The season of misty mornings, crunchy leaves and pumpkin spice lattes is here – and it’s got many of us gazing in the mirror and wondering if our hair needs an autumn evolution as well. “This time of year feels like a reset for lots of people, and that includes their hair colour,” says Sonia Surani, senior colourist at Paul Edmonds London. “The weather changes, people might be starting new jobs, and they’re changing up their wardrobe, so they want their hair to match.” As we ease into the new season, here’s the team’s advice for trendy autumn hair colour transitions…
IS DARKER COLOUR ALWAYS BETTER FOR AUTUMN?
Sonia: “People do often want to go darker after summer, but I feel like clients nowadays realise that a change in autumn doesn’t necessarily mean going super dark. For example, this week I had a client who had grown out her blonde balayage, and from that she's gone for a full head of copper, just because it's autumn and she wanted to try something new.”
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST HAIR COLOUR TRENDS FOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2026/27?
Sonia: “Overall, colour is quite smart and elevated this season, with more dimensional brunettes and coppers, and toned-down blondes with sandy or warm tones, as opposed to keeping it really bright and light like in summer. Previously, clients might have said they wanted all-over color, but now they're actually happy with a bit of a high-maintenance look if it means that the colour looks more natural. In terms of placement, a lot of people are keeping lightness around the front and then adding in some dark bits through the lengths to deepen the colour a bit, without losing too much brightness. Whatever the colour, glossy hair has remained hugely in-demand.”
THE BEST SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONERS FOR COLOURED HAIR:
HOW DO YOU HELP A CLIENT DECIDE ON THEIR AUTUMN COLOUR LOOK?
Sonia: “I start by asking them, ‘What's your fashion look or vibe for this time of the year?’ You can often tell by looking at what they're already wearing in the salon on that day – their personality can really shine through in what they wear. Then we’ll talk about what kind of colour they’d like and how we can tailor that to suit them depending on their hair type, skin tone, and personal preference.”
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN TAKING A CLIENT FROM BLONDE TO DARKER COLOUR?
Sonia: “Unlike going from brunette to blonde, which might sometimes take several appointments to lighten the hair safely, you can usually go from light to dark in one go. Most of the time I would recommend having some panels of darkness, with lowlights if you have highlighted hair, or painting in some darker ribbons if you've got balayage. If a client wants to change their tone significantly, I will sometimes recommend we do a gloss first and then they can see if they actually like the colour before committing to a semi-permanent or a permanent colour, especially if they’re going from blonde to something like copper. Gloss colour lasts about six weeks.”
WHAT KIND OF BLONDE COLOUR LOOKS ARE ON TREND FOR AUTUMN?
Artistic director Joe Savine: “There's a bit more depth and dimension to autumnal blondes. In summer, they're brighter, more beachy, golden blondes, then in the winter it's about dropping it a shade and adding warmer toffee or caramel tones. Balayage is still very popular for blondes, but a lot of people have moved towards foiling, whether that's Airtouch or highlights, because you get a lovely duality of tones.”
IS RED HAIR TRENDING FOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2026/27?
Joe: “Copper is the big colour story for autumn rather than red. We’re talking about muted shades like cinnamon copper, which is a bit closer to brunette, with a mix of gold and copper, as opposed to last year’s cowboy copper which was closer to true red. Copper can be done as an all-over tint or it can be incorporated in a balayage. The colour will last longer when the hair isn’t pre-lightened because then you're not affecting the porosity of the hair as much, which allows it to hold on to the pigment and shine better.”
THE BEST MASQUES FOR COLOURED HAIR:
HOW DO YOU MAXIMISE GLOSS WITH COLOURED HAIR?
Sonia: “When clients come back to the salon for their first time after summer, their hair might be brassy and dry or damaged through the ends, so we do a lot of Collagen Infusion and SAM (Strengthening Acidic Moisture) treatments, to add back in the protein and moisture have been lost through the summer and make the hair glossy again.”
Joe: “In autumn and winter you’ve got to deal with wind exposure and central heating, and then you're probably blow drying the hair more because it's generally colder. As a colour team, we always recommend the K18 bond-building treatment with every service because it rebuilds the structure of damaged hair, and then a gloss in between colour appointments to refresh the tone and add shine.”
WHAT ARE THE BEST HOME HAIRCARE PRODUCTS FOR PROTECTING YOUR COLOUR?
Sonia: “I usually recommend Shu Uemura Color Lustre range for washing and conditioning because it’s all about locking in colour, unless someone’s got really damaged hair, then I recommend Ultimate Reset. To keep up glossiness the Oribe Supershine Mirror Rinse Glass Treatment or Davines Oi Liquid Lustre Treatment are amazing.”
Joe: “For prolonging your autumn hair colour, I love the Davines Alchemic range of pigmented conditioners. Recently I've been recommending the tobacco and chocolate shades for brunettes, and the golden for autumnal blondes. They're really good at toning, so I tell my clients to mix them with a masque tailored to their hair needs, like Oribe Eternal Curls for curly hair or Signature Moisture for dry hair. I'm also obsessed with the Thermique blow dry primers from Kérastase. Nectar Thermique is for dry hair, and Ciment Thermique is for damaged pre-lightened hair.”
THE BEST TREATMENTS AND SERUMS FOR COLOURED HAIR:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Is autumn a good time to change your hair colour?
A: Yes! And it doesn't have to mean going dramatically darker. Autumn is an ideal time to shift your tone, add depth or try something new, whether that's multi-dimensional balayage or highlights, or a temporary change with a gloss.
Q: What hair colours are trending for autumn 2026?
A: Dimensional brunettes, muted coppers and warm, toned-down blondes are the big stories this season. Think cinnamon copper, toffee caramel and sandy blondes rather than anything too bright or cool.
Q: Should I go darker for autumn?
A: Not necessarily. This season is about depth and dimension rather than all-over dark colour. Keeping lightness with face-framing pieces while adding darker ribbons or lowlights throughout gives a more natural, elevated finish.
Q: How do I transition from blonde to brunette?
A: It can usually be done in one appointment. Your colourist may suggest a gloss first so you can try the tone before committing to a semi-permanent or permanent colour.
Q: How do I make brunette hair more dimensional?
A: A mix of lowlights and highlights, or painted ribbons of darker colour through a balayage, adds the depth and movement that makes brunette hair look rich rather than flat.
New season, new shade
If you’re ready to switch up your look for autumn, the colour team at Paul Edmonds London are on hand to help you achieve a cool new colour inspired by the latest trends but always tailored to your personal style.
From warm toffee blonde to cool copper and multidimensional brunette, this autumn is all about elevated elegance and finding a shade that will carry you through the season in style.
Embrace the season of change with a colour revamp. Book your next appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
