Why cherry cola is the coolest colour trend right now
Thanks to Dua Lipa, red hair is all the rage.
The pop star and natural brunette unveiled a ravishing dark red shade earlier this year and the cherry cola trend exploded across social media, becoming the fashion-forward hue of autumn/winter.
What exactly is cherry cola hair?
"Cherry cola red is an intensely warm brunette shade," says Joe Savine, creative director at Paul Edmonds London. "It's a dark brown with a mahogany or violet overtone."
Not to be confused with cowboy copper, another big 2024 trend, he adds: "Copper is essentially orange, while cherry cola is red."
The decadent shade perfectly complements Dua Lipa, Joe explains: "Her features are quite dark, her eyes are quite dark, and her skin is on the olive side, which works well because cherry cola has a dark base colour."
The good news is that you can tailor the trend to suit your skin tone and eye colour, creating a gorgeously glossy and flattering effect.
"The really nice thing about your mahoganies and your reds is that they're really good at reflecting the light," Joe says.
"They always appear brighter when the light hits, so even though you have that kind of dark richness you've got the playful side too. It looks healthy and shiny, which is what people want, and people sometimes like to go a little bit deeper or darker in the winter."
Tempted to try the trend yourself? Here's everything you need to know about cherry cola red hair…
WHO DOES CHERRY COLA RED SUIT?
When deciding whether cherry cola will complement a client, Joe takes several factors into consideration.
"It's based on the client's skin tone in terms of what variation of cherry cola red we're going for," he explains.
"All colour is personalised, so you can have a warmer red or mahogany, which is going to suit some people more than having a violet or blue-based red, which I would say is more like Dua Lipa."
You can also vary the vibrancy of the colour from a subtle undertone that shines in the light to a more intense red.
Joe thinks more vibrant colours work particularly well with directional haircuts, citing Lily Allen as an example. The pop star-turned-actor has repeatedly switched her bob hair from blonde to brunette to various shades of red over the last few years.
"If someone has a geometric haircut or a short box bob with a short fringe, those elements are quite artistic so you can push the boundaries with the colour," he explains. "Cherry cola looks great on curly and textured hair as well. It can transform your whole image."
As with any major colour change, you should first have a thorough consultation with a colourist, who can assess your hair and offer their expert advice.
HOW TO GET THE CHERRY COLA LOOK IN SALON
The dyeing method for cherry cola red will vary according to your base hair colour and how long you want the colour to last.
"You can have a non-commitment colour which is a gloss," says Joe. Also called a glaze, this type of toning treatment deposits colour on the cuticle and lasts around 20 washes.
For more permanent colour, a stronger dye is used to give brown locks a vivid cherry tone, while lighter hair shades may need to be dyed brunette first.
Joe explains: "If you're platinum blonde you might need to pre-pigment the hair, which means filling it in with the undercoat that was lost when the hair was lightened, to create a stable base."
HOW TO MAINTAIN CHERRY COLA COLOUR
Whether bright or dark, red shades often fade quickly and cherry cola is no exception.
"You have to think about how many times you're shampooing it a week, what shampoo you're using, are you blow-drying it? Are you tonging or straightening it?" Joe says.
"These are all factors that will draw the colour out. In terms of upkeep I recommend the Shu Uemura Color Lustre, Oribe Beautiful Color and Davines Minu ranges. Davines also have a red shampoo and mask in their Alchemic range which is good for topping up the colour as well."
Heat protection spray is essential to prevent colour from seeping out and Joe also recommends coming into the salon for a top-up gloss appointment In between your main colour appointments.
"A gloss will inject the colour back in and add shine," he says. "We work with Redken Shade EQ, which is an acidic range. It shuts the cuticle as the colour is being deposited, locking it in and giving the hair shine."
A pop of colour
When Dua Lipa serves such fabulous hair inspo, it's not hard to see why the cherry cola craze has taken off in 2024.
Glossy, dark red locks can be incredibly flattering, you just need to find the right shade to suit your eyes and skin tone, and stock up on colour-protecting products to keep your cherry cola looking fresh.
Ready for a taste of cherry cola red? Book your next colour appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
