What Is Calico Hair? Meet TikTok’s Newest Viral Hair Color Trend

TikTok is often ground zero for bold new hair color trends, and right now, calico hair is among the app’s most viral looks. Inspired by the multicolored coats of calico cats, this look involves applying three or more distinct hair colors—typically red, blonde, and brunette—to different sections of the hair. Unlike traditional highlights or balayage, the calico hair color trend isn’t about creating a seamless, natural-looking blend. Instead, the 2000s-inspired look is chunky and, at times, intentionally patchy, making it perfect for those aiming to make a statement with their hair color.

Whether you’re new to the calico hair trend or are looking for a way to rock the edgy look yourself, keep reading. Ahead, we’ll share everything you need to know about calico hair, plus tips on how to recreate the bold look for yourself.

What Does Calico Hair Look Like?

As we mentioned, calico hair typically features a mix of three contrasting colors, most often blonde, red, and brown. Placement can vary: the classic calico hairstyle typically pairs a medium brunette base with chunky copper and platinum streaks, but you can also incorporate the three colors with balayage, ombré, or peekaboo highlights—the choice is yours.

While the red-blonde-brunette combo is the most common, there are several variations on the calico hair color trend. For example, some people opt for softer tones like rose gold, cream, and auburn for a more muted effect, while others lean into the look’s high-contrast appeal with vibrant, pigmented hues, such as vibrant copper and jet black.

Is Calico Hair High Maintenance?

Like any multi-tonal color, calico hair requires some upkeep, especially since different shades fade at varying rates. Red hair colors tend to fade out the fastest, while darker tones like brown and black generally last longer. This means your color might shift slightly over time, and touch-ups may be needed to keep the contrast sharp. Making a few changes to your haircare routine can help your color (or rather, colors) last longer.

How to keep calico hair looking vibrant

Anytime you color your hair, there are a couple of things you’ll want to do to help your new hue go the distance. First, swap your regular shampoo and conditioner for a color-safe (or, better yet, color-preserving) duo. We like the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Shampoo and Conditioner, which help to seal in color vibrancy for up to eight weeks. Try to lather up a bit less frequently than you normally would—say, every other day instead of every day—and use lukewarm water when you wash your hair, as hot water can accelerate fading and dry out your strands.

It’s also a good idea to lean on heat-free hairstyles when you can (like hot water, hot tools can strip your color). If you must heat-style your hair, be sure to prep your strands with a heat protectant first. The L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture 21-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner is an excellent pick: not only does it help protect strands from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, it also smooths, hydrates, detangles, and boosts shine.

Finally, remember that touch-ups are a necessary part of any hair color transformation. Unless you’re rocking a rooted look, we recommend touching up your color every four to six weeks to blend regrowth and keep your look fresh.

How To Get the Calico Hair Look

Learning how to do calico hair like a professional, admittedly, requires a bit of patience. Because the look involves applying three colors to your hair, rather than one, it can be time-consuming to create. However, calico hair is possible to DIY—you just have to be up for the challenge (and have the right hair dyes on hand). Here’s an overview of the process.

Step 1: Select your colors

Before getting started, you’ll need to decide on the three colors you want to use. For a classic calico hairstyle, we recommend opting for a deep black-brown base with platinum and auburn highlights. If you’d rather try a slightly softer take on the trend, try a medium-brown base with butter blonde and copper streaks.

Step 2: Lighten your hair (if needed)

If you’re starting with brown or black hair, you’ll need to lighten the sections of hair you want colored red and blonde. To start, determine where you want your highlights to be. Then, carefully section your hair to separate out the pieces that need to be lightened. Once you’re set, you can go ahead and lighten those strands with an at-home bleach, such as the L’Oréal Paris Colorista At-Home Hair Bleach & Lightener. Be sure to follow the application instructions on the box to a tee to ensure an even, seamless application.

If, on the other hand, you’re starting with blonde hair, you can skip the lightening process. You should still, however, section your hair, as the next step involves applying your chosen dyes.

Step 3: Apply your calico hair dyes

Once your hair is light enough for color, you can go ahead and apply your calico hair dye (or dyes). For the red streaks, we love a bright, vibrant copper, such as the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Copper Crave. Pair the bright, copper-orange hue with platinum blonde streaks and deep, espresso brown ribbons. For the latter color, we love the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes in Natural Soft Black. Different hair dyes can have different processing times, so you’ll want to read the instructions on each box of dye you use closely before setting a timer. If your dyes have different processing times, we suggest dyeing your mane one color at a time to ensure a clean and vivid result.

Step 4: Process and rinse

After applying your chosen color(s), set a timer for the amount of time indicated on the product packaging. Once time’s up, hop in the shower and rinse your hair well with cool water. When you’ve finished showering, gently squeeze any excess water from your hair and let your strands air-dry. Or, apply your favorite heat protectant and treat yourself to an at-home blowout to show off your bold new look.

Calico Hair Variations To Try

The chunky highlights characteristic of the classic calico hairstyle are gorgeous, but there are other ways to rock this edgy trend. Keep scrolling for a few of our favorites.

Calico balayage

Balayage is a highlighting technique that involves hand-painting individual strands of hair to create an effortless, lived-in effect. The technique can take time to master, especially if you’re adding multi-colored highlights to your hair. So, unless you’re a seasoned pro, we suggest leaving your calico balayage in the hands of an expert.

Calico money pieces

If you want to embrace the calico hair trend but aren’t quite ready for the commitment, try dipping your toe in with money pieces. These chunky highlights are focused solely around your face, so you don’t have to dye every strand of hair to get the look. Before coloring your hair, test-drive the look for a day by coloring a one-inch section of hair on either side of your part with contrasting temporary hair dyes, like the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up in Red and the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up in Light to Medium Blonde.

Calico ombré

The ombré technique involves painting your roots and ends a different color, then blending the hues together near the mid-lengths to create a soft gradient of color. You can adapt this popular technique for the calico hair trend by leaving your natural brunette roots intact and adding a vibrant red shade at the mid-shaft that gradually lightens to blonde at the ends.

Peekaboo calico hair

Peekaboo hair is perfect for those who love the calico hair look but want to be able to tone it down, too. This technique involves only adding highlights to the underside of your hair. When your hair is down, it’ll appear all one color. Once you put your hair up, however, the peekaboo highlights emerge, lending a playful pop to your otherwise classic look.

Pastel calico hair

You don’t have to stick to the classic red, black, blonde color scheme if you don’t want to—calico hair can work with nearly any contrasting hues. For a playful twist on the trend, try pairing a medium brown base with platinum and baby blue highlights.

Who Can Pull Off Calico Hair?

Calico hair isn’t tied to one hair type, length, or look—it works on straight, wavy, and curly textures, and looks just as cool on short bobs as it does on long layers. It’s also completely gender- and age-inclusive. What really matters is your personal style and how bold you want to go.

If you’re someone who likes to experiment or wants something that feels different from the usual color options, calico hair could be a great fit. You can go all-in with high-contrast, chunky panels or keep it low-key with softer tones and more subtle placement. It does take some upkeep, but if you’re into creative, expressive looks, the payoff is well worth it.

Next Up: How To Do Chunky Highlights at Home

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris