With covid-19 restrictions over, it’s business as usual for the beauty industry. Salon chairs, red carpets and music festivals are back to pre-pandemic levels, with consumers eager to look and feel their best. For many beauty enthusiasts, hair color is a prime extension of self-expression.

Hair coloring sales rose 3.6% to $1.67 billion for the 52 weeks ended January 29, acccording to Circana data inclusive of grocery, drug, mass market, convenience, military and select club and dollar retailers.

Men’s hair color sales rose 8.6% in the past year. Combe's Just For Men’s remains far-and-away the leader in the category, but L’Oréal is the brand to watch. It made huge gains—sales rose by a whopping 5,953.7%. The beauty giant rolled out a competitor to Just For Men last summer L’Oréal remains the dominant player in women’s hair color, too.

Splat tops the unisex category. For more data on the haircolor marketplace, see the chart here.

Hollywood Hair, Innovative Toners and 2023’s Trendiest Colors

In February, Garnier Nutrisse tapped actress Drew Barrymore to serve as brand ambassador. She debuted in a creative campaign highlighting the brand’s new-and-improved Nourishing Color Crème formula featuring five fruit oils: avocado, olive, shea, argan and coconut oil. A self-professed DIY hair dyer, Barrymore said she used the brand’s shade selector tool to locate her most flattering shade, 70. The “illuminated brunette” shade is trendy and provides optimal gray coverage.

Jamie Mazzei, creative director for NuBest Salon & Spa in Manhasset, NY, said so far this year, hybrid hair color is trending. Why? It is a practical, low-maintenance choice.

“Hybrid hair color has really made a presence in 2023,” he told Happi in a recent interview. “Hybrid hair color is all over color with lighter highlights dispersed throughout the head. The look has a high shine finish giving it a luxe feel. It is gaining popularity due to the fact that it is gorgeous color without the typical damage and upkeep.

To provide celebrity examples, he cited actress Zendaya, who stars in HBO’s hit teen drama “Euphoria,” as well as model Hailey Bieber’s “illuminated brunette.”

In-line with the illuminated brunette look, L’Oreal Paris released the Preference Balayage Collection. Available in medium brown to dark brown, dark blonde to light brown and light blonde to dark blonde, it gives natural blended highlights at home with an expert applicator and pro toning mask to achieve a multidimensional and natural-looking balayage, said the beauty brand.

“The application process in any balayage technique is the most important,” said Jonathan Colombini, L’Oréal Paris creative director of style and color. “L’Oréal Paris’ new ‘Expert Touch Applicator’ has been adapted for all hair types and has been designed with two different bristles for superior results and more precise application.”

The pro toning mask was designed as an all-over toner with emphasis on the roots for a natural-looking smoky root smudge effect that Colombini said mimicked the natural darker (at root) to lighter (through ends) look “that would normally happen in the environment or at the beach.”

“It is a continuation of the movement away from full-time hair commitments,” explained Mazzei. “Hybrid color is shiny with sparkles of light, it is multi-faceted. This works with a strong base color and pops of slightly lighter tone. This allows the hair to have a different look with every turn of the head, a hybrid. It allows the hair to be in better condition and requires less maintenance. This is what clients want post-pandemic. Hybrid hair color is beautiful for blondes, brunettes and redheads, so everyone can enjoy trying it.”

The 95th Annual Academy Awards also saw winning looks on the red carpet this year. Standouts included Eva Longoria and Andie MacDowell, both of whom are L’Oréal Paris spokesmodels. To achieve an “elevated and sophisticated” hair color, Longoria’s hairstylist, Ken Paves, touched up her color using L’Oréal Paris Excellence Crème in Shade 4 Dark Brown. MacDowell’s hairstylist, Ben Skervin, applied L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss using shade Silver as the actress embraced her natural color.

“Targaryen Blonde” is another trendy color in 2023. This platinum blonde, which can be cooler or warm like Taylor Swift, requires regular maintenance at-home or in-salon.

“This type of blonde requires regular maintenance, both in-salon and at home. At home, you can keep your color looking fresh by using Celeb Luxury Gem Lites ColorWash Color Depositing Shampoo and Celeb Luxury Gem Lites Color Depositing Conditioner with BondFix Bond Repair,” said Mazzei. “It is a semi-permanent direct dye that is a glaze right in your shower and can lengthen time in between salon visits keeping your blonde hair color looking its best every day without any brassiness.”

To preserve that vibrant color, Mazzei recommends Celeb Luxury Gem Lites Colorwash and Conditioner to keep hair color from fading. The duo contains BondFix, which helps to strengthen the broken bonds in hair from the inside out, and a semi-permanent direct dye—something he likens to a toner in the shower.

“They have a vast color range and all of their shades can be intermixed,” he added of the vegan and cruelty-free formulas.

Matrix introduced Tonal Control Pre-Bonded Gel Crème Toner. It’s the brand’s first acidic gel-cream demi permanent line with real-time visible oxidation. The collection includes 17 glossing and toning shades, which are said to provide long-lasting, multi-dimensional results that yield healthy, shiny hair. What’s more, the color-coded formulas and packaging allow for creativity: blue is for cool ash reflects; purple for cool violet; green for neutral jade; tan for neutral warm; and pink for warm red. The no-drip formula, which lasts up to 24 washes, was created based on the challenges stylists face; specifically, toners’ unpredictable nature.

“Stylists spend so much time lightening hair, and then end up over-toning,” explained Matrix US General Manager Carrington Cole. “At Matrix, we wanted to find a way to solve the over-toning issue for stylists, which led us to Tonal Control. It’s our first acidic gel-cream with real-time visible oxidation which means it gradually darkens as it processes so colorists never have to worry about over-toning a client again!”

Hair darkens following treatment with a toner because the hair becomes more porous following a lightening service, making hair absorb color faster than virgin hair. This, coupled with toners’ fast oxidation, creates a challenge for stylists as the hair gets dark, fast, according to experts.

“With New Tonal Control, we wanted to create our most predictable toners yet, giving stylists the confidence to tone without fear,” said Cole. “This revolutionary formula features Real-Time Visible Oxidation technology, allowing Tonal Control shades to gradually deepen as they process, so that stylists know exactly when to rinse for the best results.”

‘Bond Ambition’ Paul Mitchell wants stylists to break up with breakage that occurs during lightening and permanent color services. Its new bond-strengthening system, Bond Rx, contains a patented silicone-protein bond-building technology that targets weak and damaged bonds. Its heat-activated system crosslinks them to restore strength and resilience to the hair fiber. The two-step professional treatment comes in a Bond Rx Shampoo that creates a rich, creamy lather that cleanses without weighing hair down; a Bond Rx Conditioner inclusive of a lightweight formula that helps restore fragile strands and leaves hair softer and more manageable; and a Bond Rx Treatment comprised of an ultra-rich mask that strengthens and smooths hair’s protective layer. The Bond Rx 2-Step Professional Treatment is designed for use with lighteners or permanent hair color, or used as a standalone treatment.

According to Michelle O’Connor, Matrix global artistic director, bronde (a blonde-brown hybrid) will be the color for 2023. Other popular shades will include robust reds, honey blondes and buttercream. Platinum blonde is also trending, says Matrix Global Brand Ambassador George Papanikolas. He said Tonal Control is a perfect way to achieve the color.

“I love Tonal Control because it allows you to personalize your clients’ highlights/color by neutralizing or correcting unwanted tones, or enhancing desired tones,” he said. “This creates a modern and sophisticated tone-on-tone finish, which is perfect for platinum blondes. The pre-bonded formula gives maximum shine and no-lift for a complete controlled end result.”

Champagne Blonde with a Kiss of Rose has been proclaimed the hair color of the year by Redken. The brand’s new Shades EQ Bonder Inside Gold Rose Family can help achieve the look with three shades: Sparkling Wine, Blush Spritz and Golden Fizz. The color features a blend of gold and subtle rose.

“As we transitioned from platinum blonde and cool tones to rich, warm golden blondes, we found a beautiful happy medium with champagne tones blondes,” explained Redken Brand Ambassador Philip Foresto. “I would summarize the rose gold family as rich, warm summer blonde. While it is not a rose tone in nature, its warm tones act as a filler on most blondes, resulting in a natural rich blonde. Unlike other color lines, Shades EQ Bonder Insider has a Triple Acid Complex of citric acid, taurine and erythorbic acid. That helps reduce the alkalinity that occurs during a lightening service, leaving clients’ hair feeling healthy and soft.”

In March, views for mushroom blonde hair on TikTok grew +110.9%, according to Spate, indicating a rise interest for cool-toned hair colors.

‘Strong Panels of Color’

Luis Gonzalez, the new color director on Aveda’s North American Artistic Team, said bold, in-your-face hair color choice will triumph over soft shades in 2023.

“I think the biggest coloring trend in 2023 is going to be bold, strong panels of color, an ode to the infamous Rachel from the early 2000s and mix of Ginger Spice,” he said. “We are going to be seeing a new array of tonalities when it comes to hair color: rich magenta tones in browns and spicy paprika hues in red and coppers. Blondes are going to be rich in gold tones as well as rich milk tea blonde. To style these panels, people are going to be wearing their hair sleek and straight. I believe we are going to be seeing a lot of flat-ironed hair.”

Emmy nominated hairstylist Rukey Styles, known for her work on movies such as “Sneakerella” and “Batwoman” said the mullet is back! To dress up the look with color, Styles recommends a “peek-a-boo.” This technique describes color that is applied to the bottom layer of hair. When fingers are run through the hair, the hue beneath “peeks” through the top layer of hair to reveal a pop of color.

Appropriate for musical festival goers, or consumers whose lifestyles align with outrageous hair color, göt2b released its Metallics permanent hair color line in Ultra Deep Red and Purple Night. The bold duo is formulated to last in dark, textured hair.

With the highly-anticipated summer flick “Barbie” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, Barbiecore is said to be another memorable and trendy color for 2023. It is described as a pretty pastel pink or vibrant fuchsia. On the heels of Warner Brothers’ release of the movie trailer on April 4, searches for “blonde hair dye” skyrocketed 157%, according to Flaunt Your Fashion. Searches for “Barbie style” also rose 142% globally, in addition to searches for “pink clothes” and “Barbie’s signature color,” which rose 174%.

This trend took over the runway during Paris Fashion Week earlier this year.

To get consumers to “think pink,” Not Your Mother’s released the shade as one-eighth of the Love for Hue Semi-Permanent hair color range. The bold pop of color lasts for four to six washes. The color can be customized with the Love for Hue Mix Me Shades to create a warmer pink mixing it with Copper Blaze or a cooler pink with Silver Linings.

Empowered DIYers Prevail Post-Covid

Colombini has styled the hair of Iggy Azalea, Cindy Crawford, Kylie Jenner and other bold face names. But, he’s noticed all consumers continue to feel like empowered DIYers when it comes to hair color.

“Balayage is a top service at the salon,” he told Happi. “Post-covid, we’ve seen more people empowered to DIY. The new L’Oréal Paris Preference Balayage kit creates those perfectly blended highlights and luminous salon-inspired highlights that are now easy to create at home.”

On the topic of easy coloring, Paul Mitchell in March launched Paul Mitchell the Color 10, a collection of permanent hair color with a 10-minute processing time. The product was designed with professional hair colorists in mind to turn extra minutes into added revenue by accommodating last-minute clients. With eight shades in three color families, Paul Mitchell the Color 10 is formulated with the lowest amount of ammonia required to provide “slight lift” and up to 100% gray coverage in 10 minutes. It is ideal for level 3 to 7 clients with 40-60% gray, according to JPMS. Color 10 shades include natural (brown to tan background color and no added tone); natural warm (brown to tan background color with a soft, warm golden tone); and natural gold (brown to tan background color) with a visible amount of gold that delivers “butterscotch blonde” results.

Another brand aiming to make at-home coloring process seamless is Schwarzkopf Keratin Color. The long-lasting color boasts up to 100% gray coverage and K bond-plex technology for up to 80% less breakage compared with hair not treated by the product. The three-step system includes a Protective Pre Color Serum; Color Cream with Keratin-Complex; and K-Bond-plex Conditioner.

Also fueled by the DIY spirit is Sally Beauty. Inspired by the intrepid DIY hair colorists of the covid-19 pandemic, the brand opened up a DIY hair salon and concept store, Studio By Sally, on March 23 in the retailer’s headquarter city, Denton, TX. Shoppers will find professional-quality hair color and beauty products and can participate in hands-on education through an innovative teaching concept in which licensed stylist-educators help consumers select the right product and teach them proper application from all-over color to root touch-ups.

“Consumers today are creative and savvy,” said John Goss, Sally Beauty president. “They know they can achieve great hair at home and are hungry for knowledge to help them do it.”

He continued, “It’s in our DNA to empower consumers and help grow their confidence when it comes to coloring and caring for their hair. We created Studio by Sally to help take them to the next level in their DIY hair journeys.”

Sally Beauty plans to roll out five more studio locations by year’s end.

Also in March, Clairol launched “It’s So Me,” its first global hair care campaign in five years. “It’s So Me” is the creative unveil for what has been a multi-year effort to transform Clairol for a new generation since the brand joined The Wella Company, a Happi International Top 30 company, in 2020.

Atira Clear Color Sheets Connecticut-based hair colorist Michelle Jacoby is seeking to revolutionize the highlighting and balayage service with her latest patent-pending innovation: Atira Clear Color Sheets. Presented at the International Beauty Show in New York City earlier this year, the plastic, reusable clear color sheets serve the dual role of reducing the heaps of foils jettisoned in salons after hair coloring services while helping the colorists take the guesswork out of hair that is fully processed with the help of transparent sheets. Secured together with clips and available in three sizes, the color sheets, named Atira after “earth goddess” in Native American, can be easily washed with water and drip-dried and ready for reuse. With the exception of a few scratches, they don’t have a shelf-life provided the colorist takes proper care of them. Each box, which contain 25 pairs of sheets, retail for $60 on clearcolorsheets.com.

Featuring a collective of nine women and creators, the campaign underscores its modernized strategy of connecting to individuals across a spectrum of ages and demographics. Each woman featured represents a unique segment of the at-home color consumer, yet together are connected in a much larger community of color and beauty lovers who see their hair color as a choice, not a birthright, and a reflection of their true inner selves, according to the brand.

While hair color was often equated to socio-economic status, there has been a recent shift toward a more inclusive and diverse definition of beautiful hair color. Evinced by trending TikTok videos, DIY beauty is elevated and celebrated more than ever.

“It’s So Me” highlights the Clairol portfolio, including Nice’n Easy permanent hair color, which has been part of the brand’s product portfolio since the 1970s, along with new innovations for 2023. These include Natural Instincts Bold, Blonde It Up Crystal Glow Toners, and Root Touch Up Spray 2-in-1. The products address gaps in the current market including the upkeep of color between salon appointments, blonde hair maintenance at home and bolder shades for color explorers.

Clairol partnered with Amazon Prime Video for the new TV series “Daisy Jones & The Six,” based on the book by the same name, which features a host of envious hair looks consumers can recreate at home using Clairol shades. The partnership was chosen for its connection to Clairol’s trailblazing history and has been amplified via creative inspired by vintage 1970s Clairol ads from the Daisy Jones era, driven by paid media, alongside a robust influencer program and earned media.

“Step by step, we have been remodeling our business to better serve today’s consumer,” said Marlene Lotter, global senior vice president of Wella’s Retail Hair Division.

“And while much of that transformation to-date has been happening behind the scenes, ‘It’s So Me’ is the first time our consumers will see this refresh in our masterbrand communications.

“We are pulling from the brand’s storied past of breaking boundaries and modernizing our message and approach to encourage at home hair color enthusiasts to have fun with hair color on their journey of self-discovery.”