Autumn colour trends: The warm blonde shades taking over this season
Temperatures may be dropping, but warm colours are trending.
For blondes, autumn/winter 2025 is all about gold, honey and buttery tones. Whether highlight, foilayage or balayage, these shades will flatter your complexion and give a beautiful, naturalised finish.
Why the move away from cool-toned hues? “What happens after summer is people want a bit of a change,” says Paul Edmonds. “And because you start losing pigment out of your face as your tan fades, so there’s a movement towards warmer colours that complement paler skin.”
These rich shades also work well with the dominant cut trends of the season, Paul says. “During the summer, hair tends to be a bit looser, people have been wearing it longer, but now we're getting a lot of people wanting bobs. Even a blunt bob may still be slightly textured, so there’s a bit of variation.”
Whether you want to try a shorter style or keep your longer locks, here’s everything you need to know about the warm blonde colour trend…
WHICH WARM BLONDE SHADES ARE ON TREND FOR AUTUMN?
The warm blonde spectrum runs from pale yellow through to deep gold, and these luxury looks will often feature a variety of tones rather than one all-over colour.
“It's creamier blondes, rather than being an icy or ashy blonde,” Paul says. “Ash blonde tends to make your skin look more pale, so when your tan fades, it's better to make your blonde that little bit warmer. With the gold tones, you also get a glossy, healthier look in the hair.”
Creative director Joe Savine agrees. “When I think buttery blonde, it’s got a creamy lightness to it, and lots of shine and silkiness.” He says Lindsay Lohan is a great example of a multidimensional warm blonde, while actor Nicholas Hoult provides edgy inspiration for guys. “He’s gone for that untoned bright blonde.”
It’s important to point out that even though your colourist might use terms like yellow-gold or butter, these shades aren’t brassy, Paul says. “That always scares people when you start talking about buttery blondes, they can be very anti-yellow, but actually blondes tend to be punchier and brighter when you've got some yellow in there.”
WHAT’S THE BEST WARM BLONDE SHADE FOR YOU?
When choosing from the golden blonde spectrum, your skin tone and eye colour can make a big difference in determining which shade suits you best.
“You want to make the eyes sparkle,” says Paul. “Margot Robbie is a good example. Her hair being blonde with a gold tone to it makes her blue eyes pop.”
In terms of skin tone, honey or caramel tones can clash if your complexion has cooler undertones, in which case your colourist might recommend leaving a darker root so there’s less contrast close to the hairline. “There are lots of different techniques to get that effect, like a root tap or root smudge instead of doing full head colour,” Paul says.
Whatever your desired hue, it’s crucial to make sure that you and your colourist are on the same page about the end result. “Colour is such a visual thing, so my idea of caramel or honey blonde might be completely different to someone else’s,” Joe says, which is why he always encourages clients to bring photos to show him at a consultation or colour appointment so they can discuss their options in detail.
COLOUR TECHNIQUES FOR WARM BLONDE HAIR
At Paul Edmonds London, our colourists always use a bespoke approach to tailor a trend to each client.
“A colourist has got to understand if the client is happy to come back in for regular maintenance appointments or if they're just going to want their colour done every six months,” Paul says.
Hair health is also an essential factor, he explains, particularly when going from a dark base colour to blonde. “All our technicians are very good at looking after hair. They'll always recommend a rebuilding treatment when lightening hair to prevent damage and advise on the correct upkeep to make sure the hair stays shining in.”
As for colour placement with warm blonde tones, Joe says the technique he chooses is dependent on the client's hair condition and desired result. “When you're doing balayage, you're working with a freehand painting technique, so the saturation differs from the roots to the ends, which means you get a variation of lift naturally, whereas if you’re using a foil technique, you can add more tones.”
Paul also recommends warm blonde highlights as a great option for concealing grey hair. “One of the things that's great for blending grey is putting some warmer colour in there. When it’s side-by-side with the grey hair, it makes it look more blonde rather than grey.”
HOW TO MAINTAIN WARM BLONDE COLOUR
A nourishing salon treatment as part of your autumn colour appointment serves two purposes: repairing summer damage and ensuring your warm blonde colour stays vibrant for longer.
New to the salon, K18 is a fast-acting bond-building treatment that Joe highly recommends. “It's a spray that's applied on the hair prior to colouring and then a mask that is left on to complete the process.” He also loves the Metal Detox treatment, which removes impurities, for a post-summer pick-me-up. “I’ve had a few clients recently where their hair was going really brassy, and it was a case of lime scale buildup from hard water.”
Home haircare is also essential to prevent your lustrous, warm blonde tones from turning dull or brassy. “I always recommend the Alchemic range from Davines, the gold shampoo and conditioner, that's really good for injecting the warmth and brightness back into the hair without it being overwhelming,” Joe says. “I also love the Beautiful Color and Hair Alchemy ranges from Oribe.”
As a final step to hydrate and seal the colour in your strands, Paul recommends a pair of silky serums from Shu Uemura. “The classic Essence Absolue is very good, and also their night serum, which you can use during the day to keep the colour and gloss on the hair. You want it to look healthy and shiny.”
Blonde ambition
Whether you’re going blonde for the first time or refreshing your look, there’s a warm shade to suit everyone, from butter to caramel.
Our colourists can offer their advice on the hues that will suit your skin tone and eye colour, the kind of colour placement that will create the most flattering finish, and how to keep your blonde looking vibrant.
Ready to warm up your blonde? Book an appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
