Are you thinking of embracing the ‘new year, new you’ ethos by heading to the salon for a hair revamp?
January is all about starting over, and now’s the perfect time to get creative with colour, go in for the chop – or both – and hairdressers are itching to help you transform your look with the latest trends.
We asked hair pros to predict the cut and colour styles we’ll be seeing everywhere this year…
1. The box bob
“Think Amélie meets Vidal Sassoon,” says Syd Hayes, celebrity hairstylist and BaByliss ambassador (babyliss.com), when describing the sleek, 1920s-style ‘box bob’ seen recently on singer and actor Lily Allen.
For Hayes, “This is all about a great cut!”
Wondering if you would suit such a short, sharp chop with a blunt fringe?
“The box bob is good for anyone with more delicate features,” says Peter Russell, senior stylist and colourist at Gielly Green (giellygreen.co.uk). “Styling-wise it’s very easy – just very slick and straight.”
2. Chocolate brown
Brunettes wanting to switch up their colour should opt for celebrity-inspired chocolate brown shades to enhance their natural tresses.
“As seen on the cool girl of the moment, Hailey Bieber, and our favourite Avatar star, Zoe Saldaña,” explains Rocky Vaqueiro Lago, senior colourist at Michael Van Clarke (vanclarke.com).
“This type of colour is ultra glossy, because these dark hair tones have amazing light-reflecting power, making the hair look healthy and expensive.”
Rather than all-over colour, Vaqueiro Lago suggests weaving in different tones: “I particularly like to personalise chocolate browns by adding some balayage or baby lights that are then blended with a slightly lighter shade of chocolate, making the hair look thicker and dimensional.”
3. Curtain bangs
“I expect fringes to make a comeback early in 2023,” says Michael Douglas, celebrity hairstylist and OGX ambassador (ogxbeauty.com).
“A lot of people think they don’t suit fringes, but they do – there is a fringe for everyone, it’s just about finding out which one suits your face shape.”
Luke Hersheson, CEO of Hershesons (hershesons.com), highlights curtain bangs as the hottest fringe style of the moment, meaning soft, sweeping locks that are parted at the centre or side of the forehead.
“They’ve got a really nice Seventies rock’n’roll feeling to them,” Hersheson says, listing model Georgia May Jagger and Wednesday star Jenna Ortega as prime examples. “They really help frame the face and sharpen the cheekbones.”
You don’t need a model’s looks to try the curtain bangs look, with Hersheson adding: “They’re really versatile – they basically suit everyone. And they’re not a big commitment like a blunt fringe.”
4. Buttery blonde
“This stunning buttery blonde shade will be everywhere next spring,” says Paco Latorre, creative director at Live True London (livetruelondon.com).
“It’s almost – but not quite – strawberry blonde, making it perfect for copper hair lovers looking to switch things up for summer. It works well on a number of hair tones, especially as a balayage on darker brown hair.”
5. Deep side partings
That’s right, the ubiquitous centre parting is finally on the way out, and side-swept styles are making a comeback.
“I see a deep side parting as power hair,” says Hayes. “It can range from sleek, straight glass-like hair with super shine, to big curls and attitude.”
How do you create the perfect parting? “I always advise with a deep part, start by taking it right from the corner of your eyebrow on a diagonal slightly back to the centre of your head using a pin tail comb,” recommends Hayes.
“Keep it sleek and use a styling gel only on the parting – ensure not to get it through the ends as you will want to use a hair dryer to the blast the hair into the direction you want, and finish with a straightener to get that glass-like polished hair.”
6. Copper continued
“Copper hair remains popular in salons, with clients asking for everything from full head copper to balayage and in every shade,” says Latorre of the colour that a slew of celebs (Kendall Jenner, Sophie Turner and Sydney Sweeney, to name a few) debuted in 2022.
“We expect this to continue into 2023, with twists on the shade for each season, such as a peachy shade in summer.”
Michael Douglas agrees: “A dusty copper colour will likely make an appearance in 2023 – a type of faded red colour, not a bright copper, but a more subtle washed look, following the trends we’ve seen previously.”
