Spring 2025 is officially the season of “new hair, who this?”. After a few years of pandemic grow-outs, DIY box dyes, and ultra-bleached everything, hairstylists say this spring is all about rich, expensive-looking color that still feels soft, wearable, and low-maintenance.
Instead of chasing shock value, colorists are dialing into shades that look like you were born with themjust… better. Think ganache brunette that gleams like chocolate, honey blonde that glows in selfies, and cherry cola reds that look dramatic but are secretly easy to maintain.
Below, we’ll walk through 10 top hair colors for spring 2025, all backed by trends, runway moments, and real hairstylist predictions. You’ll also get tips on who each color flatters, how to ask for it at the salon, and what to do so your new shade doesn’t fade faster than your motivation at the gym in February.
Why Spring 2025 Hair Color Trends Feel Different
Beauty editors and color pros agree: the big mood of 2025 hair is customized and intentional, not impulsive. Allure and other trend reports note that clients are choosing “natural-adjacent” shadescolors that blend with your base, add dimension, and grow out gracefully.
People magazine’s 2025 hair trend breakdown highlights mocha browns, French vanilla blondes, and honey copper tonesaka rich, soft colors that make hair look healthy and shiny instead of over-processed.
Translation: spring 2025 hair colors are designed to work with your natural shade and skin tone, not fight them. You’ll see:
- Dimensional brunettes instead of flat, box-dye brown
- Warm, wearable blondes instead of icy damage-fests
- Reds with depth and berry tones instead of neon-orange copper
- Pastels that are richer and more saturated, not washed-out
The 10 Top Hair Colors for Spring 2025, According to Hairstylists
1. Ganache Brunette
If you want your hair to look like it was dipped in a pot of glossy chocolate, ganache brunette is your shade. Glamour highlights ganache brunette as a key spring 2025 colora deep, luxurious brown with warm caramel undertones that catches the light instead of swallowing it.
Why hairstylists love it: It’s rich but not too dark, polished but still soft. Tonal caramel ribbons and subtle highlights give the color dimension, so it never reads as flat brown.
Best for: Medium to deep skin tones look amazing with this shade, but fair complexions can rock it too if your colorist keeps some lightness around the face.
How to ask for it: Ask for a deep chocolate brunette base with warm caramel or toffee lowlights and gloss. Emphasize “shininess” and “dimension,” not basic one-note brown.
2. Warm Honey Blonde
Warm honey blonde is everywhere in 2025 trend reports. Salons and color pros describe it as a soft, sun-kissed blend of golden blonde and light bronde that looks like you’ve spent the winter in a very expensive climate.
Clementine’s Denver and other salon trend roundups point out that warm honey blonde works on a wide range of skin tones, thanks to its cozy gold finish and natural-looking depth.
Best for: Natural dark blondes to light brunettes who want to brighten up without going full platinum.
How to ask for it: Request a warm honey blonde or “sun-kissed bronde” with soft balayage, keeping a shadow root so your grow-out stays seamless.
3. Buttercream Blonde & Baby Blonde
Blond lovers, rejoice: experts say blonde is “going nowhere” for spring 2025. What is changing is the tonestylists predict buttercream blonde and baby blonde will take over: soft, creamy blondes with just enough warmth to avoid harsh brass or icy gray.
Trend reports also mention “Old Money” blondes and cool brondes for 2024–2025polished, expensive-looking shades that feel classic, not trendy-for-five-minutes.
Best for: Fair to medium skin tones, or anyone who wants a bright blonde that still looks soft in natural light.
How to ask for it: Ask for a buttercream or baby blonde with super-fine highlights, a soft root, and a toning gloss tailored to your skin’s undertone (more neutral, less yellow).
4. Cherry Cola & Chocolate Cherry Red
Cherry cola red is the cool-kid color that refuses to leave the chat. Multiple trend forecasts expect this deep, sultry redthink brunette base with burgundy and red wine tonesto keep trending well into spring 2025.
Hair.com and salon blogs also point to chocolate cherry hair as a spring favorite: dark brown enriched with cherry and berry tones that pop in sunlight but look wearable and polished indoors.
Best for: Medium to deep skin tones, or anyone who wants to try red hair without going bright copper.
How to ask for it: Request a “cherry cola” or “chocolate cherry” brunette with a dark base and red-violet highlights or gloss layered on top. Show an inspo photo so your colorist can balance the red and brown correctly.
5. Strawberry Brunette & Peachy Copper
Byrdie’s spring 2025 color roundup calls out dreamy peachy-pinks, strawberry brunettes, and rich ruby reds as go-to “playful but wearable” shades for warmer weather. Color pros are also weaving peach and copper tones into brunette formulas to add a soft, flushed warmth.
Strawberry brunette is perfect if you’re brunette-curious about red, but not ready to surrender to full copper. It adds rose-gold tones and soft warmth to brown hair without taking you into orange territory.
Peachy copper leans slightly softer than traditional copperless traffic-cone, more “sunset filtered through your hair.”
How to ask for it: Ask your stylist for a brunette or copper shade with subtle strawberry or peach tones blended through the mids and ends. Mention that you want “soft, diffused warmth,” not full-on fire-engine red.
6. Mushroom Brown & Expensive Neutrals
Allure and other expert forecasts say subtle, cool-toned brunettes like mushroom brown will be some of the most in-demand neutrals in 2025. This shade mixes taupe, ash, and soft gray-brown hues to create a “barely-highlighted” look.
Many stylists group mushroom brown under the “expensive brunette” umbrella: hyper-blended tones, zero harsh lines, and the kind of glossy, subtle dimension that screams, “Yes, I do have a colorist… and yes, they are pricey.”
Best for: Those with naturally medium to dark brown hair who want to modernize their color without going lighter or warmer.
How to ask for it: Ask for a mushroom brown or neutral brunette with soft, cool highlights and lowlightsemphasize “muted,” “mushroom,” “taupe,” or “cool,” depending on which reference your stylist uses.
7. Butterscotch Balayage
Vogue’s 2025 hair color report shouts out butterscotch balayage as a hero look: warm light browns and soft golds melted into a natural, sun-kissed blend. This shade sits perfectly between blonde and brunette, making it ideal for anyone who answers “it’s complicated” when asked their hair color.
Why it works for spring: As the light changes, this shade picks up golden tones without looking overly bright. It’s basically vacation hair you can wear to the office.
How to ask for it: Request a butterscotch balayage or warm bronde balayage with soft, hand-painted pieces starting below the eye line. Keeping your root darker helps the blend look natural and long-lasting.
8. Blue-Black & Inky Brunette
Surprisingly, one of the hottest hair colors for spring 2025 is… very dark. Hair.com notes that blue-black and other super-dark shades with a twist are trending for the season, especially in chocolate-cherry and inky brunette variations.
These colors have a cool or slightly colored reflectblue, violet, or deep berrythat shows subtly in the light while still reading as brunette or black from a distance.
Best for: Those who want drama, low-maintenance roots, and major shine.
How to ask for it: Ask for a blue-black or inky brunette with a cool gloss and minimal highlights. Tell your stylist you want “glass-like shine,” and plan on regular gloss appointments to keep it reflective, not flat.
9. Super-Saturated Pastels
Pastel hair is back for springshocking no onebut 2025’s version is bolder. The Good Dye Young spring trend report says soft pastels are being “refreshed and reimagined in super-saturated tones” that read more vibrant and expressive.
Instead of barely-there cotton-candy strands, think:
- Rich lilac or periwinkle
- Peach sorbet with depth at the root
- Mossy grass green (“Devil’s Ivy”) for an earthy, botanical vibe
Best for: Pre-lightened hair and anyone who loves fashion color and doesn’t mind regular maintenance.
How to ask for it: Bring specific color references“saturated pastel,” “vivid lilac,” “mossy green”and talk openly about maintenance, since fashion shades fade faster than your attention span during long Zoom calls.
10. Soft, Custom “Expensive Brunette”
Many 2025 hair trend forecasts emphasize bespoke brunette colorrich, multidimensional shades created specifically for your base, skin tone, and lifestyle.
This “expensive brunette” look might blend warm honey ribbons, cool mushroom lowlights, or subtle copper glazes, depending on your features. The end result is a brunette that looks natural, but clearly not accidental.
Best for: Anyone who’s bored with flat box-dye brown or wants a chic change without going drastically lighter or redder.
How to ask for it: Tell your stylist you want a “custom, expensive brunette” with very soft contrast and lived-in dimension. Bring photos of brunettes you like and let your colorist tailor the formula.
How to Choose Your Best Spring 2025 Hair Color
With so many options, it’s tempting to spin a color wheel and hope for the best. Instead, use these guidelines before you book the appointment:
- Match the mood to your maintenance level. Love low-maintenance? Choose ganache brunette, mushroom brown, or expensive brunette with a shadow root. High-maintenance queens can go for baby blonde or super-saturated pastels.
- Consider your undertone. Warm skin tones tend to glow in honey blonde, butterscotch, and cherry cola. Cool or neutral tones rock mushroom brown, ganache brunette, and cooler blondes or pastels.
- Think about your wardrobe. If you live in black, white, and neutrals, bold cherry cola or pastels can be your statement accessory. If you wear lots of color, a more neutral hair shade might keep things balanced.
- Ask for a “test drive.” Try a gloss or semi-permanent shade in a softer version of your dream color first (a light cherry gloss instead of full red), then deepen it later if you love it.
Pro Tips for Maintaining Your New Spring Color
The sad truth: even the most flawless color job can look “meh” in a month if you don’t treat it right. Colorists repeatedly emphasize shine, conditioning, and smart washing habits as the keys to keeping trendy shades looking expensive.
- Use sulfate-free shampoo and wash less often to reduce fading.
- Add a weekly mask to keep hair hydrated, especially if you lightened your base for blonde or pastels.
- Schedule gloss appointments every 4–8 weeks for brunettes and reds to keep color shiny and rich.
- Protect your hair from heat with a thermal spraycolor looks dull faster with constant flat-ironing.
- Use color-depositing products (like red or brunette conditioners) if your stylist recommends them for between-salon refreshes.
Real-Life Experiences with Spring 2025 Hair Colors
Trends are fun, but what do these spring 2025 shades actually feel like to live with day-to-day? Let’s walk through what clients and stylists keep noticing about the most popular colors this year.
Living with Ganache Brunette
Ganache brunette is the hair equivalent of upgrading from basic coffee to a fancy mocha. People who switch to this shade often notice they suddenly look more “put together” in the morningeven when they’re in a hoodie. The color’s natural depth and caramel threads create built-in contouring around the face, so makeup can be minimal and you still look polished.
Another plus: it grows out beautifully. Because the shade sits close to many natural brunette bases, roots don’t scream for attention. Most people can stretch appointments to every 8–10 weeks, opting for a gloss in between if they need extra shine instead of a full retouch.
What It’s Really Like to Be Honey Blonde
Warm honey blonde is one of those colors that makes friends say, “Did you do something? You look… rested.” The gold tones catch the light in selfies and video calls, which is why so many remote workers gravitate toward this shade. It’s flattering but also forgivingif your stylist keeps a shadow root, regrowth doesn’t appear as a harsh line.
The trade-off is care. You’ll want purple or blue shampoo occasionally to keep brass in check, but not so often that you dull the warm glow completely. Weekly masks and heat protection become non-negotiable if your hair was significantly lightened to get there.
Cherry Cola in the Real World
Cherry cola reds have a reputation for turning headsusually in the best way. People who go from brunette to cherry cola often find that strangers compliment their hair more, especially outdoors where the red tones light up. It’s dramatic, but still subtle enough to wear in corporate settings without raising eyebrows.
The biggest surprise? Maintenance is not as intense as bright copper. Because the base is dark and the red is more wine-toned, fading tends to move toward brunette rather than orange. With a good color-depositing conditioner and UV protection, you can easily stretch your color for several months before needing a major refresh.
The Ups and Downs of Pastel Hair
Super-saturated pastels are pure funbut they’re also a lifestyle. People who love these colors generally enjoy the creative process: picking shades, refreshing frequently, and matching their hair to outfits or makeup. Spring 2025’s richer pastels hold a bit longer than barely-there versions, but they still fade faster than natural tones.
Daily reality: you’ll be babying your hair. That means cool or lukewarm water, minimal shampoo, lots of conditioner, and avoiding chlorine like it’s your ex. Many pastel fans keep a backup gloss or color-depositing mask at home so they can revive the shade before big events or vacations.
Why “Expensive Brunette” Has So Many Fans
Custom expensive brunettes are becoming a long-term relationship color. Clients appreciate that their hair looks chic year-round, not just for one season. These shades photograph beautifully, look polished in professional settings, and don’t require constant lightening or toning.
Another bonus: tweaking is easy. You can add a bit more warmth for summer, cool it down for fall, or sneak in a few cherry cola pieces without doing a full transformation. That flexibility makes it a favorite for people who want options without starting from scratch each time.
Takeaway: Hair Color as a 2025 Power Move
Ultimately, the best spring 2025 hair color isn’t just about what’s trendingit’s about what supports who you are right now. Do you want hair that quietly whispers “elegant,” or a color that yells “I am the main character”? There’s a shade on this list for both.
Working with a trusted stylist, being honest about your maintenance level, and bringing clear inspo photos (plus an open mind) will help you land that perfect spring color. Whether you end up ganache brunette, honey blonde, cherry cola red, or pastel lilac, the real trend in 2025 is hair that feels intentional, confident, and uniquely you.