Hair colour ideas: Beautiful shades to inspire your next 'do

Hair colour lovers, listen up - if you're enhancing your hue for the upcoming spring months or switching your shade for a style overhaul, why not check out these chic celebrity styles to get you inspired

hair colour ideas
(Image credit: Farrell/BFA/REX/Shutterstock)

Hair colour lovers, listen up - if you're enhancing your hue for the upcoming spring months or switching your shade for a style overhaul, why not check out these chic celebrity styles to get you inspired

Need some hair colour ideas? Changing your hair colour can be a little daunting. Often we find ourselves in a rut where we have been having the same tint, every six weeks, for what feels like an eternity.

The quickest way to update your look is to give your hair colour a re-fresh. You don t have to go bold; a subtle tweak of your existing a colour, a few touches of balayage, or a clear gloss is often enough to wake-up your colour.

A solid brunette tone will make your hair appear stronger, healthier and thicker. Try adding some depth and tonality to your brown hair at the L'Oréal Professionnel Brunette Bar with colourist Jack Howard at Paul Edmonds. Jack will expertly weave rich light, dark shades through your hair in key places for something that looks super healthy, glossy and natural. Enhance your brunette in between salon visits with John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Colour Deepening In-Shower Treatment, £6.66; it s a recent discovery of ours and we love it.

Blonde hair doesn' t have to be dull. Subtle changes in tone, and careful placement of light around your face, can enliven your shade and make it shine. Sienna Miller, Gigi Hadid and Poppy Delevingne expertly demonstrate that blonde doesn' t have to look dry and damaged, it can look glossy and bursting with health. Keep your long hair in tip top condition with a shampoo designed for coloured locks – the Powder team have tested all the best ones so you can find your new favourite here.

Fiery reds are having a bit of a moment; and Jessica Chastain, our favourite redhead is leading the pack. Wear your read bold and vibrant and enhances its potency in between trips to the hairdresser with Color Wow Color Security Shampoo, £16.50.

And if you re feeling a little less conventional, there 's plenty of inspiration out there to sink your teeth into before hitting the salon. We re loving Amber Le Bon s recent foray into colour with her pink and rose gold job at the hands of MC favourite stylist George Northwood and Redken. You can never out-grow pink, people.

It 's easier-than-ever to update your colour at home once you have some hair colour ideas in mind. Try Fudge Paint Boxes, £11.25 each, they are semi-permanent and there are some pretty bold and vibrant shades to choose from (we have a soft spot for Coral Blush). Or try Schwarzkopf Live Color XXL, £5.49 each. They have the most amazing array of colours to choose from. Stylist and colourist Lyndell Mansfield, suggests mixing the colours in with a little conditioner (use the stuff in the pack) if you want to make the shade more of a pastel and says that if your natural colour is quite dark to begin with, you' ll likely need to lift the colour first before applying anything particularly bold.

Still tempted to over-haul your colour? Click through for the ultimate hair colour ideas.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer's silvery blue hue takes us back to the 90s. We love.
(Image credit: Rex)

Keke Palmer's silvery blue hue takes us back to the 90s. We love.

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner

She's the queen of hair changes, but this rose coloured shade might be our favourite hair colour yet.

She's the queen of hair changes, but this rose coloured shade might be our favourite hair colour yet.

Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn

She s looking a little more glam these days but we kind of love the petrol blue tones Jourdan Dunn rocked a few years back at Wireless. There s something a little Disney villain about it. 

Poppy Delevingne

Poppy Delevingne

Poppy Delevingne hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Unlike her supermodel sister who sports a dirty blonde hue, Poppy Delevingne looks radiant with a luminous blonde.

Nikki Reed

Nikki Reed

Hair colours
(Image credit: Rex)

Nikki Reed is the poster girl for ombre hair with this two-tone look. The curls give texture and the statement pink lip adds even more of a cool factor.

Amber le Bon

Amber le Bon

It seems pink is still the choice of rinse amongst celebrities. Amber le Bon gives Frenchie from Grease a ru for her money with this look.
(Image credit: Nick Harvey/REX/Shutterstock)

It seems pink is still the choice of rinse amongst celebrities. Amber le Bon gives Frenchie from Grease a ru for her money with this look.

Lily Aldridge

Lily Aldridge

Lily Aldridge

Lily Aldridge's hair is undoubtably glam, and it's not just due to that bouncy blow-dry, no, we think a fresh gloss colour is behind those super-shiny tresses.

Sienna Miller

Sienna Miller

Sienna Miller hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Sienna Miller's bright blonde is her signature look. She always keep her hair effortlessly tousled to enhance the natural appearance of her locks.

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss hair colour
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Karlie Kloss is the ultimate purveryor of natural-look brown locks, and to great effect. She dazzles every time with her 'girl next door' naturally shiny 'do.

Lady Mary Charteris

Lady Mary Charteris

We're loving the subtle pink rinse that Lady Mary Charteris has been rocking lately. It's the perfect update.
(Image credit: RICHARD YOUNG/REX/Shutterstock)

We're loving the subtle pink rinse that Lady Mary Charteris has been rocking lately. It's the perfect update.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Bleached Blonde

Taylor Swift proves that anyone can go peroxide. The sharp bob, red lip, sunnies and white hair combo has more than a little Debbie Harry vibe about it. 

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel knows that a dark shade suits her porcelain complexion, but carefully lightens her locks with a little balyage detail, creating an all-over warmer tone.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Angelina Jolie perfectly suits a sultry mahogany shade. With big eyes and full lips, she keeps her hair colour to a natural shade, but with a high shine finish for impact.

Lily James

Lily James

Hair colours
(Image credit: Rex)

Lily James is a dab hand at switching up her look. From ice blonde to rich chestnut hues, Lily has done them all with aplomb. Her latest look though? This subtle honey-hued colour.

Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne

Photo of Cara Delevingne

Why not go over to the dark side for winter, like Cara Delevingne? Her light brown locks are a grown-up and seasonal departure from her usual blonde hue.

Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley

Hair colours
(Image credit: Rex)

Keira Knightley's rich, chestnut brown tresses warm her complexion while caramel hues add dimension.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain is the ultimate red head. Take inspiration from this glamazon and go for a warm strawberry blonde to offset your fair complexion.

Amber Le Bon

Amber Le Bon

Amber Le Bon

Amber s new blunt fringe and pink and rose gold locks are a departure from the long, wavy super-model-esq hair we normally see her with. But, we re loving it. The colour and cut came courtesy of Redken s George Northwood.

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner has had more hair colour changes than we ve had Pret lunches. In fact, we were kind of shocked to see her sans extensions and rocking her natural hair colour recently. It didn t last long though. At this year s Coachella festival, Jenner was spotted partying up a storm alongside former brother in-law Scott Disick with Ariel-esq acid orange hair. There s the Kylie Jenner we know and love.

Lily James

Lily James

Lily James

Lily James temporarily swapped her trademark blonde for something a little darker and more intense. The new face of My Burberry carries off the darker colour rather well don t you think?

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler
(Image credit: David Fisher/REX Shutterstock)

Amy Poehler updated her look by adding a bit of colour: a natural blonde, she appeared with a gorgeous, red hair colour that suited her perfectly. With Autumn rapidly approaching it?s the perfect time of year to experiment with darker shades.



Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid in blonde hairstyles

Gigi Hadid champions white-blonde ends and slightly darker roots - a look that's certainly appropriate for summer.

Sienna Miller

Sienna Miller

Hair colours
(Image credit: Rex)

Sienna Miller's tresses are a constant source of inspiration to us. This icey blonde, chin-skimming bob has risen straight to the top of our hair wish list.

Claire Danes

Claire Danes

Photo of Claire Danes

Claire Dane's bright blonde look might appear to be one block colour, but look closely and you will see a host of different shades. A mix of golden, honey and white blondes make this colour look instantly more natural - plus regrowth will be so much more manageable thanks to this clever technique

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston

Photo of Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston uses a mix of darker hues, merged into gold and white blonde highlights around the face, for a natural golden girl look that suits the actress so well.

Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger updates her infamous blonde locks with a cool flash of dark roots. We think showing just the right amount (we're thinking two inches) of au naturel earns extra style points.

Lily Donaldson

Lily Donaldson

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex)

Lily Donaldson's blonde beachy waves make us green with envy. She's totally nailed the natural healthy blonde hair tone so many of us are trying for.

Ashley Greene

Ashley Greene

Ashley Greene hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Ex-Twilight star Ashley Greene sticks to a gothic look with a jet black colour, striking against her pale skin.

Suki Waterhouse

Suki Waterhouse

Suki Waterhouse hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Contrasting her bold brows with a luxe blonde 'do, Sukie Waterhouse has created a multi-dimensional colour quality to her hair with some high and low lights, thoughout.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt does effortless style oh so well. We love the mid-length cut, but we're loving that dark blonde with flashes of golden

Olivia Palermo

Olivia Palermo

Olivia Palermo hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Olivia Palermo has always impressed us with her lustrous mahogany tresses. She manages to maintain a natural-looking blonde shimmer for any season.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora

Rita Ora

Rita Ora rocks the blonde bombshell look, and totally nails it. Make like Ora and soften the look with a side parting and some messy waves.

Christina Hendricks

Christina Hendricks

Christina Hendricks

Christina Hendricks' hair is hot. So hot. We love the buxom beauty's bright, vibrant shade.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively

Blake Lively red hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Blake Lively's ruby hair moment was one we won't forget in a hurry. That hair, that face. This was a classic case of a perfect celebrity hair colour change.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

True to her yellow-blonde roots, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley gives her skin some warmth with honeyed highlights running through her 'do.

Miranda Kerr

Miranda Kerr

Miranda Kerr dark hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Miranda Kerr wears a burgundy tone throughout her long locks, which lightens the hair hue with a red shimmer.

Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

To complement her cute pixie crop, Carey Mulligan chooses an elfin shade to give her tomboy crop a girlie finish.

Kate Bosworth

Kate Bosworth

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Bleached babe Kate Bosworth has had many hair colours, but she impressed us greatly when she went off the colour wheel for this sunshine shade. Wear it in autumn, winter or spring to keep summer flowing all season.

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss nailed it with this delicious warm shade. The colour is subtle but really brings out the softness of the model's strands.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

In a departure from her usual platinum 'do, Rachel McAdams experimented with a rusty red hair colour to offset her soft porcelain skin.

Foxes

Foxes

Foxes

Foxes' ombre locks fade gradually from a rich, shiny black to a warm honey hue that emphasises her perfectly indie look. 

Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn

Besides being one of Britain's top models, Jourdan Dunn's also got top hair. Her subtle ombre shade tumbles down her back and complements her glowing skin tone.

Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Remaining faithful to her deep blonde roots, Kirsten Dunst glows with a rich champagne colour, finished with a high shine.

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis dark hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Mila Kunis's chocolate locks are so natural that they're high shine and truly lustrous.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift's colour looks so natural, if it wasn't for those subtle blonde highlights we would be convinced that shade is all her own.

Arizona Muse

Arizona Muse

Arizona Muse - elle style awards
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Arizona Muse perfects the Karlie Kloss of all hair colours with a soft mousey shade that falls between blonde and brown.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore hair colour
(Image credit: Rex Features)

A post-pregnancy Drew Barrymore has once again embraced her ombre locks and shown us just how to do the beachy summer look.

Anja Rubik

Anja Rubik

Anja Rubik
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Anja Rubik's dirty blonde 'do suits the messy style perfectly. She achieves a platinum blonde through the middle stemming from a deep blonde at the roots.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway

This doe-eyed beauty went from dark brown to blonde and it looks gorgeous. Anne Hathaway's fair skin was the perfect complement to her bold platinum shade.

Gemma Arterton

Gemma Arterton

Gemma Arterton

Gemma Arterton rocks the red tone brunette look perfectly. Add an all-over gloss for maximum shine.

Kate Bosworth

Kate Bosworth

Hair Colour Ideas: 55 Beautiful Looks To Inspire Your Next 'Do
(Image credit: Rex)

Kate Bosworth has gome Jessica Rabbit in this vamped up copper colour. Paired with red lipstick she wears the shade with a bit of allure.

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel ombre
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Jessica Biel's subtle ombre hair saw her all over ash shade fade into a gorgeous champagne blonde.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett

We're all kinds of in love with Cate Blanchett's warm blonde tone, and we think this shade is ideal for a fair complexion.

Laura Love

Laura Love

Laura Love
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Laura Love tries an original colour trick by lightening the front of her dark blonde hair. This brightens up her face and deeply contrasts a strong red lip.

Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley

Sahilene Woodley

Girl of the moment Shailene Woodley's short hairstyle carries a gorgeous hue with high and low lights running throughout.

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Kristen Stewart's characteristically tousled locks suit an undertone of red running through. This feminine hue softens her tomboy look.

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum knows blonde. She's seen practically every shade of it. From platinum, to this gorgeous honey shade, the german glamazon makes being blonde look like a walk in the park.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Sarah Jessica Parker's 'do transcends brown to blonde with the help of some hidden blonde highlights. The strands give her hair a total mult-faceted look.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

If you ask anyone their favourite Emma Stone hair colour, they'll most likely nominate her Super Bad ginger nut phase. This shade works well with her colourings making it an easy shade for her to wear.

Bianca Balti

Bianca Balti

Bianca Balti

Stunning Italian model Bianca Balti has found the perfect mix of brunette and redhead with this auburn shade. Her hair magically falls between the two categories and looks stellar.

Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Emma Roberts' blonde hairstyle has tonal perfection, where she beautifully blends blonde with brunette for a versatile colour change 'do.

Amber Heard

Amber Heard

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Hair hero Amber Heard is better known for her glorious bright blonde hair. She's created a multitonal hairstyle without that hideous 'dip dye line'.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Staying faithful to her auburn shade, Jessica Chastain makes redheads everywhere rejoice for embracing her beautifully elegant burnt orange hue.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex)

Jennifer Lawrence changes her hair most weeks but we think she's found a winner with this multi-tonal blonde do.

Florence Welch

Florence Welch

Florence Welch hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Consistent with her exposive stage presence, Florence Welch remains faithful to a fiery hair colour with a high shine finish.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone

Emma Stone
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Queen of hair, Emma Stone has revealed a new heavy fringe alongside her copper ombre locks, much to our delight. She puts an original auburn spin on the spring-ready colour fade.

Lily Aldridge

Lily Aldridge

Lily Aldridge
(Image credit: Rex Features)

To match her deep, dark eyes, Lily Aldridge's chocolate locks is rich with a natural-looking sheen.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Drew Barrymore has flirted with the hair colour wheel over the years, but her rouge hue is one that perfectly complements her skin colour and green eyes.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Alessandra Ambrosio

Hair Colour Ideas: 50 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex)

Alessandra Ambrosio's appearance is just nauseatingly perfect. With her Victoria's Secret figure and her all-year-round golden tan, her hair was never going to be lacklustre. Quite the opposite, her multi-tonal brown locks are always glossy and sleek whether she's on a catwalk or on the beach.

Taylor Schilling

Taylor Schilling

Taylor Schilling blonde hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Taylor Schilling is the girl of the moment. She's always been known for her bright blonde hairstyle, which looks great with charcoal tones running throughout it.

Lily Collins

Lily Collins

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Adding some spice to her natural brown colour, Lily  Collins has weaved some hot red through her midi hair to keep it fresh.

Elizabeth Olsen

Elizabeth Olsen

Elizabeth Olsen hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Unlike her true-blonde twin sisters, Elizabeth Olsen is in-between blonde and brunette styles. With this ombre style, she uses platinum highlights and a graduated lightening to get the best of both worlds.

Kate Mara

Kate Mara

Kate Mara hair colour
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Kate Mara's subtle dip dye looks perfect on blonde hair. She fades her deep blonde natural colour into a bright spring-ready platinum.

Agyness Deyn

Agyness Deyn

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Made famous for her bright white crop, Agyness Deyn's rocky look has kept her flying high at the forefront of fashion.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Jessica Alba's sophisticated ombre hairstyle is still one of the best we've seen. Her colour fades from a natural medium ash to a gorgeous butterscotch colour.

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning

No stranger to an adorable elfin look, Elle Fanning wears her hair in a bright white shade to set off her ethereal look.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex)

Natalie Portman has experimented with lengths over the years but we always think of her as a glossy brown-haired gal so imagine our surprise when we saw she was dabbling with warm ombre tones.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox

Megan Fox hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Megan Fox's lustrous locks suit this bold, block colour beautiful. The deep chocolate shade has a high shine finish for her long, loose waves.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman hair colour
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Nicole Kidman's hair colour is somewhere between champagne blonde and copper red as it subtly fades to a little shade. We love.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt hair colour

Emily Blunt has yo-yod between blonde and brunette but finally settled on a dark blonde colour that perfectly suits her green eyes.

Barbara Palvin

Barbara Palvin

Barbara Palvin hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Barbara Palvin's colour has multidimensional shine, giving the illusion of changeable locks. Her two-tone shade flits between brown and burgundy for a diverse look.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

Hair Colour Ideas: 40 Shades You'll Fall For
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Drew Barrymore yo-yos between brown hair and blonde, so we loved it when she decided to wear both. Her tips aren't nasty blonde, they're glorious, shiny and natural looking.

Kate Upton

Kate Upton

Kate Upton

Kate Upton - star of The Other Women - sports a rich caramel-coloured blonde to give her skin colour some warmth.

Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton

Another very famous Kate - the Duchess Of Cambridge also wears her signature brunette locks in loose, toussled waves, looking elegant and sophisticated at all times. WE like the subtle warm tones coming through the ends, and think this is an ideal way to break up a heavy all-over colour.

January Jones

January Jones

January Jones

January Jones moved away from those platinum blonde locks, opting for this natural-looking, beachy-blonde hue instead. Take inspiration from January and go mid-length for maximum results.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson hair
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Scarlett Johansson is known for her sex appeal, and her foxy, honeyed blonde locks certainly give her that all-American look.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie hair colour
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Angelina Jolie's deep chocolatey colour is rich and indulgent with just a tonal hint of blonde in the right light.

Amber Heard

Amber Heard

Amber Heard

Somewhere between dark blonde and chestnut - Amber Heard has found the perfect balance between the two, and we think this tone looks best against a fair complexion.

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