"Expensive brunette" is not a nickname (although, if the shoe fits) — it's a new hair-colour trend [3] that has everyone, including celebrities in Hollywood, flocking to their hairstylists for a winter refresh [4]. Hair-colour treatments in general are pretty expensive, but this name refers to a specific colour that makes you look and feel like a million bucks the second you walk out of the salon.
This hair-colour trend is more about the finish of the hair than the colour itself. "Expensive brunette is all about a luxe feel, focusing on dimension, shine, and hair health," celebrity hairstylist and Tangle Teezer ambassador Liam Curran [5] told POPSUGAR. The look is ultrashiny and glossy, as if you just got a blowout and colour touch-up the day before. It comes on the heels of the liquid hair trend, which is all about creating a smooth, mirror-like appearance in the hair's surface.
Step one of achieving the expensive-brunette hair colour is booking an appointment with a professional. "Expensive brunette is not an all-over colour," Curran said, therefore you won't be able to achieve it with a box of hair dye. Your hairstylist will come up with the best colour for you based on a number of factors (skin tone, eye colour, lifestyle, etc.). "If you're interested in trying out expensive brunette, explore dimension, high shine, depth, intermixed tones, and custom blends with your stylist." The key to looking "expensive" is having a beautiful hair colour that complements you perfectly, then focusing on maintaining its shine and smoothness.
"When colouring your hair any colour, it's always important to maintain a healthy condition," Curran said. That means using hair masks to deep condition regularly and minimising heat damage as much as possible.
To keep the high-shine finish in your hair, try at-home gloss treatments like the L'Oréal Le Colour Gloss One Step Toning Gloss [6] (£18). When styling, hair oils, like the Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil [7] (£26), and shine sprays, like the Color Wow Extra Shine Spray [8] (£26), are great, as is a good hairbrush, like the Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Vented Hair Brush [9] (£14), which smooths frizz.
