Fall 2026 Hair Trends: Caramelized Amber, Bombshell Blowouts and More Looks Taking Over
Soft, dimensional color
Leslie Shores, a color specialist at Eric Marshall Salon, recommends tone-on-tone highlights for a subtle, glossy finish. The approach uses lowlights and highlights that work with a person’s existing color, and can be done without bleach, lightener, balayage or ammonia-based color.
For brunettes seeking a lift without going fully blonde, Shores suggests cocoa brondette: a rich brown with softer, lighter ribbons. She says it suits olive skin tones and can be created with demi-permanent or permanent color, or with balayage.
Long hair and polished blowouts
Celebrity hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos says long hair remains popular. He uses Great Lengths Linea Wefts to help create long, lived-in styles, and favors a polished “CEO blowout,” as Giannetos describes it, that can still look a little messy.
Giannetos pairs the style with understated color and discreet highlights rather than an obvious balayage. He says the Linea Wefts come in different shades and have a fine, flat profile designed to blend with a client’s hair.
Warm balayage and blonde
For a more visible balayage, Shores recommends rich buttery gold and copper tones. She suggests placing larger pieces mainly near the front to complement volume and layers, and says the look works especially well on brunettes with thicker, layered hair.
For people who are already blonde, Shores proposes bright, airy white-blonde balayage highlights. She says the technique can suit platinum hair and grey blending, and can be achieved with bleach balayage or foilyage.
Key points
- Tone-on-tone highlights offer dimension without a dramatic color change.
- Cocoa brondette gives brunettes a softer lift toward lighter shades.
- Giannetos favors long, lived-in hair paired with a polished but relaxed blowout.
- Warm gold, copper and airy blonde highlights provide more noticeable color options.