Hair colourist’s one ‘golden rule’ for going brunette this summer

Being brunette is back in a big way, with one Hailey Rhode Bieber just the latest celeb to debut a rich, velvety espresso in place of her signature ‘bronde’.

As the northern hemisphere is set alight with the fiery hues of autumn, even the staunchest blondes are hearing the siren call of darker seasonal shades. But should those of us in the southern hemmy follow suit, and ditch our traditionally sun-bleached summer tones?

While ‘going darker for autumn’ is considered a fairly well-trodden cliché, replicating the trend in warmer months is slightly less conventional.

But according to L’Oréal Professionnel artist Danni Solier, a summer brunette can be just as striking – if done right.

The resurgence of the time-honoured trend has previously been helped along by the likes of Dakota Johnson, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Demi Moore, all of whom have collectively shunted the age-old adage that “blondes have more fun.”

With Aussies now tempted to replicate this sought-after look, Solier has some sage advice for finding the best shade for summer.

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The best shade for the season

Speaking to nine.com.au, Solier posed a question worth pondering: “Who says summer has to mean sun-bleached blonde?”

“The trick for an Australian summer brunette is to keep it soft, dimensional and luminous rather than flat or blocky,” she advised.

Think low-contrast hues, ribbons of soft mocha and a high-shine gloss to catch that summer sunlight without appearing heavy or harsh against the skin.

Crafted by celebrity colourist Matt Rez, Bieber’s latest shade is both rich and dimensional, featuring both soft layers and the aforementioned shine in spades.

Although it’s easy to be influenced by the once-blonde Bieber, Solier had one word of warning before we rush to book in that salon appointment.

“My golden rule is to always ask yourself: is this a seasonal thing or a long-term commitment?” she said.

While brunette shades can inject an air of old-money sophistication into your day-to-day look, they can also prove a tough dye job to reverse if you have second thoughts.

“Once you deposit all those rich, deep pigments into the hair, lifting back to lighter or blonde isn’t an overnight fix, it often turns into a multi-step colour correction journey,” Solier added.

“If you love changing your hair often, definitely chat through a gentle, demi-permanent approach with your stylist first rather than a permanent jump straight in.”

The best brunettes for your skin tone

According to Solier, it all comes down to your undertones, which can be determined with a quick glance through your jewellery drawer.

“If you naturally gravitate towards gold, warm and chocolate tones will illuminate your face,” she revealed.

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“If silver is your go-to, cool espresso or ash brunettes will look stunning.”

If still in doubt, Solier recommended a quick trip to the salon for a shade-match.

“We’re seeing fantastic beauty tech in salons now, smart shade-matching tools and digital consultation apps let your colourist tailor the exact balance of tones to your skin and eye colour before the brush even touches your hair.”

What about the brows?

When weighing up whether to tweak your brow colour to match your new shade, there are a couple of key considerations.

Solier fully endorses a subtle brow tweak, but stressed an exact match should not be prioritised over overall harmony.

“A slightly softened brow, taking very dark brows half a shade lighter to a rich warm brown, or deepening blonde brows just enough to frame the eyes, creates such a flattering effect,” she said.

“It immediately anchors the new hair tone without looking harsh or overly done.”

Parting advice for would-be brunettes

Trust the process!

According to Solier, it’s easy to panic during the dyeing process, but it’s important to sit tight, reserve judgement and put your faith in your professional.

When hair has been lightened, it’s missing its natural underlying warm pigments such as reds, coppers and golds.

“If you then slap a dark dye straight over the bleached blonde, it can turn muddy, khaki or wash straight out after a week,” Solier said.

A professional colourist will “re-pigment”, or fill, the hair first to give the new colour a strong foundation to cling to.

“It might take a session or two to get the depth truly locked in, but the result is pure, glossy perfection,” Solier said.