Quick answer: the autumn and winter hair colours people are asking for this season are chocolate and cocoa brown, cherry and dark red, copper and auburn, caramel highlights on brown hair, and a softer, warmer winter blonde. Richer, deeper shades suit the colder months and grow out gracefully. Whichever you choose, keep it glossy at home with colour-protecting care such as Protective Shampoo, and refresh reds and coppers between appointments with Enhancing Color Pigments.
As the days get shorter, colour tends to go deeper and warmer. It's a practical choice as well as a pretty one: richer shades look glossy under winter light, and they're kinder to the skin tone changes that come with less sun. Here are the shades worth talking to your colourist about.
1. Chocolate and cocoa brown
Chocolate brown is the season's big one: UK searches for it peak in November. It's a rich, mid-to-dark brown with a glossy finish, from cool cocoa to warmer milk chocolate and mocha.
- Who it suits: almost everyone. Cooler cocoa and dark chocolate flatter cool and fair skin tones; warmer milk chocolate and mocha suit warm and olive skin.
- Ask your colourist for: a rich brown with a gloss, and say whether you want it warm or cool. Going darker is usually easier than going lighter, so it's a good move if you're growing out highlights.
- At home: brown loses shine before it loses colour. Use Protective Shampoo and Protective Hair Conditioner (HAIR Awards 2025, Best Shampoo & Conditioner for Colour Care), and finish with a drop of Liquid Crystals for gloss.
2. Cherry red and dark red
Deep cherry, wine and dark red are made for winter. They read as rich rather than bright, and look striking against dark coats and knitwear.
- Who it suits: cool and fair skin tones especially, and brunettes who want colour without going lighter.
- Ask your colourist for: a dark red or cherry over your natural brown, or red panels for something lower commitment.
- At home: red fades faster than any other shade, so aftercare matters. Wash with cool water, use the Protective range, and top up with Enhancing Color Pigments in Bright Red as it fades. Read semi-permanent red hair dye for how it shows on different starting colours.
3. Copper and auburn
Copper has been one of the biggest colour trends of the last few years, and it's at its best in autumn. Auburn is its deeper, browner cousin.
- Who it suits: warm and neutral skin tones, natural redheads who want to boost their colour, and blondes ready for a change.
- Ask your colourist for: copper for brightness, or auburn or copper-brown for something softer and easier to grow out.
- At home: copper goes flat and brassy as it fades. Refresh it with Enhancing Color Pigments in Fierce Copper and keep it glossy with the Protective Hair Mask once a week.
More in our copper hair guide.
4. Caramel highlights on brown hair
If you don't want to commit to one solid colour, warm caramel or honey highlights through a brown base give dimension and catch the light on grey days.
- Who it suits: brunettes who want brightness around the face without going blonde.
- Ask your colourist for: soft, blended caramel highlights or balayage. Not sure which? Read balayage vs highlights.
- At home: lightened pieces can turn brassy. Use colour-protecting care, and a toning product only if the caramel turns orange.
5. Winter blonde
Winter blonde is softer and warmer than summer's bright, icy shades: think beige, honey and the "old money" blonde, with a blended root that grows out gracefully.
- Who it suits: most skin tones, especially if summer blonde started to look harsh as your tan faded.
- Ask your colourist for: fine, soft highlights in a neutral-to-warm tone with a blended root. Read warm vs cool blonde for help choosing.
- At home: if yellow creeps in, use Cold Reflections Brightening Shampoo, our purple shampoo, sparingly, so you don't tone away the warmth. See how to get rid of brassy hair.
How to keep winter colour looking rich
- Turn the water down. Hot showers fade colour faster.
- Protect from heat. More blow-drying in winter means more heat; spray Heat Protection Shield first.
- Treat dryness. Central heating dries hair out, and dry hair loses shine. Use a mask once a week; see winter hair care.
- Wash a little less. Use Bodifying Dry Shampoo to stretch time between washes.
More tips in how to make hair colour last.
Frequently asked questions
What hair colour is best for winter?
Richer, deeper shades: chocolate brown, dark red, copper and warmer blondes. They look glossy in winter light and suit skin as it loses its summer warmth.
Should I go darker for autumn?
Many people do. Going a shade or two darker is usually gentler than going lighter, and it's an easy way to refresh grown-out highlights.
What is the most popular autumn hair colour?
Chocolate brown and copper are the most searched for in the UK this season, followed by cherry red.
How do I stop my winter colour fading?
Cool water, colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner, heat protection and fewer washes. For reds and coppers, top up with a semi-permanent pigment between salon visits.
Where can I get Insight colour?
Insight's professional colour is applied in the salon by trained colourists. Ask your colourist for Insight colour, and read more about Insight Incolor.
About the author
Charlotte Read has spent six years in the hair industry with Insight Professional and holds a First Class BSc in Business Management and Marketing. She writes with reference to real salons across social media and the wider Insight community, and draws on the Insight office team, who between them bring over 100 years of combined experience on salon floors.
Where technical expertise is needed, Charlotte consults Lorraine Matic, Head of Insight UK Education, who brings over 38 years of global experience in colour, technique and hair science.