2025's Top Hair Color Trends Revisit The Classics

On a warm spring day in Berlin, I walked into the industrial Motorwerk venue to experience what is essentially the Coachella of hair. I was immediately immersed in the beauty category: There were bond-repair product demos being done on extensions, mini vanity stations where you could zhuzh your strands, and multiple stages on which pro colorists were doing everything from speaking on panels to showcasing their hair dyeing/cutting/styling skills.

I was in Germany to attend the first-ever Hair by Schwarzkopf Festival, during which experts and Schwarzkopf brand ambassadors showcased their artistry as well as offered education via hands-on workshops and interview sessions. Over 600 people — mainly industry pros, artists, media, and creators — from 45 different countries around the globe flew in for the two-day affair.

The 48 hours were a whirlwind. Between witnessing multiple hair runway shows and live haircutting demonstrations, I had the opportunity to sit down with three of the most renowned celebrity colorists in the industry: Tracey Cunningham, Chris Appleton, and Jacob Schwartz. The Schwarzkopf ambassadors each give me their predictions for the year’s hottest hair color trends.

Given that the three of them are responsible for practically every A-lister and it girl’s dye jobs — including Michelle Monaghan’s White Lotus blonde (Cunningham), Kim Kardashian’s (multiple) platinum transformations (Appleton), and Bella Hadid’s recent “supermodel blonde” (Schwartz) — you can count on their color forecast as bible.

1. ’90s Red

Redheads have been running Hollywood ever since Kendall Jenner dyed her hair copper and countless stars followed suit. The next hot shade? “’90s red,” says Schwartz.

“It’s the color that everyone had in the ’90s, like Linda Evangelista,” he tells Bustle. “They had this bright, fiery red hair, and I think we’ll see it again. It’s almost like Chappell Roan’s hair, but a little bit more vibrant.”

2. “Old Money” Brunette

If you have brown hair (or plan on joining the club), the key is to go with a hue that evokes being rich and, say, having a trust fund. “It’s very natural, very understated,” says Schwartz of the trend. “It’s timeless — that’s how I see it. When you think of old money, you think of someone who’s been rich their whole life, and they just have their look. They’re not going to get bold highlights.” Rather, it’s a perfect dimensional brunette that doesn’t look like it comes from spending hours in the salon chair.

3. Refined Blonde

In a similar vein, blondes are going in a more demure direction. “For a while, ombré was such a thing, with super blonde ends,” says Schwartz. “Now, there will be less balayage, and just a more refined, glossy, classic, ‘does she color her hair or does she not’ kind of blonde.” He points to Margot Robbie (one of his clients) as a prime example, as her strands aren’t dramatically bleached.

4. “Butter Biscuit” Blonde

Warm, cozy blondes are also having a moment, according to Appleton, who refers to the “butter biscuit” shade he recently did on Nicole Kidman as a reference. “It’s a combination of gold and cool, and it’s creamy,” he tells Bustle. “A lot of people are afraid of warm, because when they think of warm, they think yellow — and that’s the kind of thing you don’t want when you bleach your hair. But technology’s evolved and we have so many different tones and shades, and I think creating these really buttery, creamy blondes is really fresh.”

5. Macchiato Brown

Another warm, multidimensional option in the brunette realm is “macchiato brown,” says Appleton, who styled Khloé Kardashian’s hair when it was that shade (a stunning dye job courtesy of Cunningham). “It’s like a rich kind of toffee brown that has low lights and highlights of a brunette. It’s a really nice combination with complementary tones.”

6. Dark Brunette

Overall, Cunningham is seeing blondes going blonder — and brunettes going even darker. “People are really punching up their color, and the brunettes are going for darker shades,” she says. “Margaret Qualley, Riley Keough, and Lana Del Rey are all examples of this.”

7. Classic Colors

For so long, a different hair highlighting method would trend each season. Strands were not uniform; they were multifaceted, showing off an array of hues. But that era is over. “We will see more overall colors — not totally solid, but not as highlighted looking,” says Schwartz. “That’s something I’m seeing a lot of people want. They just want a classic, effortless look.”