If Jon Snow was — is? — the guardian of the North this winter, then consider us the guardians of your hair color. Okay fine, we admit we're a little late with our TV references, but hey, we've been busy. Specifically, tracking all the gorgeous hair looks walking out of L.A.'s top salons just in time for autumn. What's new in L.A. hair-color trends? Get ready, because this fall is all about tone.
While the top seasonal trends tend to be heavily reliant upon technique — sombré to single process, babylights to balayage —this fall is all about finding a modern, well-blended tone. Think: golden, strawberry blond with just enough cool-girl grit; perfectly-rooted, golden highlights that look like the result of a summer in Venice Beach; and smooth blends of warm espresso spiked with rich caramel just at the ends.
Inspiring? Surely. But the best part: Most of these L.A. color trends (with the exception of the platinum epidemic) are very easy to copy without making a huge change.
Now all you have left to do is finalize your fall cut — tip: always get your chop before color for the best results — then click ahead to find the color that's right for you.
This story was originally published on September 15, 2016.
Trend: Copper
Colorist:KC Carhart
Salon: Mèche
What To Ask For: A coppery red with dimension, plus bright-red and orange undertones
Carhart describes this color as an "intense, bold red." And while it may look seamless in execution, it takes some careful blending and just the right tonal variation to make it cool, bright, and modern.
And roots are key. "Depending on the natural hair color, if the roots are kept slightly darker and more natural, the grow-out can actually be tolerable," Carhart notes. Translation: Go easy on the roots, or have your colorist match your roots to your natural shade. As you'd expect, you'll need to switch to sulfate-free shampoos to prevent fading — a curse among unnatural redheads.
Upkeep: "To keep it looking vibrant, glosses should be done every three or so weeks," Carhart says. The right color-depositing products help, too. "Davines Alchemic Conditioner in Copper is a must-have for any coppery redhead client," she notes.
Photo: Courtesy of KC Carhart.
Colorist:Tabitha Dueñas
Salon:Nine Zero One
What To Ask For: An all-over, brown-copper base with lighter, balayaged ends
"This one is simple and should be tailored to your natural color to help the grow-out process be smoother," Dueñas says. "Ask your colorist for an all-over base color with balayage" in a "light, coppery brown with golden tips."
Then, it's time to baby your hair. "Red tones are the fastest to fade off the hair, so I recommend a sulfate-free shampoo and a copper-depositing conditioner to replenish tone," Dueñas says.
Upkeep: "Expect a salon visit for a touch-up every four to six weeks," she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Tabitha Dueñas.
Colorist:Sarah Conner
Salon: Mèche
What To Ask For: A copper, strawberry-blonde with dimension
Copper-based shades can be soft, too. Take this version from Mèche's Sarah Conner. "This is a coppery, strawberry-blond — but think a '90s strawberry blond with a bit of grit," she says. It should be lighter at the ends, dimensional, and rooted.
"Color-safe and sulfate-free shampoos and rich conditioners will help the color retain its tone for longer," she says, and "avoid washing daily, as it will cause the color to fade faster."
Upkeep: "Once the color is achieved, upkeep consists of monthly base-color retouch appointments, followed by a color gloss," she says. Tip for your colorist: "I prefer to use Redken Shades EQ for this step," she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Conner.
Trend: Platinum
Colorist:Cassondra Kaeding
Salon:Sally Hershberger
What To Ask For: Icy, white blond with zero ash
Kaeding knows a thing or two about blond — and she calls this icy tone "intense platinum." The secret to getting the enviable look from your colorist? No ashy undertones allowed.
Once you achieve your dream color, heed all the rules you've heard in the past to keep it looking fresh and healthy — no chlorine, get a water filter, treat it like a small child — and pick up a treatment, too. "I love using the L'anza Trauma Treatment," she says. "It's a deep-conditioning product that is used for damaged and dehydrated hair. And, in this case, it conditions over-processed hair and helps deposit all the essential ingredients your hair needs to recover and rebuild."
Upkeep: " It all depends on how fast your hair grows, but the average is a root touch-up every three to four weeks," Kaeding says. And no, this isn't really negotiable. "Try not to let it grow in too much because you risk getting bands of varying blond colors," she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Cassondra Kaeding.
Colorist:Tabitha Dueñas
Salon:Nine Zero One
What To Ask For: A classic bleach-and-tone
"This is a solid color that is evenly bright from root to tip," Dueñas says. Ask for a bleach-and-tone, or a double process (different names, same idea) she says, and make sure you discuss tone going in. (Pictures help — so bring one in!)
To help make the process less damaging, Dueñas suggests working with a colorist that uses Olaplex in the formula, and picking up a "violet-toned shampoo to control unwanted brass."
Upkeep: Prepare to be in the salon every month: "This should be retouched every four weeks," she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Tabitha Dueñas.
Colorist:Emily Neri
Salon:Spoke & Weal
What To Ask For: All-over champagne blond
Bright blond comes in many shades, including this slightly-warmer version of platinum from Spoke & Weal colorist Emily Neri. To score the look, ask for "all-over, solid, champagne blonde," she says. Getting there requires a bleach job, first — unless your hair is naturally very light — then hair is processed to the bubbly-inspired hue.
To protect against excess damage and fading, baby your hair just like you would after a bleach-and-tone and "always use heat protectants in abundance before thermal styling," Neri stresses.
Upkeep: Tone aside, a double process (even to champagne) needs to be retouched every four weeks, Neri says, "but only tone if needed."
Photo: Courtesy of Emily Neri.
Trend: Bright Bronze
Colorist:Dawn Tracey
Salon: Mèche
What To Ask For: A warm, brown base with sun-kissed caramel ends
"I would describe the color as a rich brown with a little bronze glitter thrown in," Tracey says. "A lot of brunettes don't want 'highlights' because they think of chunky stripes that start at the root. But this is merely to accentuate their cut and style. Generally this process is a base color, then I balayage the ends."
And when it comes to caring for the look? "I always recommend my clients add a color conditioner from Fabuloso into their hair care routine," she says. "We specifically mix it for them at Mèche because it helps brunettes maintain an overall rich hue and prevents them from going brassy. I also love Inphenom conditioner."
Upkeep: " The maintenance is very low key," Tracey says."The highlights should be retouched every four to six months," but even if you miss an appointment, it won't be noticeable. Those who wish to cover grays should plan on touch-ups every four to six weeks. Toning is also helpful between appointments to brighten everything up, if needed.
Photo: Courtesy of Dawn Tracey.
Colorist:Dawn Tracey
Salon: Mèche
What To Ask For: A dark-brown base with sun-kissed caramel ends
This is almost the exact same look as the previous slide, with one tweak: the tone. Instead of adding warmth throughout, Tracey kept this shade cool by opting for a deep, espresso base and higher-contrast ends. "There is no visual starting point for the highlights, but the ends just pop!" she says. Ask for seamless highlights that get lighter as they approach the tips of hair.
Upkeep: See previous slide.
Photo: Courtesy of Dawn Tracey.
Colorist:Kari Hill
Salon: Mèche
What To Ask For: Bronde sombré
"This marriage of two hues is often called bronde," Hill notes, "because it's not quite blond, and not quite brunette." Ask for a soft ombré technique, or sombré, with a warm, brown base (or just keep the roots natural) and lighter, golden ends. "It's a chic and current look, and can go from urban to sun-kissed and beachy, depending on your taste, schedule, and pocketbook," Hill says. Translation: It will grow out through a few stages, all of which are equally cool.
To keep it bright, opt for Hill's go-to: L'Oréal's Color Vibrancy line (she is a spokesperson for the brand). "It has what I feel is essential, SPF, to protect your color from the elements, which can cause fading," she says.
Upkeep: "The upkeep of this technique is a blessing in disguise," Hill says. "You can do basic, bimonthly touch-ups, or simply grow it completely out."
Photo: Courtesy of Kari Hill.
Trend: Gold
Colorist:Cassondra Kaeding
Salon:Sally Hershberger
What To Ask For: Rooted, all-over golden-blond
"This is a style for someone who wants a rootier look," Kaeding says. "It’s great for people who want less maintenance, or for those who travel often, because the upkeep isn’t as intense as [some blond looks]."
Ask for all-over blond color — this can be done with foil highlights or a bleach-and-tone, depending on the look you're going for — then have the colorist shadow the root with toner. "Think of this as a modern take on sombré," Kaeding says.
Upkeep: "It all depends on your hair growth," Kaeding explains. "However, since this look doesn’t require you to bleach the root, it grows in very naturally and allows for more time to pass between salon visits."
Photo: Courtesy of Cassondra Kaeding.
Colorist:Tabitha Dueñas
Salon:Nine Zero One
What To Ask For: A light-brown base with bright, tapered highlights
Tapered highlights sound complicated, but the process is actually really simple; the colorist should keep them narrow at the top and wider through ends for a post-summer look, Dueñas says.
To keep things from looking drab, stick to color-safe products and opt for in-salon glosses. And don't forget the treatments. "Use a deep conditioner to moisturize your tips, which will help your color shine," she says.
Upkeep: " Upkeep is the lowest maintenance, as the root blends into the existing color," she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Tabitha Dueñas.
Colorist:Chris Greene
Salon: Mèche
What To Ask For: Rooted, golden highlights
For a similar look to the previous slide, but with less commitment, ask your colorist for "soft highlights that are rooted to give a more natural look," Greene says.
Nailing the hue is also paramount: "The color is warm, golden-blond with a deeper, dark-blond root," he says. "The subtle highlights get heaver towards the mid-sections and ends of the hair." As always, Greene suggests sticking to products for color-treated hair only.
Upkeep: " The upkeep is minimal," Green says. "You could have this type of color done every three or four months."
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Greene.
Trend: Rich Bronze
Colorist:Tauni Dawson
Salon:Nine Zero One
What To Ask For: A warm, rich brown with subtle, golden pieces
Dawson describes this color as "a very warm, golden brunette with honey pieces." Tip: Notice the lightness is concentrated through the mid-lengths and ends to keep the grow-out easy and the color looking natural.
This is pretty simple process in-salon, but it's important to keep rich tones fresh at home by using the right products. "Color clients should always use a sulfate-free shampoo, but for this specific color, the Evo Fabuloso conditioner in Chestnut is a great way to maintain some of the warmer tones at home," Dawson says.
Upkeep: " The upkeep for this color is fairly simple," says Dawson, who recommends a gloss every once in a while. "A toner is what keeps the nice golden hues in place," she says.
Photo: Courtesy of Tauni Dawson.
Colorist:Dell Miller
Salon:Spoke & Weal
What To Ask For: Chocolate tones at the root with lighter, dimensional color throughout
Love this rich hue as much as we do? Miller suggests asking for "rich, chocolate tones at the root with lighter, dimensional color in the mid-hair and ends," he says. Then, for the final touch, "ask for a golden-blond finisher."
Upkeep: This color can grow out beautifully, so besides any gray coverage you desire, expect to get it redone every six to eight months, Miller says. "It's low maintenance!" he says.
Photo: Courtesy of Dell Miller.
Colorist:Glen Coco Oropeza
Salon:Spoke & Weal
What To Ask For: A rich, "melted" brunette with subtle warm tones
Oropeza describes this color as "muted, dimensional auburn," and suggests asking for a rich, melted brunette with tons of warm red or copper tones woven in. (Stress to your colorist that it should be super multidimensional.)
Upkeep: "If it's close to your natural hair color, I recommend refreshing every 12 weeks," he says. "If you are changing the base color of your hair, every four to six weeks."
Photo: Courtesy of Glen Coco Oropeza.
Trend: Mixed Metals
Colorist:Jessica Gonzalez
Salon:Salon Benjamin, Arts District
What To Ask For: Piece-y, cool-toned highlights on your natural color
And finally we have the trend that's a bit of everything, served up with a side of contrast. Gonzalez calls this look "high-contrast, surfer hair" and suggests asking for piece-y highlights in a light, cool tone. Her top tip for your pro? "When highlighting your hair like this, they should use Olaplex." And for you? "Use purple shampoo once a week."
Upkeep: " The upkeep isn't bad," Gonzalez notes, "since we kept her natural color and just highlighted off of that. It usually grows out nicely and starts looking ombré after a few months." Plan for touch-ups every five months, she adds.
Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Gonzalez.
Colorist:Cherin Choi
Salon:Salon Benjamin, Arts District
What To Ask For: A brunette base with golden highlights and blond tips
Choi affectionately refers to this look as "spun gold," which she created using her client's own natural color as the rich, brown base. (Again, this is a great option to remove any kind of commitment from the equation, but you can also opt for a different base if you prefer.)
The beauty of this look is in the two-tone highlights, which start just off the scalp in a golden tone and end in brighter blond tips. To keep the tone truer for longer, heed her advice and pick up a sulfate-free shampoo, inphenom hair treatment conditioner, and Oribe's Gold Lust oil to keep the end hydrated and soft.
Upkeep: " Eventually the tone of the blonde will change and go slightly warmer," Choi warns, but notes that it can be updated with a gloss in the salon.
Photo: Courtesy of Cherin Choi.
Colorist:Cherin Choi
Salon:Salon Benjamin, Arts District
What To Ask For: A warm, brunette base with rose-gold highlights concentrated at the front and ends
A color refresh need not come with a lifestyle change. Choi notes that this warm brunette can grow out without any touch-ups, if you prefer it that way. Ask for a "natural brunette that fades into warm, caramel tones," she says, noting that the lightness should be concentrated on your tips for easy grow out.
"The highlights will fade blonder with every wash," she says, so a gloss is a great option to keep things rich between appointments — and always stick to products designed for color-treated hair to delay fading. She also recommends coating dry ends with OI Oil by Davines.
Upkeep: To boost the color and keep it looking fresh and rich, you can come in for a toner whenever needed, Choi says.
Photo: Courtesy of Cherin Choi.
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