As Autumn rolls in and Winter approaches, many of us crave the cosier things in life — fireplaces, mulled wine, and a steaming hot coffee to warm us up on cold, wet mornings. But what if we told you that you can now add a hair colour to that cosy list? If the newest hair trend on the block: Blonde Espresso — dreamt up by POPSUGAR and Jack Howard [1], colourist at Paul Edmonds Salon [2] in London — is anything to go by, you'll soon be matching your hair to your Winter caffeine fix.
Sure, we've seen (and loved) beverage-inspired hair colours before (cold brew [3], pumpkin spice latte [4], mulled wine [5]), but this one isn't just a pretty hair colour. It's an approach to choosing hues (which we'll dive into later on).
Blonde espresso hair is inspired by Starbucks's Blonde Espresso [6] drink, the coffee company's lighter, smoother, not-so-bitter version of its original roast. So how does that translate to hair colour? Howard identifies blonde espresso hair as still being brunette, but with strategically placed balayage pieces — specifically chosen to complement your skin tone — that melt seamlessly into the brown base. It's not overpowering — for most people, it won't be a dramatic colour change — and is the perfect low-maintenance autumnal hue.
So next time you grab yourself a drink from Starbucks, consider it your next hair colour inspiration. Read on to get the scoop on everything there is to know about getting blonde espresso-inspired hair — including a dive into what the colour is and exactly what to ask your colourist if you're keen to try it — straight from a pro.
What Is Blonde Espresso Hair Colour?
The blonde espresso hue is a move away from bronze colours toward warmer, richer tones for Winter. "Think: dark milk chocolates, coffee beans, and biscuits," said Howard. It's made up of a gloss, chocolate-coloured base (although, there are no rules, so any brunette base works well), with threads of caramel or butterscotch painted highlights throughout — including the money pieces [7] at the front of the hair.
Howard believes the key to a good colour is making sure the hair is healthy and shiny, which is why his last step when creating this particular shade on all his clients is a gloss. It gives the overall colour depth and a just-stepped-out-of-the-salon sheen, said Howard. "There's no need to think brunette is boring."
Who Can Try Blonde Espresso Hair?
Everyone can! The best thing about this hair colour hue is that it can be tailored to the individual no matter their texture or natural colour. By having a consultation first, you can bring photo inspiration and give the colourist a feel for what you're after, and the colourist should manage your result expectations. They should then create bespoke dyes to suit your skin tone and desired finished result. You can get a few face-framing money pieces to add depth to the base colour, or go the full monty and get approximately 14 bigger balayage pieces throughout the hair, according to Howard.
What Should You Ask Your Hair Colourist For?
"Tell your colourist that you still want to identify as a brunette, but you want to add some threads of caramel," said Howard. This could be a range of four, eight, 12, or 14 pieces of balayage depending on how intense you want the overall effect. However, "it's a colour choice rather than just a technique," Howard explained. Ask for a gloss service in addition to balayage for a luxurious-feeling finish. He stressed that this isn't about overpowering or changing the colour to blonde, but rather complementing the base and adding hints of the hue.