If you didn’t know, winter is very much here. I’m talking about dark mornings, chilly temperatures and layering as many jumpers as you can possibly fit – Joey Tribbiani style.
And yes, while it might be tempting to go incognito under a scarf and hat combo until the frost starts to thaw again, chances are you’ll have a fair few festive parties coming up, for which, you’ll probably have to forgo the knitted bobble hat.
So pack away that questionable fedora and make an appointment with your hairdresser (or, if you’re brave, the at-home box dye kit), because I’ve rounded up the best winter hair trends that you need to know for 2023 – with a little help from the experts and celebrities sporting them.
Swipe and shop: Winter hair trends toolkit
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More winter beauty inspiration:
- The best hair curling tools for achieving 5 different styles this party season
- 6 party makeup looks to practice before the festive season rolls around
- 10 winter nail art ideas to take to the salon for the colder months
The best winter hair trends 2023
Looking for some inspiration to achieve that ‘New Year New You’ look? Find the hottest hair colour and hairstyle trends for 2023 below…
The Layered Bob
Layered, ’90s bobs are back in a big way. Just ask Jenna Ortega, who absolutely owned this look on the Golden Globes red carpet. It’s a little bit French and a little bit Lisa Rinna for sure, but with the release of That ’90s Show this year, we can see this look coming back in a big way.
Another great part about this look is its flexibility; you can go super short or let it skim your shoulders. Consult with your hair stylist about which length you’d feel would suit you best and make sure to ask for those layers. Flicked-out ends and a generous helping of texture spray are key to styling this look, as well as keeping a good amount of volume at the top.
Spritz Cool Girl Super Lift Root Boost by Sam McKnight onto your roots (damp or dry) and blowdry in the opposite direction to achieve a quick and effortless lift.
Bottleneck Bangs
“This season, fringes aren’t short or blunt but are long and soft, creating what we call a bottle or curtain shape,” says Neil Moodie, hair stylist and founder of the Neil Moodie Studio.
“The great thing about bottleneck bangs is that they are more versatile than a shorter fringe typically is, so more people feel brave enough to dabble. Ideally, bottle or curtain fringes should be worn in a centre parting, but this doesn’t mean side-parting fans can’t have a try too.”
For a Matilda Djerf-inspired ’70s twist on your bangs, a hot brush such as Revlon’s One Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer, £62.99, Sephora, will be your new best friend, giving you full, voluminous bangs in a matter of seconds.
The French Crop
“Soft, French crops are back with a texturized twist, and just a hint of length and elongation to the sides,” says Adam Reed, hair stylist and founder of Adam Reed London.
“Much like the iconic crop seen on stars of the Nineties, think of beautiful, dishevelled and grown-out pixie cuts, tucked behind the ears. This look still has real movement and softness, with a glossy, sexy, healthy and shiny finish.”
The key to achieving a ’90s model-esque pixie crop (aside from the cut) is having the right product. Keep Arkive’s The Scene Setter Hybrid Pomade, £10, Boots, to hand to create effortless texture while still allowing hair to have natural movement.
The J-ob (Jaw Length Bob)
“Bobs never go out of fashion, but what changes each season is the length,” says Neil. “For Autumn/Winter 22, the trend is to have a jaw-length bob, in varying textures and shapes, and this is great because it celebrates everybody’s natural hair.”
“On the catwalk, we saw it in many guises: with a centre parting, slicked, texturised, curly, tousled, wavy and even with a fringe, but either way the length was the same.”
‘90s Tendrils
Face-framing tendrils with an attitude, such as those seen on Bella Hadid and Laura Harrier, are perfect for winter and beyond.
Soft and wispy hair tendrils have been replaced by purposeful, chunky sections of hair at the front, styled with a wet-look finish to create a ’90s-inspired style.
Keep a Slick Hair Company Slick Stick, £15, Slick Hair Company, in your bag at all times to get that ’90s look. Thank me later.
Baby Light Balayage
“Baby light balayage is going to be really big,” says Michelle Sultan, creative director at Imbue.
“This involves finer pieces of balayage on the ends to accentuate the haircut. It’s great for people who haven’t had colour before but want to try something new; it’s softer as it grows out and also lasts longer, which is great on the pocket during the cost of living crisis.”
Prevent your blonde from fading faster than it should by using a sulfate-free shampoo such as Imbue’s Curl Liberating Sulphate Free Shampoo, £8.99, LookFantastic. Not only is this less stripping for dyed hair, but it’s also a favourite of our columnist Penny Whittingham due to its curl-loving formula.
Targaryen Blonde
Even if you aren’t an avid Game of Thrones fan, there’s no denying that the new series of House of Dragons has spread its influence far and wide, and yes, even into the beauty world.
While the ethereal platinum blonde shade synonymous with the show’s leading characters isn’t the easiest to achieve (you’ll definitely have to head to the salon for this one), it’s a look that will set you apart from the rest and one that fits perfectly with the season.
Once you’ve achieved your icy shade, keep it looking fresh and pearly with Amika’s 2-in-1 mask that repairs and tones blonde hair.
Copper Cult
The biggest colour trend of this year (and the one with an ever-growing celebrity fanbase) is undeniably copper. While the summer months called for vibrant oranges and strawberry blondes, for the winter months, we’re already seeing celebrities taking their hair darker with a copper hue.
“This year more than ever people are leaning into warm tones, which looks great on all skin tones and is less damaging than bleaching hair by going much lighter,” says Michelle.
Those with blonde hair will have no problem easily tapping into the copper vein, while the brown-haired among us can also achieve the trend; use a gloss or semi-permanent dye to add a warm chestnut hue through your lengths without exerting damage through bleach.
Barbiecore Blonde
If you somehow got this late into 2022 without realising that it’s the year of Barbiecore, well then let me be the first to tell you.
If Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie skating about with matching blonde hair wasn’t enough to convince you, even Gigi Hadid, who was a previous convert to the copper trend, has traded in her auburn-hued hair for a bright and unapologetic blonde.
Brownie Batter Brunette
First came glazed donut nails, and now TikTok has served us a new equally-as-delicious sounding beauty trend: brownie batter brunette. This colour blends muted brown tones with soft caramel hues for an expensive-looking finish.
“For more natural tones, blended brownie melts are trending, with grown-out colour that came from spending a lot of time at home during the pandemic where a lot of people loved the way their colour grew out,” says Sarah Potempa, celebrity hairstylist.
This look really shines with a bit of movement, so style it like Camilla Cabello and add some loose waves throughout your hair with Beachwaver’s Rotating Curling Iron, £119, Beachwaver, a curling iron with a rotating barrel that cuts out the extra arm workout for you, but still leaves you with enviable waves.
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