According to Top Colourists, These Are the 9 Chicest Brunette Hair Colours Right Now

I’ve been a brunette all my life, but it’s only in more recent years that I’ve started experimenting more with my hair colour. Blondes might have more fun, but brunettes are far from boring either. From balayage to hair glosses, I’ve sat in the chair of several salons and been amazed at the difference a good hair colour appointment can make, whether it’s adding tactical highlights or going a couple of shades darker.

After having caramel balayage through my lengths for a long while now, I’ve been wanting to switch up my hair for winter and have been gravitating to deeper and glossier tones. Many of us consider switching up our hair colour around this season, so I was curious to know what winter hair colours for brunettes are trending right now. To find out, I spoke to hair colour experts from two of London’s leading hair salons to provide all the inspiration you need for your next appointment.

The 9 Best Winter Hair Colours for Brunettes

1. Ash Brown

“For our brunette lovers that don’t like warmth in their hair, this colour is perfect for someone who loves their brown hair, but doesn’t want to add warmer tones,” says Hannah Gayle, hair colourist at Hershesons. If cooler, ashy tones suit your skin and features (if you’re more of silver jewellery person than gold, this might be your vibe), then she recommends this colour for you. However, you’ll want to book in for regular toners to help keep it looking cool-toned. “Regular toners to kill the warmth and are very important to upkeep this colour,” adds Gayle.

2. Chestnut Brown

(Image credit: Getty Images)

“Chestnut brown is a softer version of chocolate brown, adding warmth with a lighter brown to create a beautiful medium brown warm colour,” says Gayle, who says this is a great hair to compliment mature brunettes too, as it tends to be softer. “Regular home treatments and glosses to keep the colour fresh and vibrant,” she says, so look for products to help keep your chestnut tones looking rich and expensive-looking.

3. Teddy Bear Brown

You’ve heard of teddy bear blonde, but teddy bear brunette is the plush, brown-toned version that makes hair look multi-dimensional and velvety. “Teddy bear brunette is the perfect combination for incorporating a lighter version of your brunette with warm honey tones to complement a natural brunette wanting to add lighter pieces,” says Gayle. “I would definitely recommend keeping up with glosses and at-home hair masks to keep this colour look super shiny and super glossy,” she says.

4. Caramel Brown

Caramel is a great way to add lightness to your hair in the depths of winter, and balayage or highlights are a great way to add toffee tones through your lengths. “This is a beautiful light soft beige-brown and caramel to create a very natural low maintenance colour—a great way to mix light and dark tones,” says Gayle. “This is a very low maintenance colour, but would advise treatments at home to keep the shine,” she says.

5. Burgundy Brown

“We have seen this tone enter our wardrobes and our nails and now on our hair,” says Harriet Muldoon, hair colourist at Larry King. “This shade is a deep rich red with a hint of purple melted into a brown base. I love this shade as it’s multi-tonal in different lighting. It’s definitely a stand out trend.”

6. Auburn Brown

“Auburn brown is a mix of copper and brunette, you can really have fun with this colour. You can go more auburn or brunette to create a unique colour that really suits your features and tones,” says Gayle. “It’s such a beautiful mix if you feel copper is to loud and want to soften this. Regular regrowth tints are important to avoid regrowth banding and keeping the colour seamless,” she says.