Just like clockwork, as brighter, sunnier days draw near, the urge to breathe new life into our tired, winter-worn strands grows stronger. And while there is a plethora of bob haircuts, fringe hairstyles and blonde hair colours you can buy into this season, it’s actually a rich, glossy series of brown hair colours willing us to book the appointment right now.
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‘Lately, many of my clients have been leaning into their natural hair colour, with a noticeable shift towards deeper, warmer tones,’ says Katie Freedman, colourist at Larry King Notting Hill.
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And Zoe Irwin, trend forecaster and creative director at John Frieda, agrees: 'I'm seeing a lot of these super naturalised brunettes. It's all about super fine micro-highlights and warm, gooey tones like pecan, russet and salted maple.'
‘The shift is undeniably down to the low maintenance feel and signature polished finish of brunette hair - my clients love it. There have been more requests for gloss treatments and subtle toners to enhance natural colour than ever, which all feeds into the ‘expensive brunette’ trend – think high shine, soft dimension and minimal highlights that avoid an over-processed look,' Freedman adds.
Whether you’re a natural brunette looking to put a fresh twist on your hue for spring or a total brown hair newbie looking for inspiration, we’ve tapped a few industry experts to discover the brown hair colours that deserve our attention this spring.
5 Brown Hair Colours To Try For Spring 2025
Starlet Brunette
Okay, you might not typically associate this rich hue with sunny spring afternoons, but it’s with a shade this dark that you’ll achieve that coveted vinyl-like shine that feeds into trends like health- and wealth-signaling. Looking and feeling healthy from within? That's the vibe we're chasing. Look to celebrities like Alexandra Daddario, Selena Gomez, Margaret Qualley, America Ferrera, Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo to see the colour in action.
'Starlet brunette features an ultra-deep monotone colour that lends a luminous glow to the skin,' says Irwin. 'It also gives strength to short, blunt haircuts regardless of texture and pairs beautifully with a statement lip.'
‘You can achieve the shade with a gloss, like Redken Shades EQ, for a demi-permanent finish, or for a long-lasting, permanent option, the Redken Colour Gels Oils.’ Either way, you’ll want to see your colourist for this one.
The Whiskey Glaze
Think warm, burnished brown tones that appear sun-kissed in natural light. The whiskey glaze adopts a far lighter hue than the likes of starlet brunette, so it perhaps has a more quintessentially 'spring feel' to it. This shade also looks particularly stunning against warm skin tones. Celebrity references include Jenna Ortega, Hailey Bieber, Khloe Kardashian and Lily Aldridge.
‘Its warm, understated tone creates a natural glow and youthful radiance,’ says Freedman.
Biscuit Bronde
Life-long blondes tempted to go darker, biscuit bronde is for you. Using a subtle balayage technique, this brown hue combines warm blonde and brown tones to create something soft, dimensional and sun-kissed. Natural-looking, biscuit-y highlights blend seamlessly into darker roots and the outcome is so effortless and lived-in, it’s a dream to maintain.
You’ll find ample inspiration in Margot Robbie, Addison Rae, Kaia Gerber and Isabelle Mathers for this hue.
Polychrome Brunette
'Polychrome brunette refers to a new way of colouring hair that I'm offering called polychroming,' Irwin explains.
'It involves scattering super fine micro-highlights throughout the mid-lengths and ends of the hair, using warm, gooey tones like pecan, russet and salted maple. The effect should be subtle and softly dimensional, not as contrasted as balayage might be.'
'My key references for this brunette hair colour are Daisy Edgar-Jones, Zoe Saldana, Hailey Bieber and Camila Morrone.'
Terracopper 3.0
The trend for copper hair shows no signs of slowing down, come whatever season. Tom Smith, colour director at Evo Hair, noted at the beginning of 2025: 'This will be the third season that I'm talking about copper hair as a trend, but this time round it's a more muted iteration that I'm focused on.'
'This is a copper tone for someone that wants to wear something a little bit more discreet. It's brunette, but not too dark. Think smokey, earthy tones that give brunette hair a little bit of an edge.'
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Chloe Woodland is the Group Beauty Assistant at , , and , working across print and digital features. She’s worked in the industry for two years, beginning her career writing for trade publications and Professional Beauty. When she’s not demystifying the science behind growing your hair, gathering the best make-up products of all time or investigating buzzy skincare ingredients, you’ll most likely find her rewatching Modern Family for the thousandth time or trying to tame her two working cockers (who’ve never worked a day in their lives).