3 hair colour trends everyone will be obsessed with in A/W22
Yearning to shake up your shade for AW22? You've come to the right place! Paul and Joe are here to reveal which hair colour trends and salon techniques everyone will be wearing in AW22. They share tips on how they create custom versions on on-trend shades to suit individual clients, and how you can preserve your colour for longer. So keep reading and prepare to book that colour service appointment!
Muted warmth is a key hair colour trend for AW22
Soft copper
This summer's toffee and copper blondes are predicted to fade out into cooler tones of red. Joe says, "I predict soft, muted coppers. They're cooler in tone than your standard copper colour, so they're more accessible."
Paul agrees, saying, "I think the beauty of it is that a lot of people get worried about reds being too garish, but this is a shade you could easily wear every day."
Pearly gold
Muted copper isn't the only hair colour trend with wearability at its heart — blondes will start to lean into wonderfully soft pearl and golden hues, too. Joe says, "I've noticed Redken and L'Oréal starting to create more golds within that muted spectrum."
The AW22 pearly gold shade is a cool, yellow-based blonde with a soft, silvery top coating. Joe says, "people are used to seeing ashy blondes, so golds are often forgotten about. To make it more accessible to everyone, brands have started focusing on pearly golds."
Buttery blonde
The final colour trend comes courtesy of Margot Robbie and her starring role in the upcoming Barbie feature film. The shade, which Paul refers to as 'buttery blonde', is another wearable colour with warm yellow undertones.
Paul is quick to point out that, even though clients are often determined to strip yellow from their hair, those gold and yellow tones are essential for colour depth.
He says, "one of the things that you're always trying to teach your client is that if you get rid of the yellow in your hair, the colour will look flat. If you've got some gold underneath it, the colour gets a bit of a boost. It makes it pop."
New colour techniques for expensive-looking hair
Mute the root and root tapping
According to the colour team at Paul Edmonds London, the new trend for lighter roots mixed with the universal love of balayage has made 'mute the root' (or 'root tapping') a go-to technique for colour application.
Paul's team have been applying traditional highlights and finishing the look by 'muting the root' — softening the colour closer to the scalp for a more 'lived in' look. Paul says, "it lasts a little bit longer, but also you get that lighter root. It's a hybrid colour — you get a mixture of balayage and highlights."
This popular trend is also known as 'root tapping' — applying highlights to the hair and then going through the root and smudging the colour down, literally tapping to remove harshness from the shade. According to Paul, the trend for root tapping is all part of the natural, healthy hair trend taking the world by storm post-Covid.
A wash of pearlescent silver
Anyone thinking of trying one of the AW22 colour trends should get acquainted with this colour application technique!
To achieve muted coppers, pearly golds, and butter blondes, your colour technician will apply a shimmering pearlescent silver over the hair. This takes the colour down while making it gleam from within.
"You can do that every month or every six weeks; just add that pearlescent because it tends to wash off quite quickly," says Paul. "You'll be left with a more red or gold shade without the softness."
AirTouch
Welcome to the latest, hottest hair trend — the AirTouch colour application. Air touch is a form of balayage application that gives seamless blending. And it all starts with a hair dryer!
Paul explains, "you take a section of hair, pinch the ends and start blow-drying down the shaft. This allows the newer growth hair to escape from the section. You then paint the remaining hair and secure it into a packet. You end up with a very soft colour, but you can only really do it on the top sections of hair."
What to do before switching up your shade
So, what's the most important thing to know before booking one of these deliciously warm, muted AW22 colour trends? According to Paul, condition is everything.
"If the hair isn't in good condition, you're not going to get optimum colour," he says. "Sometimes, if you're doing a colour change, you need to build up the hair a little bit before colouring it. You need to build up the proteins in the hair to make it less porous."
Paul recommends going to your salon for a colour consultation before taking the plunge. Your colour technician will assess your hair and make tailored recommendations, so you don't waste time and money on treatments that may not be right for you. They may even be able to do the treatment before your colour service!
Joe also advises his clients to collect examples of their hair colour ideas. He says, "I would always advise clients to do a Pinterest board or bring in reference pictures of the colour they like."
This isn't just great for helping your colour technician pinpoint the shade you want — it could also help clear up discrepancies. For example, something you consider a 'buttery blonde' might actually be pearly gold!
How to tell if the AW22 colour trends will work for you
There's only one way to truly know whether you can pull off these AW22 hair colour trends: book a consultation with a colour technician. This process is much more than just a hair assessment — the technician will also look at your natural colourings and ask questions about your lifestyle.
"First of all, we'd want to find out what you're like as a person," says Paul. "Are you going to be good at doing the upkeep? We'd also consider your budget. A full head of bleach requires a lot of time and money to maintain, but highlights or balayage you would only have to do every three or four months."
Joe says that make-up and clothing choices can also play a huge part in choosing your ideal shade. He says, "the colour of your hair can change depending on what you're wearing. Sometimes, when you go copper, it can add warmth to the skin, so if you prefer to wear pale make-up, it won't fit."
Paul and the team will also look at your skin tone and eye colour, then make bespoke suggestions to help bring you closer to your colour of choice, while accentuating your natural assets.
Are you ready to upgrade your shade? Book a colour service appointment and try one of Paul and Joe's AW22 hair colour trends. Our expert colour team is ready and waiting to look after you!