Additional reporting by Gwendolyn Row.
Are you getting a hair makeover for the new year or “shopping” around for a new hair colour to jazz things up?
The good news is that hair colour trends in 2021 are looking pretty lit.
Here are hair inspo seen on our favourite celebrities, as well as trending images on social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, that you can take from, before you make an appointment with your stylist.
Related: 20 affordable hair salons for colouring services to visit
1. Hair colour trends 2021: Rogue Red
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Admit it, we were all obsessed when we first saw Anya Taylor-Joy’s rogue red hair in the Netflix drama miniseries The Queen’s Gambit.
The “Beth” look (Anya’s character’s name in the show) is one of the most popular terms on search engines and social media platforms, which sends us a clear message of how her iconic hair colour is going to also be one of the biggest hair colour trends in 2021. After all, nothing says confidence and power like a head full of bright and fiery red locks.
But note that this shade may be a little high maintenance for those of us with dark locks, so you’re likely to need trips to the salons once every few weeks and proper hair care products, such as a colour-protection shampoo, to keep the colour poppin’.
2. Hair colour trends 2021: Pastel Pink
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Dua Lipa showed off her DIY pastel pink hair when she on quarantine last year and the shade has been quite sought after ever since. If you haven’t had the chance to try this look, the good news is that it will continue to trend this year.
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It looks good on all hair lengths and can take you from edgy streetwear to feminine flowing dresses seamlessly. What’s not to love?
3. Hair colour trends 2021: Black tea
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Milk tea brown hair may be one of the hottest trends in 2020, it looks like it’ll be taken over by the black tea hair colour in 2021. Colour a colour reference, simply think about your Oolong tea without milk.
Seen on A-list Korean celebrities including Suzy Bae and Blackpink’s Jennie, the dark shade imitates natural Asian hair colour while the brown tones give dimension to the look. A good colourist will be able to use this colour to create the illusion of healthy, shiny hair that’s natural-looking but never boring.
Best part? We love that this is also the easiest to maintain and allows you to get creative with trendy hair accessories.
4. Hair colour trends 2021: Lavender Grey
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Is this brown? Purple? Ash? Lavender grey hair present a sort of optical illusion – in a good way.
While lavender is typically a bold look that turns heads, it doesn’t necessarily fit into every corporate dress code. The good news is that the new lavender grey shade is a lot more toned down especially under indoor light, so there’s a good chance HR won’t come after you.
However, under sunlight, the purple tones show up in an eye-catching way without being too over-the-top.
It is no wonder this is primed to be one of the hottest hair colour trends in 2021.
5. Hair colour trends 2021: Chunky highlights
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We saw Blackpink’s Jennie made dyed fringe a thing last year and since then there has been more attention turned on chunky highlights – which is also an evolution from the face-framing money pieces look that was super trendy in 2020.
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Bringing back the 90’s chunky highlights that frame your face perfectly, this look can also go wilder as you pick more dramatic colours such as blue and silver.
6. Hair colour trends 2021: Mushroom blonde
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Blonde was having a big moment last year but we know many of us held back because we can’t imagine ourselves sporting such a bold colour.
The good news is that the platinum blonde trend has evolved this year to a more wearable mushroom blonde shade that blends hues of light brown, beige, and grey with an ashy tone. This multi-tonal hair colour is also more universally flattering and easier to maintain.
7. Hair colour trends 2021: Sapphire blue
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After IU came back with her new song Blueming and sported gorgeous blue tresses for its publicity, trendy Korean women followed suit and started asking for the colour at their salons too.
AOA’s Seol Hyun also went blue shortly after IU, cementing the sapphire blue shade as a legit hair colour trend that you shouldn’t overlook.
