Chocolate. Cocoa. Caramel. Espresso. All are evocative of tantalizing, mouth-watering flavors. This spring, though, they’re descriptors for a fresh take on brunette hair colors. As we know, beauty and fashion go in cycles, and this season, brown, in all its variations, is front and center.
“I think brunette for this season is definitely a huge comeback,” declares James Valiant, Suki’s hair group’s award-winning celebrity stylist at South Granville in Vancouver. “It’s all about rich, glossy, and dimensional shades. There’re definitely some dramatic sides. We’re seeing a lot of espresso, cocoa, and glossy chocolate tones. There’s also a softer side, which is geared towards luxe blonde. Think of soft, monochrome browns and really paler brunette tones that just work with your skin tone.”
Angie Hunt, elite hair stylist and RedkenPro artist for Chatters Hair Salon, agrees: “Brunettes are shining this season… literally.” She references the brand’s hues Glossy Bambi Brunette and Coffee Bean as shades for giving “hair a warm, reflective glow.”
“If you’re craving drama, block coloring is where it’s at,” she says. “Bold, saturated sections create eye-catching contrast between deep and light tones. Whether subtle or statement-making animal prints, it’s all about multidimensional color that moves and catches the light.”
Creating multi-dimensional effects can also be achieved with either highlights applied with foils or balayage hand-painted onto the hair to mimic a sun-lightened effect. “The real essence of balayage is to give some lighter pieces into the hair, whether you want to put in the face frame or on top of the head,” Valiant explains. “It’s an old technique that’s been around since the ‘70s. It’s a sun-kissed look. Rather than the old-school highlights that start at the roots, balayage can start a half inch from the roots. So when it grows, it just grows seamlessly. You don’t get the same demarcation as with highlights.”
Highlights, alternatively, achieve a subtle interwoven effect with a variation of colors—such as honey or caramel tones—to create lightness, depth, and texture. To mitigate the harsh line of regrowth, Valiant suggests adding root smudging to extend the time between salon visits. Root smudging uses a color somewhere between the person’s natural hue and the highlight color and it’s applied to the root area to lift the color.
“You’re going to mimic the same color into the tones so when it grows out, you don’t have the demarcation,” he says. “So, when it grows, it just grows with it. It’s just in the root area, less than an inch. So, it blends seamlessly.”
Hunt recommends “baby lights” around the face for someone with a naturally dark color who wants to go a bit lighter. It gently brightens the hair and helps ease into a lighter look without a major commitment.
“What’s trending now is inspired by that sun-kissed, kids-in-summer-light vibe: soft, subtle highlights that mimic how natural light hits hair,” she says. “Think of it as a ribbon of brightness around the face, rather than chunky highlights or a bold money piece. It’s all about a soft, natural transition that feels effortless and fresh.”
Both stylists advise applying a gloss treatment to keep the color fresh between salon touch-ups.
“Gloss is very important,” Valiant notes. “The reason is, especially with darker pigmented hair, when you lift it to a certain color, it just turns brassy. It keeps the reds out and, on top of that, gives it a lot of shine.”
For cut and style trends, a notable one on social media has been curtain bangs. Hunt says what matters most is whether they suit your face shape, adding that this iteration is softer and more versatile—"fringe connected to the sides with wispy pieces.”
“It’s the fringe with benefits,” she quips. “This way, if you pull your hair up, some strands frame your face or tuck behind your ears, giving a subtle shape.”
Other styles of the moment are texturized pixies, softer lobs and bobs, and lush long locks ‘90s style, say Valiant and Hunt.
“Long hair is definitely in, and I think we’re seeing this a lot on TV and fashion, think of the ‘90s blowout, but what’s really happening is we went through a phase in the last five years when everything was just this curled,” Valiant says. “The whole ‘90s blowout, big voluminous hair is absolutely back.”
A caveat for long hair, he says, is that it must be cut into a shape. Otherwise, it just hangs like curtains—not to be confused with the current sweeping “curtain” bangs trend.
One trend that Hunt favors is the “The Madison” style made famous by actress Michelle Pfeiffer in the TV-series of the same name.
“It’s long and elegant but still feels youthful and vibrant. Age doesn’t have to define your vibe; with the right color, healthy shine, and styling, anyone can pull it off. Even accessories like cuffs or statement clips, like the ones Pfeiffer wore in the first episode, are making a big comeback and can give a personalized twist to your look. The key is customization: a cut can suit your face shape, lifestyle, and hair type, but it’s all about how you make it your own.”
