How to Sweeten Up Your Holidays With Toffee Hair Color

Whether you find yourself craving a slice of the red velvet hair trend or dreaming of a zesty cinnamon shade, a dessert-inspired hue may be just the upgrade your hair color is calling for. The latest treat, a toffee hair color, is no exception and its golden undertones rival that of gorgeous caramel hair.  

A toffee hair color can satisfy your need to be seasonally festive while making over your strands with dimensional, rich and luminous hair color. So, if you find yourself tempted by this sweet fix like us, read on as we share how to get a toffee hair color at home, plus how to upgrade your routine to care for this confectionery hue.

What Is a Toffee Hair Color?

The toffee hair color trend is inspired by the sweet, caramelly candy it’s named after. It typically features a brown base that’s intensified with a mix of varying golden, caramel and red-brown highlights, resulting in a mane with swirling dimension and warm colors. The shade is completely customizable and just as flattering on a dark brown base, an auburn base and even as all-over hair color that resembles the bronde hair color trend with golden undertones. 

How to Get a Toffee Hair Color 

If you’re interested in trying out the toffee hair color trend, you can do so by heading to the salon or by turning to a DIY at-home hair color kit. If you’re leaving it to the pros, make sure you bring plenty of inspiration pictures to ensure your colorist knows exactly what toffee hair color variation you’re seeking.

1. Toffee Brown

This take on the trend veers more toward the brunette side and it involves a dark brown base with medium and light caramel brown tones mixed throughout. For all-over toffee brown tresses, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color Hi-Lift Gold Brown or the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Light Golden Brown.

For toffee brown highlights with more distinct ribbons of caramel color, try the L’Oréal Paris Couleur Experte in French Éclair, the L’Oréal Paris La Petite Frost in Creme Caramel or the L’Oréal Paris Frost & Design in Caramel.

2. Toffee Blonde

Toffee blonde hair, on the other hand, features a medium brown base and it has golden blonde and light caramel brown strands woven throughout to create dimension. For toffee blonde color with sun-kissed, golden undertones, head to the drugstore and grab the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Dark Golden Blonde or the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Care Hair Color in Dark Beige Blonde.

For toffee blonde highlights, turn to the tried-and-true L’Oréal Paris Couleur Experte in Toasted Coconut.

3. Toffee Auburn

Toffee hair color has natural warm tones and pairing it with ribbons of copper and auburn is a gorgeous way to create your own spin on this season’s hottest hair trend — auburn hair color. For a harmonious mix of toffee and red ribbons of color, seek the help of the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Care Hair Color in Medium Reddish Blonde.

How to Care for a Toffee Hair Color

If you’ve decided to take the plunge into the sweet world of toffee hair color, here are some  maintenance tips that you’ll want to keep in mind. 

1. Use Shampoo and Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair 

A sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid will help to prevent your color from fading.

This reparative duo also works to strengthen color-treated and bleach-damaged hair inside and out by reinforcing weak hair bonds with the help of citric acid. It should come as no surprise that constantly coloring your hair can cause damage, so rely on this system to restore your hair while protecting against future damage.

2. Use a Weekly Glossing Treatment

To keep your toffee hair looking vibrant and glossy, incorporate a toning gloss like the L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Honey Blonde, into your routine once a week. In as little as five minutes, this toning gloss corrects lackluster and brassy color while deep conditioning strands. Think of it as a salon-quality treatment that you can do on your own schedule.

Another way to maintain your hair color is with a glossing shampoo and conditioner like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Glossing Shampoo, pH Balanced and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Glossing Conditioner, pH Balanced. This system is infused with argan oil to cleanse hair without stripping color, revealing silky, shiny and smooth strands.

It also includes an in-shower glossing treatment, the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Glossing In Shower Acidic Glaze, which helps to keep color-treated hair looking shiny and vibrant. First, cleanse your scalp and hair with the shampoo, then spray the in-shower glaze on wet hair and let it sit for one to three minutes, (do not rinse) and follow up with the conditioner.

3. Embrace an Au Natural Routine

You may already know this but using hot tools on a frequent basis can damage your strands and lead to lackluster, faded hair color. Put down the flat iron or blow dryer and indulge in a more low-maintenance routine by air-drying your hair. 

Those with wavy and curly hair can reach for the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Non-Stop Dreamy Curls Leave-in Conditioner to enhance their hair’s natural texture. If you have straight hair, we suggest the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate Free Simply Clean Midnight Color Care Serum to enhance shine and reduce frizz.

If the pull to your hot tools is too strong, being diligent with your heat protectant can make a huge difference in the health of your hair. We suggest the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Weightless Blow Dry Primer, Heat Protectant for wet hair and the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Frizz Killer Serum Leave-In for dry hair.

Next: 10 Gorgeous Highlight Ideas for Dark Brown Hair

Edited by: Reece Andavolgyi, Photo Credit: IG@/hairbykelseyk, Design Credit: Sarah Duvivier