The Hair Trends of 2026 Bring All the Drama

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You know what they say: everything in moderation. Well, they may have said that last year (and they don’t sound very fun, honestly), but in 2026, hair trends are all about going to extremes. No in-between colors or subtlety. No dipping your toe in the pool. We’re diving in.

Instead of Hollywood blondes or butter yellow, we’re expecting to see steely platinum with a silver sheen. Brunettes will lean into the darkest version with soft, silky black. No more subtle highlights. Instead, a full, single color drenching in your shade of choice. And not just long hair. Ultra, super-long hair that cascades to your waist (or butt—no one is stopping you). Or go in the complete opposite direction with a punky textured pixie.

From extreme lengths to full color commitments, the pros let us know what colors and cuts will be trending in 2026. Don’t be afraid to put your foot on the gas and speed a little.

Metallic platinum

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Metallic platinum is a frosty, super-cool blonde on a Tron motorcycle. “It has an ultra-reflective, futuristic, metallic finish,” says Fort Worth hairstylist Deisy Alfaro. “Metallic shades like this one will dominate 2026 as beauty trends lean into high-tech, digital-inspired aesthetics.” With trends like gilded lashes on spring/summer runways and Jenna Ortega making the rounds literally in metal, the cherry on top would be this liquid white-gold hair.

Ask your colorist for a double-process blonde with a violet-based toner for a reflective silver finish, says Alfaro. A gloss treatment on top couldn’t hurt. It will help protect that icy sheen.

Soft black

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There are cotton briefs, and then there’s slinky black lingerie from La Perla. Soft, silken black hair is the latter—sexy, mysterious, and luxurious. “Black hair done the right way is powerful,” says Dimitris Giannetos, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist who’s done Kim Kardashian and Demi Moore’s glossy black color. “It looks like liquid glass.”

New York City-based colorist Kirsten Stuke also expects to be mixing this black in 2026, but stresses the importance of avoiding stark, unnatural black. “This [trend] is the most natural-looking shade of black,” she says. “Unlike jet black, which can appear very intense, inky, or even harsh under certain lighting, soft black has subtle undertones. It’s usually a mix of dark brown or neutral hues that make it look rich but not flat.”

Color drenching

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If you’re thinking of making a big commitment (well, a color commitment), consider color drenching, where blonde is blonde, brunette is brunette, and red is red. No wishy-washy in-between. Color-drenched hair features “a single shade with ultra-subtle dimension or no dimension at all,” says Chicago-based colorist Rex Jimieson. It’s like what a child would produce if you gave them a box of crayons and asked them to color a person’s hair.

But just because it’s straightforward doesn’t mean it’s boring. “A single shade can restore shine and vitality to your hair,” says Jimieson, who recommends asking for a single-process color or tint with a glaze chaser. It gives confidence—like you know what you want and what you want is blonde (or brunette, or red).

Teak

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The copper hair pendulum has swung in every direction in the last several years. Peach, rosé wine, cinnamon, saffron. In 2026, we’re homing in on a warm, glowy teak. Not unnatural (is anyone born with peach hair?), but the yummy color your hair would be if you had 24/7 golden hour light. Or “like firelight through [a glass] of whiskey,” says Giannetos.

“It’s a golden brown base color with a honey-amber reflection,” explains Diana Mildice, a Chicago-based colorist. A deeper root color gives a little depth, while the amber glow catches the light in a romantic way. Mildice recommends asking for balayage with a root shadow and a gloss.

Grungy, grown-out color

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It's more than okay for your clothes to be a little wrinkled, for you to skip your Botox appointment, and let your color grow out. If you ask us—and the experts we spoke to—that's pretty rock and roll. “Grunge is in,” says Dom Forletta, a Los Angeles-based colorist. “High contrast has always looked good. It gives you that extra bit of edge,” he says.

Brian O'Connor, colorist and founder of Good Dye Young, agrees, adding that it's also a sign of what's happening in the world right now: “This look is ‘in’ because look at the economic and political times we are currently in," he says. “Maintaining anything outside of basic living needs for some isn’t a must at the moment, so not running to immediately touch up roots isn’t a high priority.”

Adding a bit of color, though, “can make the world feel brighter rather than any darker,” he concludes. You’ll want the primary color to be the lighter of the two—blonde, strawberry, or even bubblegum pink (a color that lends it even more of a punk rock, Manic Panic sensibility). If your hair is naturally darker, let it grow out in its own time. But if you have a show at The Monarch tonight and need the edge stat, ask for a root shadow.

Ultra-long

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Somewhere during our childhood, we were told that having long hair was magical. Just take a look at Rapunzel, Galadriel, and Sailor Moon—all mythical beings whose hair never tangled (only floated and glistened). We know short styles can be ethereal, too (see the next trend), but hairstylists say many people will let their hair grow (and grow and grow) in 2026.

We can’t promise you won't hit a knot or two (you’ll need a good detangling spray), but we can promise that ultra-long hair will make you feel like a fairytale. “It is by far the most popular hairstyle [for 2026],” says New York City-based stylist Devin Toth, who adds that the trend could be a recession response (salon cuts aren’t cheap) or simply that it suits all ages (long hair only for teens is so passé).

“Just ask your stylist to barely trim your ends and add a gloss and a conditioning treatment [for health],” says Toth. And while you may have to wait a while for natural length, you can always bring extensions to your stylist to cut, color, and seamlessly blend into your own hair.

Pixie

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One extreme begets another, so while some may opt for waist-length hair, others might find something just as magical in a spunky, textured crop. It’s the Tinkerbell to everyone else’s Wendy, and like the tiny fairy, this pixie is a bit more precocious than your average elvish royal. She’s playing tricks and masterminding love triangles.

Cropped close on the sides and back, you’ll want slightly more length on top, “with texture you can tousle,” says Los Angeles hairstylist Michael Dueñas, who, if it were up to him, might add a cheeky fringe, as well. “Cuts like this one can work on many people,” he says. “It’s more about attitude and tweaking the details.”

Blunt bob

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Someone once commanded a “cat eye sharp enough to kill a man.” This blunt cut is that, but in a bob. Falling somewhere between the chin and your lips, the edges of this sculpted trend are pristine, sexy, and, yeah, sharp. “Minimalist, sleek cuts are having a moment,” says Alfaro, who likens this cut to the quiet luxury trend. An Italian-made bag with no flashy logos.

Rodney Cutler, a New York City-based hairstylist, recommends asking your stylist to avoid layering completely and to texture the shape with “point cutting or a razor.” For styling, blow-dry with a flat brush or finish with a smoothing hair oil or serum to give it a little extra polish.

Long layers

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Adding long, bouncy layers to long hair is like doing the salsa: It adds sexy, swinging movement to your style. “It’s that ‘I didn’t cut it, it just grew perfectly’ illusion,” says Dusty Schlabach, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist. “When styled, it looks like silk. When air-dried, it feels effortlessly weighty.”

Ask for face-framing layers with lots of volume on top. It couldn’t hurt to mention a ’90s supermodel vibe, says Dueñas. “Many stylists immediately understand that to mean big, bouncy layers.”

Flippy French bob

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If a bob had a wink, a little kicked-out flip at the ends would be it. Sophistication up top, tipsy enough for karaoke on the bottom. The length might reach the jaw or settle just below it, and the ends curl out in a cute little C-shape à la Aretha Franklin or Jackie O. (Aretha definitely would have crushed karaoke in her day.)

“Once the length is established, the perimeter gets texturized to allow a natural, curved shape to take place,” says Chicago-based hairstylist Sanda Petrut. “A round brush or a straight iron can help with the curve.”

Meet the experts

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• Deisy Alfaro is a hairstylist, curly hair expert for Dippity-Do, and owner of Pixie Glam Studio in Fort Worth.
• Rodney Cutler is a New York City-based hairstylist, owner of Cutler Salons, and a Redken Pro brand ambassador.
• Michael Dueñas is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist and cofounder of Arove hair care.
• Dom Forletta is a Los Angeles-based colorist and Redken Pro artistic ambassador.
• Dimitris Giannetos is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist.
• Rex Jimieson is a Chicago-based colorist at Maxine Salon.
• Brian O'Connor is a colorist and founder of Good Dye Young.
• Sanda Petrut is a Chicago-based hairstylist at Maxine Salon.
• Kirsten Stuke is a New York City-based colorist at Suite Caroline.