It's True—Experts Say These 9 Winter Hair Trends Will Dominate 2024


With 2024 (and the year’s hair trends) coming to an end, I’m curious to know what winter hair trends will take off towards the end of the year and into 2025. Autumn’s hair trends paved the way for warm hair colours like terracopper and auburn, while spring and summer’s hair trends welcomed cowgirl bangs and taupe brunette.

So, what do winter’s hair trends have in store? Winter is a great time to opt for a new short haircut or try a rich hair colour to update your hair for the season. “Winter hair is powerful and statement making, with contrasts of texture and tone defining the season ahead,” says expert hairstylist and hair trend forecaster, Tom Smith. Below, he shares the trending haircuts and hair colours that we’ll all want to try this winter. Scroll ahead for the hair trends he predicts will be big news for winter 2024, as well as the best products to get each hair colour and hairstyle looking its best this season.

1. Dolce Vita Crop

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The dolce vita crop is one of the biggest short hair trends for winter. “Inspired by Italian Businessmen in the ’60s, La Dolce Vita Crop is a softly androgynous and power-signaling style,” explains Smith. “Swept strictly off the face or softly tousled, this look is strong yet unfussy,” he says. Ideal for a practical and business-like look for those wanting to be taken seriously, or softened and combined with a statement earring for a more high-fashion look.”

It’s a bold look, so this is a great trend to tap into if you have a short hairstyle already and want to make a statement. “For a secure and confident wearer this oozes power and authority,” says Smith. “For those who wish to show off their cheekbones, tuck the length tightly behind the ears. Higher foreheads can keep the look softer with some light face framing in the fringe area, while those who want to lift their face can sweep all the hair back with volume on top,” he says.

In terms of products, Smith has some key hairstyling products and tips for this hairstyle. “Blow-dry clean, damp hair with a heat protecting volume spray such as Olaplex Volumising Blow-dry Mist (£28) or Evo Root Canal (£25), brushing back from the face without any parting,” he says, adding that you can use a pair of straightners to add bends or flicks at the ends if you like.”Once dry, position the hair into place and mist through a styling powder like Evo Haze (£25) to give maximum control at the root without the obvious look of product. Position as desired and finish with a mist of strong hold hairspray,” says Smith.

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2. Pyro Red

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With copper tones heating up during autumn, in winter, Smith predicts we’ll see the return of pyro red—a bold statement-making hair colour that is bound to turn heads.

“Red and copper tones always come back to have their moment in the colder seasons and winter 2024 is no exception,” he says. :There’s a powdery and slightly sherbet quality to the vivid reds this year, they have an airiness that makes them feel fresh and youthful while retaining the attention grabbing nature of true red.”

In terms of who this hair colour suits, Smith says this is down to your confidence as opposed to skin tones or eye colour. “The suitability of a non-naturally occurring shade depends less on your skin tone and eye colour, and more so on your personality and confidence. This shade will attract attention and compliments, so required a bit of boldness to enjoy wearing,” he says. “That being said, deeper and richer skin tones tend to look phenomenal with this acidic red tone.”

Red is notoriously tricky to maintain, so look for colour depositing masks and colour-protecting products to keep your red fiery for longer.

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3. Wet-Look Waves

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Wet-look hair may typically be reserved for summer, but we’re seeing a resurgence for winter 2024, particularly on longer lengths but it’s also a trend that can work for shorter styles too. “This is different to the strict and stuck-in-place wet-looks we saw on the runways,” says Smith. “Ideal for event hair, rather than day to day, it’s the perfect season for an elevated option for nights out and special occasions.”

Wet-look hair is surprisingly easy—the key is to avoid gels or products that make the hair feel wet or drippy. “Create the texture you desire first using a curling iron or dry with your natural pattern if you have it,” says Smith. “On clean dry hair apply liberal amounts of a shine serum—like, a lot. Layer on a wax spray for additional hold around the face and to keep texture in the mids and ends,” he says.

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4. Heritage Blonde

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We saw brighter blonde hues take hold in the summer, and now we’re seeing more subdued tones arise for winter 2024. “When a trend really takes hold it’s often true that a contrasting alternative also begins to grow in popularity as those who rebuke the former make a statement with the latter,” says Smith. “The rise of sunflower blonde—an attention-grabbing, bold and glowy shade—has encouraged an uplift in those opting for a more subtle and earthy alternative in the form of heritage blonde. Finely woven and neutral in tone, this is for the more understated and showcases blonde tones in a more casual and natural looking way,” he says.

Smith explains that this is a great lower-maintenance blonde shade thanks to the soft regrowth, as well as having a more natural-looking effect overall. “This can sometimes only need to be redone every three or four months in the salon and so is a surprisingly low-maintenance option,” says Smith. “The tone is muted and neutral and so suits a variety of skin tones, and the mix of deeper and brighter shades make it a great choice for those with deeper or fairer skin, although it will look it’s most natural (if that’s your priority) on fairer skin tones.”

The key to keeping this hair colour looking expensive is by using purple or violet shampoos to avoid the tone turning brassy. Smith advises alternating a purple shampoo every other wash day to keep your hair colour looking luxurious for longer.

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5. Crown Curls

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Crown curls are about to be a major winter short hair trend for natural hair textures. “The ethereal softness we saw over the summer months and into autumn is fortifying into a bold and regal tower of texture,” says Smith. “With a curved silhouette and lots of volume this celebrates curls and their 3D power,” he says.