7 Hair Colour Ideas You Need to Know For Summer 2024

One of the key trends we've seen all over the red carpet has been the almost white, platinum blonde. Coined crystal clear by Tom Smith, the celebrity hair stylist known as "The Hairvoyant", it is a creamy cool blonde which is ideal for those with lots of white or grey tones, or for anyone who intends to get super friendly with their hair colourist this summer. This look is not for the fainthearted as it will need lots of attention to ensure it stays this hue.

"The success of this shade is almost entirely down to the 'lightening' stage of your salon visit," explains Smith. "Your colourist must lift your hair brightly and cleanly and tone the hair minimally to achieve this creamy crystal finished result. If you have natural grey hair, using an advanced colour formula which lifts the scattered darker hair you have while preserving and minimally toning the natural whiter areas will give the most beautiful sparkly clear result with super minimal maintenance required."

To keep it in check, purple shampoo will be your best friend as this will counteract any orange or brassy tones, however less is more according to Smith. "Be sure to only use it from time to time," he tells PS UK. "And in the case where there is a risk of toning too much, use it as your first shampoo in a dual shampoo process to ensure any excess is removed with the second wash."

This deep brunette has a neutral, rather than warm, undertone, making it look ultra-expensive and luxurious. "This show stopping brunette is for our clients who love to stay on the dark side through summer," says hair stylist Stephane Ferreira from Live True Salons. "It's ultra rich but cool tone, gives it a deep dark charcoal appearance."

If this is for you, it's best to ask your colourist for an all-over tint to achieve this charcoal hue, which is dark but not black. This ensures it still has a glossy, rich finish. If you already have ultra dark hair, you can try a cool-toned balayage to create dimension and movement.

Sunflower blonde is summer's interpretation of spring's syrup blonde — think even more glowy and buttery and you're on the right track. It is the perfect golden blonde shade, which incorporates multi tonal hues using highlights and a deeper all over tint.

"Clients are starting to move toward something more expensive looking with more warmth," says Nick Fletcher-Holmes, Goldwell Global Ambassador. "It comes from the huge "Girl's World" trend, leading on from the Barbie explosion last year."

"The tones are entirely golden with a real focus on shine and vibrancy," says Smith. "Gold tones can suit and lift a variety of skintones, and work well to lift one's complexion and make the hair look extra healthy — a great trick if bleached hair is looking dull or tired. Ideal on warmer skintones of all depths which is what makes it a great choice for summertime."

Last year's Barbie Blonde is this year's Shadow Blonde. Yep, the move towards a rooted blonde is welcomed by most who spent much of the last year having to attend regular root touch-ups. This lived-in blonde, is ideal for those who are naturally on the darker blonde, or light brown side of the spectrum as it plays into their natural colouring and means far less salon visits (and expensive highlights). "The depth and shadows are becoming more popular with the 'lived in blonde' look taking centre stage for the summer," explains Smith. "Ask your stylist to add a 'shadow root' to your blonde colour appointment and combine with some gentle balayage at the tips."

Be warned that you will still need to take care of your blonde, as the colour will fade or start to look brassy if you don't look after it well. "This shade means you can go longer between salon visits, but be sure to take care of the condition of your hair in between," warns Smith. "Regular applications of serum on the ends and weekly use of masks and bond builders will ensure you can maximise the longer life span of shadow blonde."

Are you bored of the clean-girl aesthetic yet? Nope, neither are we, and its influence has now taken over the hair colour world too it seems. Loved for its neutral, classic styling, clean girl has been a key trend in beauty for a few years and this pared down brunette shade is ideal for those who want to embrace their natural brunette locks in 2024.

"This is a great option for those who prefer a more understated hair colour shade and can be achieved with a total all-over colour or with very subtle sunkissed dimension," explains Smith. "The key here is the subtlety, with a neutral tone - no excess ashyness or warm tones. Unlike springs 'taupe brown' which was a cool-neutral, this is easier to wear."

If you're not ready to part with your cherry cola or red hues, then fear not. Lived-in colours are due to continue well into the second half of 2024.

"In recent years, more 'lived-in' colours have gained popularity across various hair shades, including blonde, brunette, and copper. Customers are often requesting softer, more natural roots with their chosen colour," Sophie Cabell, hair stylist at House Of Keune by Bloom explains.

However, this doesn't mean you can just leave your colour and hope for the best. "Achieving the desired lived-in look typically requires professional expertise," she explains. "The process often involves highlights and a root stretch technique, seamlessly melted into toner for a natural finish. Due to the intricacy of the technique and the need for specific products, it's generally best to visit a salon for optimal results."

According to Christel Baron-Hough at Stil Salon, the go-to shades for this look must be super soft, simple and natural. Think pine blonde, organic wheat, almond white and ribbons of rustic pale brown, all combined to create a dream-like canvas of home-grown, blonde hues. "The aesthetic for the Dream Girl blonde trend is all about lightness, movement and fluidity," explains Baron-Hough. "It's both practical and playful."

The technique for this colour trend is a hybrid of foiling and surface colouring. "Highlights create lightness and texture, while the surface colour adds dimension and flow to the hair," she explains. "Roots are incorporated and blended for a natural boho finish and tones are carefully blended with a seamless weave technique from the base to the ends."

One of the key aspects of this is it suits lots of different skin tones and as it incorporates the roots it doesn't require strict maintenance appointments so ideal for summer.

Lauren Ezekiel is an associate editor at PS UK, where she writes about all things beauty and wellness. With a degree in journalism and 12 years' experience as a beauty editor at a leading Sunday supplement, she is obsessed with skincare, hair and makeup, and is often found offering advice to innocent bystanders. Her work has been published in Grazia, OK, Health and Beauty, The Sun, ASDA, Dare and Metro.