The 12 most popular celebrity hair colours of 2018

Having your hair coloured can be a tricky business. With so many different colouring techniques and shade variations, it can be hard to have a clear picture of how you’d like your colour to turn out. That’s why taking a picture of a celebrity’s ‘do as a reference is the easiest way to ensure both you and your colourist are on the same page. But how do you know what colours are trending and which celebrity look to go for? We spoke to four of Sydney’s top hairdressers who revealed their favourite and most-requested celebrity hair colours this year.

Anthony Nader, RAW, Surry Hills

Gigi Hadid
“Without a doubt, Gigi Hadid’s look is definitely the most sought-after when it comes to hair referencing, and I think you can see why. Her hair has a naturally light base, which helps immensely when creating this combination of multidimensional colour,” explains Nader. He adds that what makes Gigi’s colour so popular “is the bold lightness and framing around [her] face, which adds dimension and makes complexions pop”.

If you’re looking to achieve the look yourself, Nader explains the secret is “precision sectioning around the front half of the head, backcombing larger sections and then applying colour and leaving the root area. I guess you could say it’s balayage that’s been taken to another level.” 

Jennifer Lawrence
Although practically all of JLaw’s various hair colours will have been used as a hair reference at one time or another, it’s her lower maintenance look that Nader sees most often. “What clients love most about her trademark colour is that it’s 100 per cent achievable.” Specifically, how her “darker, natural roots melt slowly and beautifully into blonde hues”.

Olivia Palermo
If Nader had his way, Olivia Palermo’s colour combination would win a Hollywood Oscar. Her look is achieved by ensuring the “darker brunette depth on the crown of her head flows through to the back,” before lighter shades of warmer blonde are added to the front half area. The trick to this colour, Nader explains, is all about “deepening the back half of the hair by applying a glossy semi-permanent, sprinkling in some weaved highlights throughout the front area and making sure there’s at least three different complementary shades that define the hair’s texture.”

Jordan Hone, Sloans Salon, North Sydney

Delta Goodrem
While Delta might be known for her signature golden locks, it’s her slightly darker colour that receives the most love at Sloans Salon. “A lot of our clients are loving that she has gone darker with her colour,” says Hone. “Her colour is achieved by adding lighter panels of colour on the sides to frame her cheekbones and jaw. A mix of two darker colours are then applied all over to achieve a multi-toned effect throughout the rest of her hair,” he adds.

Emma Stone
Although redheads often receive a lot of flak about their hair colour, it seems Emma Stone’s dark copper hue is now highly coveted. “Surprisingly, a lot of our younger clientele are opting for brighter or pastel shades of copper, apricot and/or peach tones at the moment and Emma Stone’s hair has been a real favourite,” says Hone. 

To ensure the colour applied doesn’t wash you out, Hone explains, “we look at the client’s complexion to determine how deep, bright or pastel we should go. L’Oréal Professionnel has a great selection of copper tones in a semi-permanent and permanent range, which makes my job a lot easier!”  

Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston is always going to be a popular celebrity reference because, according to Hone, clients adore how natural her colour looks. Her classic look “is achieved by applying babylight foils around her hairline to contour her face, before a lighter brown is added globally to the rest of her hair”. He adds, “a subtle contrast of lighter foils can also be applied underneath the hair, around the back approximately an inch away from the hairline. This is so that when the hair falls forward, you can see the lighter shades peeking through.”

Simon Bright, JONNY+JUNE, Paddington

Blake Lively
Blake Lively has been a top hair muse for close to a decade and that’s unlikely to change any time soon. According to Bright, Blake’s natural Californian balayage with face framing [highlights] to add brightness and glow is a colour request he sees on the regular. And after admiring her hue for so long, we can’t say we’re surprised.

Charlize Theron
Ever since Charlize Theron’s film Atomic Blonde hit screens in 2017, her iconic blonde shade has been consistently requested at JONNY+JUNE. Bright explains Charlize’s icy, ‘80s blonde is created by bleaching strands and using a neutral, milky toner rather than a silver one. 

Mila Kunis
According to Bright, those with darker hues are taking more of a subtle approach when it comes to colouring their hair, with many clients requesting Mila Kunis’ chocolate brown base with smudged caramel ombré ends. A colour Bright describes as “rich and luxurious”.

Aleks Abadia, Esstudio Galleria, Chippendale

Hailey Baldwin
Both Hailey Baldwin’s colour and cut are a popular choice at Esstudio Galleria, especially her 2016 hue that has “loads of blonde with texture and smelted roots,” says Abadia. If you’re unfamiliar with smelting, read up on the new colouring technique here. 

Gigi Hadid
While Gigi’s warm blonde is a popular choice at RAW in Surry Hills, it’s the model’s darker, slightly moodier colour that’s loved at Esstudio Galleria. What Abadia’s clients love so much about the look is how her natural-looking root colour is subtly enhanced with bright textured highlights.

Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell’s brunette hair with babylights is the colour of choice for those with darker hair in Abadia’s salon. The touches of caramel throughout the mid-lengths and ends add dimension and depth to hair. The positioning of the lighter shades are also perfect for those wanting to create a low-maintenance look. 

Now you’ve got your colour sorted, make sure you’re following these four steps for getting the most out of your blow-dry.

Which celebrity hair colour would you most like to try? Let us know in the comments below.

Main image credit: Getty

Inset image credit: Getty; @atomicblondemovie