Cuts and colors you’ll reach for when mornings are cold.
High-maintenance hair? Not this season. Winter 2025-2026 is ushering in a new kind of ease: haircuts that don’t need a ton of styling, warm colors that still look great months after, and an all-natural glow. Here’s what it looks like in salon chairs, according to experts.
Haircuts with a bit of texture are setting the tone this winter. According to Manchester freelance stylist Rebecca Johnston, there is a clear trend among clients asking for bobs and pixies, getting fringes, or favoring textured cuts in general. “Guests are feeling braver with their hair and loving the bob haircuts, whether that’s a nice jaw-length square bob with a bit of texture or even a bixie cut,” she says, referencing celebrities such as Demi Lovato and Kristen Stewart as good examples for the bixie shape.
@lewringhair
Texture is equally important for curls and coils. Kira Byrd, who is a licensed barber and stylist at Curl Centric, notes that the layered bob with soft face shaping is getting a lot of demand. “This type of cut looks most beautiful on curly and coiled hair types as it adds bounce, movement, and definition without losing the volume of the hair,” Byrd explains. She terms it “the most asked about haircut I am getting this season” and further explains that the layered shoulder-length shapes make the styling process less complicated during the colder months.
@officiallysandy__
Hair color is warming up right in time for the chilly weather. Johnston observes a clear appetite for toned-down coppers that are more brunette than fiery, and rich chocolate-browns rather than ashy shades. “People are genuinely embracing warmer tones even with blondes as well: adding some lowlights to blonde hair can actually make your blonde look even brighter!” she notes.
@hairby_michellesavic
Byrd concurs with the change in demand, pointing to cinnamon brown, honey blonde, and deep copper as the most popular choices among her clientele. “Curls tend to look as if they have an all-natural glow when using these warmer colors, and they tend to pop even better in the softer winter lighting conditions,” she observes.
@slickback_buttahtoast
Data from recent research by hair extension provider Milk & Blush supports the salon trend: searches for dark, rich browns have increased by nearly 24% over the past three months. That mix of warm color palettes and low contrast is in line with the season’s demand for shades that look good as they get older.
Stylist testimony points firmly to color that grows out without obvious lines. Celebrity stylist Chaz Dean says that he always guides clients toward the less maintenance techniques that provide longevity, and he flags chunky, full-head highlights as out because they require too much maintenance.
Byrd notices more requests for soft balayage and tone-on-tone blends instead of high contrast highlights. These techniques result in softer regrowth and require fewer salon touch-ups during the winter when hats are worn, and the hair is more prone to drying out. “My clients’ focus is now on getting a warm and deeper look instead of creating a lot of contrast, which works well with the textured cuts that are currently trending,” Byrd says.
@loveyourstylistholly
Dean states that glass hair is not going anywhere and predicts that 2026 will be the year we see the natural hair pattern and texture fully embraced. Hydrated curls, conditioned waves, and smooth strands that catch the light in motion define the new take on glass hair. Treatments that boost moisture and reflective topcoats are replacing the ultra-flat, mirror-finish aesthetic. The new glow feels healthy and lived-in rather than lacquered.
@khhairleicester
This winter, hair is relaxing its standards. Cuts are textured, color runs warmer, and shine looks like it belongs. For ideas on the most flattering shades to try this season, head to our feature on winter hair colors.
