How to Get a Cold Brew Hair Color

From pumpkin spice to caramel latte, there’s nothing better than a coffee-inspired hair color. One of our favorites that’s worthy of a spot on the menu at your favorite coffee shop is cold brew hair. Keep reading for our step-by-step tutorial on how to try this hair color trend for yourself and how to change your hair care routine to keep your hair looking brew-tiful all season long.

What Is Cold Brew Hair?

Cold brew hair is a must-try hair color trend that mimics your favorite cold caffeinated beverage. The color technique looks similar to the beautiful color blends that occur when you mix coffee with a splash of milk and ice. The best part is that the look is totally customizable — just like your coffee. 

If you drink your coffee black, your cold brew is likely darker, mixed with reddish hues from melted ice. If you take your coffee with lots of milk and sugar, your cold brew will surely be light and sweet. It’s totally up to you which shade of cold brew inspires your hair color transformation.

Which Shade of Cold Brew Hair is Right For You?

As we mentioned above, cold brew hair is totally customizable and you can choose any shade you like. You can opt to match your hair color to your coffee order or coordinate your color to your skin tone — the latter would be our recommendation. 

A good rule of thumb to keep in mind when deciding on a hair color is to choose one with undertones that are opposite of your skin’s undertones. This means if you have warm undertones, go for a hair color on the cooler side and vice versa. If you’re not sure what your undertones are, turn to your veins. If your veins are blue or purple, you have cool undertones. If they’re green, you have warm undertones. 

What You Should Know Before Choosing a Hair Brew Color

Keep in mind that this hair color may be best done by a professional. While we love DIY hair color, a trained eye will be able to expertly place highlights and lowlights to create your ultimate cold brew hue, not to mention, they can let you know if the shade you want will work for your skin tone. 

If you have naturally dark tresses, keep in mind that you’ll have to bleach sections of your hair to achieve your desired color. Regardless of your starting shade, this hair color doesn’t require bleaching or coloring your roots, which means you can get away with more time in between touch-ups. 

How to Get Cold Brew Hair At Home

If you still want to try and get the look at home, grab a hair highlighting kit, like the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color or the L'Oréal Paris Feria, in your cold brew shade of choice. Follow the directions included with your specific kit (they can vary from kit to kit) and paint highlights onto your hair for a DIY caffeinated color.

How to Take Care of Cold Brew Hair

Just as with any new hair color, you want to use hair care products that are safe for color treated hair. Try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Repair & Defend Shampoo and the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Repair and Defend Conditioner. These cleansing products will help restore strength and brilliance to your locks. 

To give your hair some extra TLC, try a hair gloss, like the L’Oréal Paris Le Color One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss, to keep hair shiny and toned. It’s easy to use, just apply to damp hair while in the shower and rinse out after 15 minutes for a glossy mane. 

Next: How to Get Red Velvet Hair, the Latest in Hair Color Trends

Edited by: Shannon Stubbs, Photo Credit: Hinz & Kunst Hair Salon @hinzundkunst