12 Hair Colors That Experts Say Will Be Everywhere in 2022
Whether you want to change your personality and go platinum blonde, or simply want to give some dimension to your natural shade via highlights, switching up your hair is one of the easiest ways to hit the reset button on your look. We love to stay up-to-date on the hottest hair trends, and as we approach the new year, we're looking forward to revamping our shade once again. So, we tapped five hair colorists to ask them what the hottest hair colors for 2022 will be.
@GeorgePapanikolas/Instagram @ShayMitchell/Instagram @ParisHilton/Instagram
"Get ready for high-maintenance hair color in the best possible way," says celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of 901 salon, Nikki Lee. "After two years of everyone keeping their color low-maintenance — and basic for lack of better words — everyone is itching for a big change and they're not worried if it will be high-maintenance or not."
Luckily, there are options for every natural base color, taste, and lifestyle. (Lazy peeps, rest assured that your needs will be met in 2022, too.) From blondes and coppers to pinks and browns, here are the hair colors that will be everywhere in the new year.
1. Expensive Blonde
This shade will have everyone saying, "that's hot." Lee predicts this icy blonde color will dominate in the new year. "The double process blonde will be big in 2022," she says. "Base and highlights all the way, which create the most beautiful creamy blondes, like Paris Hilton's."
2. Curlights
2022 will be the year that curly kings and queens have hair color that thrives. "Highlighted curls come with the fear of damaging the delicate strands and losing the curl pattern, but both can be achieved," assures celebrity hairstylist and Matrix brand ambassador George Papanikolas. "It's easy to get lost in all that movement and volume, so when hand-painting highlights, keep the placement simple: Choose the curls you want to pop and just paint them as you want to see them."
3. Midnight Brunette
"Megan Fox's almost-black hair will be a hit because it's always a surprise — in some lights, it will look black and in others, you'll see hints of brown. [It's] perfect for those who've always wanted to go dark," says Lee. To DIY the look at home, she recommends using Garnier's Olia Permanent Hair Color in Darkest Brown. "It gives you just the right amount of shine, and it's ammonia-free."
4. Girl-Next-Door Copper
It's giving high-school-sweetheart vibes, and we're all about it. Papanikolas loves this pale strawberry shade and says it's particularly easy to do over blonde hair or existing red tones. "If you already have red hair, all you need to do is lift the base and highlight first," he says. "The best way to define the tone is a having pale, almost-blonde base color with copper undertones."
5. Cali-Cool Highlights
Hailey Bieber had us dyeing our hair "expensive brunette" earlier this year, but the trend that's making it into the new year is her new take on barely there highlights. "It's similar to the balayage we all know and love, but darker. The overall color is dark/natural with a few strategically placed highlights to frame the face, natural part, and ends," explains Papanikolas. "If you start with lighter hair, you can reverse the typical highlighting technique by adding depth at the roots, and mid-shaft to soften the contrast between the highlights and base color, and make the remaining highlights pop."
6. Vivid Overlays
Next year will be one for the drama. "I'm starting to see more and more natural colors with vivid highlights, vivid money pieces, and even ombré dipped in vivid colors," says celebrity hairstylist and wig colorist Cynthia Lumzy. "Blending the pop of color from the vivid tones and creating depth with the natural base is both visually impactful and balanced." To keep your bold hair color looking fresh, she recommends using Matrix Keep Me Vivid color lamination spray, shampoo, and conditioner for optimal maintenance.
7. Toasted Caramel
"In 2022, everyone will be adding warmth back into the hair," predicts New York City-based colorist, Jan-Marie Lozada. She says that this take gives a twist to brunette hair and that adding warm shades like copper, auburn, and caramel will give brown hair more dimension and a richer feel. "As an added bonus, dark, warm shades generally require less maintenance, making them an easy yet stylish option," she adds.
8. Auburn Spice
Zoe Deutch has had a stunning auburn on and off for the past few years, and Lee predicts this hue will be everywhere in the new year. "Spicing up brunettes and turning them auburn will be big," Lee confirms. "I see this color trend sticking with lots more in 2022."
9. Long Ombré
If "high-maintenance hair" makes you want to run for the hills, this trend is for you. "It's created by taking the traditional look of the ombré and extending the root area," explains Lumzy. So basically, if you got highlights last summer and they're still growing out, you're pretty much there. "I predict this will be everywhere due to the extremely low maintenance," Lumzy adds.
10. Anime Pink
"Bright, bold hues are all the rage for 2022," says Kirsten Stuke, a hair colorist at Sally Hershberger in New York City. "Hot pink will be super trendy since clients are looking to express themselves, and bright pink makes such a statement."
11. Soft-Girl Brown
This laid-back tone is perfect for the sweet brunette. "Soft dimension on even the darkest hair gives the hair movement," says Papanikolas, adding that even black hair has variations in tones.
12. Dimensional Copper
Perfect for the baddies who want to step up a traditional copper hue, this look will definitely turn heads. "Copper is one of those colors that looks great on almost all skin tones and can provide a regal vibe, so I predict dimensional copper will be everywhere," says Lumzy. She says that an easy way to get the look is by adding highlights and/or money pieces that frame the face.
