Expensive Brunette: What To Ask For At The Salon To Achieve The Trend

Blonds may have more fun, as the saying goes, although anyone with darker hair knows that's not necessarily true. On top of that, there are plenty of other reasons to opt for hair that's a beautiful shade of brown. For instance, hairstylist Larisa Love explained to Byrdie, "Being a brunette is easier than being any other color because you don't need to lift exponentially, and brunettes fade slower." And that's just the start!

"Brunettes are mysterious and sexy," Jackson Heller, a stylist at Suite Caroline Salon in New York City, told Glamour. Heller also addressed a potential concern that those who have never dyed their hair brown before might be wondering about. "I think anyone can wear these colors as long as the level of darkness and the tone, whether it be warmer or cooler, are suited for your complexion." Fortunately, we have just the thing.

While you could always choose to show off delicious brownie batter hair or prefer a shade that boasts a hint of deep burgundy to add dimension, there's another attractive option that is chic, sophisticated, and utterly stunning. Enter: expensive brunette. This style is a dynamic look that's as luscious as it sounds. And we have a few tips when it comes to exactly what to ask for at the salon if you want to embrace this trend and take the depth of your dark tresses up a notch.

If you're eager to try out a hair color that is relatively straightforward but absolutely stunning, then you definitely need to consider this posh-sounding trend. You may not be able to resist when you discover some of the oh-so-alluring aspects. "Expensive brunette is a brunette hair color that is shiny, glossy, rich, healthy, and has purposeful dimension to it while keeping things simple yet high quality," hairstylist and colorist Jason Lee tells The Zoe Report. Beyond that, he noted, "Anyone can be an expensive brunette, but the healthier the hair, the shinier it will appear."

Of course, while the exact shades used for this effect will depend on your preference and what will be most flattering, there are a few key aspects that you — and your skilled stylist — need to capture. That includes achieving a highly shiny finish along with both highlights and lowlights. Matrix brand ambassador George Papanikolas further explained to The Zoe Report that "expensive brunettes should have an overall blended tone-on-tone effect, usually in the neutral and cool tones."

While the result should be captivating yet still look natural, Papanikolas explained, "The universal rule for highlights to be the most flattering is to stay within four shades of the base color. This allows dark hair to go lighter with a soft, sophisticated blended result, and no harsh contrast from the base color."

While it won't necessarily cost a fortune to nail this trend, you may end up looking like a million bucks thanks to your new hair. Beyond that, you should end up looking as good as you feel. "Gen Z are now more aware of their health and being healthy," Franck Izquierdo, the founder of the IGK salons, explained to The New York Times. "I see the healthy brunette as being the trend of the new year. Being behind the chair every day in my salons, I'm listening to my clients, and they also feel like brunette gives them more power and strength."

We have no doubt that you can be as brave, bold, and badass as you want to be, no matter what color your hair happens to be. At the same time, we also understand how our appearance can affect how we perceive and project ourselves. If having brunette hair makes you feel strong, then we think that's pretty darn awesome. You're also far from being alone if you're intrigued by this trend.

"There's definitely been a change in attitude as I see clients transition to darker, more luxurious hues," added Sharon Dorram, a colorist at Sally Hershberger. "Brunette shades tend to create a more mysterious vibe, so total transformations by blonds have been extremely trendy. It's similar to trying on another personality."