The 15 Best Winter Hair Colors for Sweater Weather

Getting your mane ready for sweater weather means shedding the shades from summer and fall to welcome gorgeous, wintry hues! This guide is packed with the best winter hair colors that incorporate the latest trends and color techniques. 

From cool blonde root melt balayage to warm chestnut brown with auburn highlights that sparkle, you’ll find tons of color options that are absolutely perfect for the chill of winter in this guide! 

The Essential Keys to Winter Hair Colors

• Try slightly deeper or darker shades for winter
• Choose your winter color camp: Cool or warm shades
• Add dimension with subtle balayage, highlights, or lowlights

Winter hair colors give you a chance to transition your mane for the cool, chilly temps of winter and try out a new color or shade.

If you’ve been stuck in a color rut – keeping the same color for a long time and feeling hesitant to try something new – transforming your hair with a new, flattering color for winter is the perfect excuse to step out and do something different with your strands. 

For winter hair colors, we usually go slightly deeper or darker with hair color to really channel those cozy winter vibes. But dying your hair for winter doesn’t mean you automatically have to go dark brown (though there are some really trendy brunette shades we love for winter!). 

Pretty winter colors can be blonde, brown, red, or black – the key here is opting for a shade that’s slightly deeper in tone than your current color.

That means as much as we love brilliant, shimmering platinums and baby blondes, winter isn’t really their time to shine. Instead, winter hair colors embrace a little more depth and shadow.

Working in multiple colors of various shades using trendy balayage, subtle teasylights, gradient ombre color, highlights, or lowlights will take your winter color over the top and make it look super luxe. 

Some of the hottest winter colors we’re seeing this year include the following shades:

• Blonde: Deep golden, medium ash, dark beige blonde, bronde
• Brown: Chocolate, chestnut, dark espresso, mahogany brown
• Red: Deep auburn, dark golden copper, red-violet burgundy, merlot red
• Black: Raven black, violet black, cafe noir black-brown

Planning out your seasonal color change is so much fun. We love how winter hair colors can reflect the chilly, snowy weather with cool, icy tones. Or, go the opposite direction and embrace the inviting warmth we seek indoors with golden and fiery tones in deep shades of brown and red! 

It helps to see photo examples of the different winter hair colors trending this season, along with helpful tips for choosing ultra-flattering shades that are just right for you. Keep scrolling to get all the info and inspiration you need to nail the perfect wintry hue! 

15 Cozy, Cute Winter Hair Colors to Try

Don’t miss these cute and cozy winter hair colors this season! We’ve compiled the latest color trends for the coldest months of the year, from dimensional brunette shades to cool and golden blondes and everything in between. 

See the hottest colors for winter and get inspired for your seasonal hair transformation below! 

1. Cozy Browns

The best brown colors for winter are medium to deep browns with rich undertones of gold, red, or bronze. Chestnut, espresso, bronze, golden, and milk chocolate brown tones are all gorgeous options for winter. 

Chestnut Brown

Rich like the color of reddish-brown chestnuts roasting on an open fire, this warm color is ideal for wintry weather. Chestnut brown is similar to auburn with more brown tones and less red. It seems to glow from within with fiery warmth! 

Espresso and Bronze Balayage

Deep espresso brown works so well with a lighter bronze brown tone to brighten it up slightly. If you’re currently rocking a blonde balayage, just layer on some bronze color over your highlights to get your hair winter-ready! 

Medium Golden Brown Teasylights

Dark chocolate brown is the base color and medium golden brown teasylights lift the overall shade for a little brightness. Teasylights keep the color transition super-smooth and subtle. Choosing similar shades just 1-2 levels apart like this will give a rich, natural-looking winter color.

Milk Chocolate Brown

Milk chocolate is a medium brown color that makes it easy to go deeper in tone for winter without going super-dark. It’s dimensional and shiny, showing both cool and warm undertones for a balanced hue that works for most skin tone and undertone combos. 

2. Wintry Reds

Reds offer such a welcome, vibrant tone for the often-dreary winter months. They sparkle with life and energy that other colors can’t quite imitate. From medium auburns with tons of dimension to dark copper tones, see how red can be a beautiful choice for the winter season. 

Medium Auburn

Choosing a medium shade of auburn gives you some of the hearty depth that’s perfect for wintry color, but leaves a little brightness to reflect light for dimensional color. We love this medium, rich auburn shade for the chilly months! 

Deep Auburn

A slightly deeper auburn includes more brown in the mix, making for a rich and developed color. This shade exudes the dark, cozy side of winter combined with the warmth of a crackling fireplace. Opt for a few subtle dark copper highlights around the face for extra dimension! 

Darkened Copper Sombre

Similar shades like dark copper and auburn make for a gorgeous sombre (subtle ombre) color with so much fiery warmth and shadow. Rich, violet-red and brown auburn tones dominate the roots here, while copper color brightens up the ends nicely. 

Cool Brown With Copper Blonde Teasylights

It’s rare to see cool browns paired with warm copper, but this look pulls it off! A medium mocha brown base color adds shadow and depth while medium copper blonde teasylights around the face to add brightness and warmth.

3. Frosty Blondes

Blonde isn’t usually the first color you think of when it comes to winter hair colors, but it can definitely brighten up the long, dark winter days! Make sure to choose blonde tones that suit your skin’s undertones and keep the shade slightly deeper to invoke the feel of winter. 

Dark Ash Blonde

Dark ash blonde has a pearlescent gleam that is so attractive for wintertime! An ash brown root melt adds more depth to the color while letting the shiny, prismatic deep blonde tones shine through. 

Dark Golden and Beige Blonde Ombre

When you pair a warm golden blonde with cool-to-neutral beige blonde, the results are beautifully unique with balanced warmth and coolness. It’s not too bright with a darker golden blonde color on top, and the shimmering beige blonde ends really make the look. 

Caramel-Honey Blonde Balayage

Deep, warm blonde tones like caramel and dark honey really shine during the chilly season. These colors have golden and reddish undertones that add a lot of “flavor” to the blonde so it’s anything but flat and one-dimensional. Work these colors in with balayage over a brown base for winter. 

Golden Bronde

Bronde blends blonde and brown tones for a unique hue with a light-to-medium depth. This shade blends dark golden blonde with light brown for a slightly warm undertone that absolutely shines in the winter. 

4. Icy Blacks

Black is a neutral color in its truest state, but we’re big fans of playing around with subtle undertones to add dimension and a pretty, iridescent sheen to black color. From violet black to bluish raven black, here are the shades that work well for winter. 

Violet Black

Rich, inky black color with a subtle violet undertone is perfect for winter. Adding a few barely-there dark violet highlights a shade or two lighter than the rich black base takes this look over the top! 

Black With Dark Chocolate Highlights

There’s a fine line between black and brown, but this inky winter hue balances both colors with subtle dark chocolate brown highlights! Bold, shiny black color is a nice foundation for a little warmth in the form of deep chocolate brown highlights that add dimension and make the color sparkle. 

Raven Black

Raven black is inky with hints of blue undertones that make it iridescent like the color of a raven’s feathers. It makes a gorgeous, sultry wintry hair color if a deep black shade suits your skin tone and undertones! 

Choosing Winter Hair Colors That Suit Your Complexion

There are so many trendy winter hair colors to choose from this season – where do you even start?! Your complexion can tell you which colors will look best on you and help you narrow down your options for wintry color. 

Match the Color to Your Undertone Temperature

Your undertones aren’t always obvious at first glance. Undertones are the subtle colors that tint your skin and make your complexion unique. You can have pink, blue, olive, yellow, peach, or golden undertones. Knowing what color your undertones are will help you pick out the most flattering winter hair color for your complexion. 

• Warm undertones – yellow, peach, or golden – you should choose warm hair colors for winter (and other seasons). Warm colors have gold, red, bronze, or rosy undertones and include shades from this guide like golden and caramel blonde, auburn, copper, golden brown, and chocolate brown. 
• Cool undertones – pink or blue – you should choose cool hair colors for winter. Cool colors have subtle blue, purple/violet, silver, or ash undertones that lend the shades an icy effect. Shades from this guide like raven and violet black, dark ash blonde, cool and espresso brown, and very dark auburn will work well for you. 
• Neutral undertones – olive or olive/yellow – you can rock both cool and warm colors for winter. Try any color that appeals to you, but know that blending a little warmth with a touch of coolness will give you the most flattering results. Shades from this guide like cool brown with copper blonde teasylights and espresso brown with bronze balayage will work beautifully on you. 

Choose the Depth With Your Skin Tone

Your skin tone is less important than your undertones when choosing a flattering winter color, but it still counts for something. Your skin tone is how fair or dark your skin is. 

You may have fair/light skin that is porcelain or ivory colored, burns easily, and rarely tans; medium skin that is golden, tans easily, and sometimes burns; or deep skin that is deep golden brown, tans easily, and rarely burns. 

Unlike your undertones, your skin tone can change as you spend time in or out of the sun. In winter, your skin tone often gets a little lighter. 

• If you’re fair/light-skinned, you should lean toward light and medium colors for winter. Dark blondes, light browns, and medium browns are all good options for fair and light skin tones. 
• If you’re medium-skinned, you can choose almost any shade of color for winter. Lighter shades may wash you out a bit, but you’ll totally rock medium and dark colors during fall and winter seasons. 
• If you’re deep-skinned, medium and dark hair colors are your best bet for winter. Going too light all-over with your winter color will look less natural and may wash you out. Opt for highlights or balayage if you want to rock a little blonde this winter, but stick to medium chocolate, ash brown, dark auburn, chestnut, or dimensional black shades for all-over color.

You Might Also Like:

• Best Hair Colors for Neutral Skin Tones
• What Hair Color Should I Get Quiz
• Best Hair Colors for Warm Skin Tones

Winter Color Tips and Things to Consider

Now that you’ve looked over the essential keys to great winter hair color, a few cute examples for inspiration, and tips to choosing great colors for your skin tone and undertone, you’re almost set! We have a few helpful tips and things for you to consider before you go. Read through to make sure you’re on the right track with choosing your next winter hair color! 

• Assess your hair’s health and condition first. Before you officially decide to go for a new winter dye, take an honest look at the condition and health of your hair. Is it moisturized, strong, and shiny? Or are you seeing split ends, tons of breakage, and a weak or straw-like texture? If you notice signs of damage, hold off on dying your hair and start a little hair rehab with hair masks, a trim, a pause on heat-styling, and gentle treatment of your fragile strands.  
• Determine your undertones with quick “tests.” Picking the most flattering color means knowing whether your undertones are warm, cool, or neutral. Warm undertones look better in gold, while cool undertones look great in silver. Neutral looks good in both. Warm undertones typically look best in off-white, while cool undertones shine in pure white. Finally, warm undertones have a greenish vein color, cool undertones see bluish purple, and neutral undertones may not see vein color at all. 
• Don’t DIY unless you’re a color pro. Some women get away with doing their hair color at home and get great results that look professional. Others…well, we’re not all cut out to be colorists, okay? Take your strands to a salon professional, especially if you want an advanced technique like balayage or teasylights. You’ll be glad you did, and the cost to dye your hair isn’t as much as you’d think. 
• Consider a gloss if you’re afraid to commit. If you’re eyeing a pretty new winter color but aren’t sure enough to commit with permanent dye, opt for a semi-permanent gloss instead. You’ll get to try out the deeper shade for a few weeks without chaining yourself to a permanent color that has to be bleached out later. 
• Find easy color transitions for less damage to strands. If you’re already rocking a cute balayage, highlight, or ombre color, have your stylist apply all-over color that will leave you with a pretty, dimensional look with less damage to your strands. Single-process color will look lighter wherever your current highlights are, so you’ll get slightly deeper-toned sections that work perfectly with your wintry look. 

Whether you’re planning on rocking icy-cool tresses or fiery warm color this winter, it’s amazing to see what a difference a new color can make! Try one of the trendiest winter hair colors and see for yourself why these unique, dimensional tones are currently in the spotlight. 

Your new color is sure to brighten the dreary winter, whether you’re trekking through the snow and braving frigid temps or snuggled up in your favorite blanket on a chilly night! And once you see how flattering the right winter color can be, you just might find yourself returning to it year after year.