The Experts Have Spoken—These 12 2023 Hair Trends Are the Only Ones That Matter

I've been thinking a lot about what 2023's hair trends will be. In 2022, we saw '90s-inspired blowouts make a comeback (we're looking at you, Dyson AirWrap), and with long post-lockdown hair reigning for a while, so many went for the chop, whether it was for the mixie (a hybrid of the mullet and pixie cut) or the boy bob. Color-wise, we saw the revival of '70s blonde, and with so many celebrities going red in 2022, hair salons were seeing every shade being requested in the chair, from glossy copper to deep cherry. After a couple of years of being deprived of our beloved hairdressers, it was only right that we took the plunge and experimented with our hair, right?

So what does 2023 have in store? So many influences feed into hair trends and what we ultimately head into the salon for. We're still here for a certain effortlessness when it comes to our hair, whether it be through a hair-coloring technique like balayage that grows out beautifully in between appointments or the perfect haircut that suits our face shape with minimal styling. On the other hand, hairstyling tools have become must-haves, with TikTok tutorials filling our For You pages to achieve bouncy and glossy hair.

To find out which hair trends will dominate 2023, I asked the top hairstylists, colorists, and all-round experts to share their predictions on which hairstyles and hair colors will reign this year.

1. Candlelit Brunette

If you want to take blonde hair darker or brunette hair lighter, then no other hair color can hold a candle to this trend in 2023. "Candlelit brunette has a brunette base color featuring golden highlights," says Seniz Alkan at Neville Hair and Beauty for L'Oréal Professionnel. Worn by the likes of Hailey Bieber, Zendaya and Kaia Gerber, this golden color quite literally glows amber in the sun. Combining rich and warm tones, it complements all skin tones and is low-maintenance, too.

"Across the board, so many of my clients are going darker, and everyone is showing Hailey Bieber as inspo," adds Sara Casiddu, colorist at Hari's for L'Oréal Professionnel. She recommends reverse balayage to achieve some darker lowlights through the lengths of the hair. "The reverse balayage is a big trend and one that's set to stay. From blonde to bronde using lowlights, keeping the face framing lighter but warmer, and finishing with a glossing service at the end to add shine," she says.

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2. The Bixie

The mixie cut took center stage last year, but for 2023, we'll see the bold short haircuts continuing, predicts Robert Eaton, creative director for Russell Eaton Salons and technical director for Wella Professionals. "Haircuts with strong shapes are going to be a key statement in 2023," he says. "Expect a wide range including short crops, bobs or simply haircuts that work with natural curls and movement."

Domenico Casella from Neville Hair and Beauty for L'Oréal Professionnel agrees on this hair shift. "The bixie, which is a mix between the bob and pixie haircut, will also gain momentum among the bravest of us," he says. The hybrid haircut allows you to experiment with a shorter length and can grow out seamlessly into a bob (see Florence Pugh). We're turning to Charithra Chandran and Bella Hadid for bixie inspo.

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3. Uptown Blonde

Blonde is back in a big way for 2023, but this time around, it's high-maintenance, polished, and expensive-looking. "When you think of glamour, you think Hollywood blonde," says Zoë Irwin, creative director at John Frieda Salons. "We've grown up with Hollywood blonde, but now, the association of glamour has shifted. It's now the '90s yellow blonde," she says, explaining that creamy yellow blondes are in big demand right now. "It's uptown because it is a high-maintenance look, so after a couple of months, a root will appear, so it becomes an entire new type of color look. To maintain this, you'll need to be in the salon every three to four weeks," she adds. 

Giuseppe Stelitano, creative director at Trevor Sorbie for L'Oréal Professionnel, has also noticed this '90s blonde trend and how it can also be less high-maintenance if you can't make it to the salon every couple of weeks for root touch-ups. "The highlights can be way more personalized, working more to frame a guest's face or keeping some of the depth in the roots as guests still want low-maintenance color," he says. "It can be bespoke— just a touch-up or lots more blonde applied but a bigger amount of color contrast between shades."

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4. The Bob

It's no surprise that the bob makes it into the top hair trends year after year. After all, it's less of a trend and more of a timeless haircut. Whether it be cut to the cheekbones or jaw-skimming, a bob is a haircut that will always be bang on-trend—not to mention totally chic. However, we can expect fringes to add a modern touch for 2023, says Casella. "Any kind of fringe goes; baby, long, parted in the middle… The fringe is what will make the bob look different next year," he predicts.

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5. Liquid Brunette

The brunette equivalent of uptown blonde, liquid brunette sees impossibly glossy hair that's healthy and shiny. "Super-shiny and glossy hair is going to be a key look in 2023," says Eaton. In-salon glossing services and at-home treatments are key for maintaining that high-shine finish, helping to add depth and gloss to your natural hair color or add dimension and luster to colored hair too.

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6. The Shag

It seems our adoration for '70s-inspired cuts isn't going anywhere for 2023, with hairdressers predicting that the shag haircut will be continuously popular next year. Hari's creative director, Craig Taylor, is in agreement. "The '70s Coup Sauvage/shag through to the '80s mullet that has become the neo-mullet/wolf cut, which is still a strong request because of its flattering combination of face-framing layers and versatile length," he says. "This allows the cut to work on most hair types and face shapes. It is low-maintenance, as it encourages and enhances the hairs natural movement, too." Helena Christensen and Selena Gomez show us how to make it modern.

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7. Auburn Hair Color

Red hair color isn't going anywhere for 2023—and hair colorists agree. "Something else I'm starting to see requested a lot in the salon is auburn red shades," says Stelitano. "From red to copper, more guests who have previously had balayage in the summer but now in colder months want richer and warmer tones are choosing these hues. There is definitely a lot more going on with red and guests experimenting with these shades, especially after Kendall Jenner went copper a couple of months ago," he says.

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8. The Mullet

With '70s haircuts continuing to prove popular, Mason Josh, senior stylist at Hari's for L'Oréal Professionnel, predicts the mullet to continue in popularity in 2023. "The big trend I am increasingly seeing in the salon stems from the previous trend of 'done but undone' hair," he says. "A mullet at a basic level is a super-layered haircut, with the layers really short and contrasting with a longer length. I am seeing people want a real 'wash-and-go' type of style that they can dress up or dress down." Low-maintenance hair? That's something we can get on board with.

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 9. Bamboo Blonde

Jordanna Cobella, Wella ambassador and creative director of Cobella Salon, tips bamboo blonde as one of the biggest hair colors for 2023. "Taking inspiration from the calming natural materials such as bamboo and their intricate texture, this light golden blonde features two-dimensional tones of warmer beige and light oat milk, seamlessly interwoven in the hair," she says. "Much like the tweed blonde trend that dominated in [F/W 22], bamboo blonde is incredibly popular because the tones are so fluid there are no evident lines," she adds.

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10. Cocoa Lights

If you want to add dimension to your brunette hair, then look no further than the cocoa lights trend. "Think of faux tortoiseshell and highly polished walnut wood, and you have this rich brunette trend," says Cobella. "Featuring a mixture of golden, creamy tones contrasting against a warm chocolate, cocoa lights is the luxe hair trend for 2023. To make my clients' facial features pop, I like to add lighter tones of cognac or caramel around the perimeter of their face, drawing attention to their eye color and cheek and jaw bones," she adds.

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11. Palm Springs Pink

Among the more neutral hair color tones, we're seeing an injection on fun come spring and summer in the form of pastel pink. "In 2023, I think we'll see more clients experiment and embrace more romantic nurturing neutral tones such as pastel pinks and marshmallows," says Cobella. "Palm Spring pink is a great way for clients to express their confidence and sensuality. What I particularly love about the Palm Spring Pink is that clients can experiment with this shade without the worry about long-term commitment, especially as Wella Professionals Shinefinity service doesn’t lift your natural base color," she says.

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12. Lunar Blonde

Think of a golden full moon, and you have some the moonlit blonde hair color trend. "Ethereal and light-reflecting are the two buzzwords for this pure blonde look," says Cobella. "Reminiscent of moonlight, this creamy, clean blonde tone isn't as icy as a traditional platinum blonde, as it contains a small amount of gold woven through the hair," she says. To prevent it becoming too icy, Cobella recommends asking your hairstylist to add a touch of golden toner to your hair color. And, as with any light blonde hair color, it's important that you care for your bleached lengths. "Between salon appointments, it's important to look after the health of your hair with regular bonding masks such as Wella Professionals Wellaplex No3 or Fusion Repair Mask," recommends Cobella.

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Up Next, We Just ID'd Spring's Most Anticipated Hair Trends, and Yes, You'll Want Them.

This story originally appeared on Who What Wear UK.