Winter’s Biggest Hair Trends Are For Modern Romantics

Although the colder weather has already come knocking, the return of winter hairstyles can give us all something to look forward to in the chilly season. “Self-care turns inward when we spend less time outdoors,” says Drew Schaefering, hairstylist and creative director at Rob Peetoom Salon in Williamsburg, New York. “It’s a time to get rid of what is no longer serving us and edit our look before the next season,” he says. Your winter hair refresh can be about a bit more than just split ends.

Winter 2023’s biggest hair trends are all about adding health, depth, and romance to your everyday style. Frédéric Fekkai, hairstylist, and founder of haircare brand Fekkai, says the last few years of low maintenance styles are coming to an end. “After two years of on-and-off isolation, there is an appetite for glamour this year,” he says. Expect winter hair trends this year to be some-maintenance-required, but worth it for a beautiful, stylized new you. Here are the seven major winer hair trends that will dominate, according to the experts.

Winter Hair Trend #1: Candlelit Brunette

Booth calls winter’s new favorite brunette shade, “candlelit brunette”. What makes this brunette special is full array of low contrast tones that create a reflective dimensional finish—as if illuminated with soft lighting. Booth adds this trend extends to a range of hair colors from dark blonde or light brown to rich brunette. “Add mid-lights to your natural hair color in tones of toffee, chocolate, sable, and bronze, and it will come together as a glossy, blurred multi-tonal brunette that’s lit from within,” she says.

Winter Hair Trend #2: Birkin Bangs

Bangs have their moment every season but Fekkai’s personal favorite for winter are, “Birkin bangs,” which he describes as being long and wispy. “Long bangs give your hair bouncy movement,” says Fekkai. Reece Walker, hairstylist, colorist, and extensions expert, says adding heavy front layers and longer swept bangs give you a versatile way to play around with a new style. “It gives you something to play around even when you want to pull your hair back,” he says.

Winter Hair Trend #3: Bourbon Spice

Walker says there’s a new wave of blondes dipping their toe in copper hues, or brighter warm reddish tones. Booth calls this popular lighter red shade that plays off freckles and curls, “bourbon spice”. She says the color has a naughty but nice appeal: “It’s a playful look for those who want to embrace their inner defiant child and play up their unique features”.

Winter Hair Trend #4: The Butterfly Cut

Fekkai is recommending the butterfly cut for this season, after all it’s a modern take on the classic shag and the “Rachel” haircut that have been in the trend cycle for years. The cut is defined by the “butterfly wings, or shorter face-framing layers that hit at chin level and then blend seamlessly with longer layers that are shoulder length or longer. “It’s universally flattering for all face shapes and hair types,” says Fekkai, “and it adds incredible volume and texture to long hair”.

Winter Hair Trend #5: Smoky Espresso

If you already have naturally dark hair, now is your moment to take the shade to even deeper. “We’ve been seeing a lot of jet black hair in fashion lately,” says Booth. But for every day wear she suggests a slightly more complex, softer: “espresso is a dark brown that can read as black depending on the lighting”. Trend setters will love this hair color with bleached brows, for a look that’s straight off the runway.

Winter Hair Trend #6: Side Parts

Years after TikTok declared them cheugy, side parts are back with a vengeance for the upcoming season. When Kim K, Rihanna, and Megan Thee Stallion can all agree on a trend, you know it’s about to take over. So go forth and flip your part freely.

Winter Hair Trend #7: Botticelli Blonde

“I'm not seeing ash tones in blondes this season,” notes Walker, a blonde har expert, instead he’s seeing a trend towards creamy, bright, and sunny tones. Booth calls this trend “Botticelli blonde”, à la the Italian renaissance painter famous for the “Birth of Venus” featuring a warm-toned golden blonde. “It’s an extremely flattering color if you can reverse the brainwashing from the last couple of decades about how warm or brassy tones look bad,” she says. The warmth brings light to your complexion for a softer look.