fall hair colors, they aren't all created equally. The addition of caramel highlights easily transforms a more basic brunette color. "Caramel highlights add richness and depth to brunette hair," says Hamilton. "These shades mimic the full hues and warm tones that we associate with fall, deep brown, and lighter golden-brown. It’s a great way to transition into the season, and I love this look on natural brunettes."
Natural Gray Roots
Sarah Jessica Parker on Bravo
The series finale of And Just Like That might not have been what fans were expecting, but Carrie Bradshaw is still a trendsetter. According to Monique McMahon, global pro ambassador at Christophe Robin, gray blending is huge right now thanks to Sarah Jessica Parker's iconic character. "I love blended grey for my clients as it incorporates a touch of color with their natural gray as it grows out," she says. "Think soft foils to add glimmering lights and shadows to blend the grays rather than covering them. I’m here for this one, and my clients love it."
Warm Beige Brunette
"Warm beige brunette is characterized as a softer brunette with all the richness and none of the heaviness that can sometimes be associated with a classic brunette shade. Michael explains that "the beige undertones keep it from pulling too red or too cool, allowing the highlights to melt into the base tone for a smooth, cohesive look." He notes that this color is perfect for anyone who wants a subtle color change, blondes who are looking to go a bit darker, and brunettes wanting a refresh. "The tone adds depth and shine, while keeping the overall look soft and low maintenance."
Dark Honey
Dark honey is the color of choice for any of the blondes who want to explore the dark side without committing to going full on brunette. "This classic hair color embraces deeper, warmer blonde tones, for an overall darker look without going full brunette," says Hamilton. "It’s a recurring trend every fall because it’s beautiful, natural, and easy to maintain."
Rich Auburn
Emma Stone attends the Los Angeles Premiere of A24's "Eddington" at DGA Theater Complex.
Winter saw an influx of red wine supernova hair à la Chappell Roan. However, fall is going more natural when exploring red hair color. "Red hues are always popular in the fall, and for my clients who want to incorporate red into their hair, I like to keep things sophisticated and classic with rich auburn," says Hamilton. "This look is definitely red, but unlike some of the super bright colors that have been trending recently (like “Cherry Cola” and “Cowboy Copper”) this one feels natural and timeless."
Burnt Caramel Balayage
Another way to incorporate caramel for fall is with a burnt caramel balayage look. This color is "all about layering warm caramel tones through a brunette base to create richness and depth without lifting the hair too light," says Michael. "It’s a great option for clients who want to brighten their color for fall without committing to blonde. It works especially well on medium to deep skin tones and pairs beautifully with textured or layered cuts, where the color placement enhances movement."
Strawberry Copper
Another highly wearable red is strawberry copper. This softer hue is dominating this year and is still standing strong for fall. "It blends golden and peach undertones into a copper base, making it lighter and less intense than a traditional red," says Michael. "This shade is especially flattering on fair to light-medium skin tones with warm or pink undertones, and it’s a great transitional color for blondes looking to explore red without going fully vibrant or deep."
Golden Chestnut Chocolate
Golden Chestnut Chocolate is the color to look out for. "Its luxe finish has everyone wanting this tone for fall," says McMahon. "It’s the next big thing for brunettes." She explains that many look for softer hues once fall rolls around that this specific color checks off all the right boxes. "Alluring, this hue has a deep chocolate base and shimmers of light golden chestnut. Golden chestnut chocolate is perfect for the green or brown eyed girls, and when our skin is a little paler than during the summer months and needs that extra glimmer to bring it to life."
Rory Gilmore Brunette
Alexis Bledel during 2003 Teen Choice Awards
There is nothing more quintessentially fall than a Gilmore Girls moment. So when it comes to hair color, Rory Gilmore brunette is that vibe. "Rory Gilmore brunette is a soft, rich and dimensional medium brown," says Hamilton. "Gilmore Girls is often associated with autumn, so this is the perfect season to try out Rory’s very wearable, versatile shade. It looks great on almost everyone, and your colorist should be able to create a version of this style that best complements your skin tone and features."
Bronde
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley attends the 2025 Kering Women In Motion Awards
Bronde is the gift that keeps on giving, and it shows absolutely zero signs of going away any time soon. "We are seeing some larger, chunkier-style foils of blonde throughout the top and around the face," says McMahon. "It’s that perfectly effortless blonde tone that just about anyone can wear. Being the perfect balance of blonde and brown, it’s an easy low maintenance color that suits most skin tones and eye colors. Those chunky, blonde 90s foils are back, and looking so sophisticated when mixed with bronde."
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Meet the Experts
With a passion for hairstyling, TEMUR, owner of TEMUR Salon, carved out a space in the highly competitive world of beauty, devoting the last 14 years to perfecting his craft. He's worked closely with legendary stylist Sally Hershberger, refining his skills under her expert guidance and has collaborated with some of New York’s leading hair colorists to expand his expertise and artistry.
Sean is known for his lived-in color, seamless extensions, and signature cuts that transform fine hair with natural-looking dimension and movement. He’s a trusted trend spotter and mentor to other stylists: hosting top educators and celebrity stylists for sold-out workshops at Salon Beau and teaching countless stylists himself, both in person and on stage at major industry events. Salon Beau is a multi-year Best of the North Shore and Best of Boston winner. His work has earned more than 30 BTC OneShot Award nominations, and he’s been named a Modern Salon Top 100 Colorist and Beauty Launchpad Top 30 Under 30 — accolades that speak to his influence on what’s next in hair.
International color educator and founder of top Sydney salon, Que Colour, Monique boasts a highly celebrated career that spans three incredible decades. A Wella Professional Ambassador, Digital Creator and Dyson Ambassador, Monique’s innate ability to both lead and create, along with her signature enthusiasm and professionalism, make her a colorist like no other. Monique has earned a reputation as one of Australia’s most intuitive and skilled artists and is a master at hair transformations. Her approach to color is deeply personal yet highly technical, an expert in traditional French hand painting and combines creative placement to achieve the perfect natural-looking hair color on all hair types.
