And the data backs her up, according to the Spate Popularity Index, a metric that combines Google Search and TikTok views. The hair color found a popularity peak in September 2023—around the time we all learned the phrase “cowboy copper”—and chatter about the trend has stayed fairly consistent ever since. What’s grown, though, are phrases like “copper-brown hair” and “copper-blonde hair,” which is a sign that the girlies are interested in more subtle ways to try the trend before jumping in with both feet.
For Kener, the key to achieving copper hair color is one of our own core beauty tenets: Make sure you see a colorist you trust. Since copper has so many different tones, your shade needs to be formulated based on your natural color and complexion to achieve the best results. It also helps if your colorist is familiar with your lifestyle—like, say, if you’re a triathlete who spends time in chlorinated pools, or if you have a really hectic job that has you constantly canceling your color-upkeep appointments.
What to expect when you go copper
For those of us who don’t have a colorist dancing a few steps behind us at all times, copper might require some heavy lifting, but Vassallo says that not every hue is high-maintenance. “I always advise my clients to keep it as low-maintenance as possible, by staying as close to their hair’s natural level of darkness or lightness as we can, and always formulating the red/copper tone that works for them individually,” she explains, also noting that a colorist who’s familiar with your hair coloring history can help you pick what works for you. That might mean adding more brown to achieve a copper-auburn look, or highlighting in orange and pink if you want to go more peachy.
If you already have light hair, God-given or man-made, you can use a colored gloss to “dip your toe in the copper pool without a huge commitment,” Vassallo says. If your hair is already darker, you’re looking at a bigger undertaking. “Some lightening is required, but it’s well worth it, and fairly easy to keep up with after the first appointment.” In her salon, that looks like a root touch-up and a hair gloss every 6 to 12 weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows and the amount of root you’re willing to live with between visits.
A word of warning
“Red and copper are notorious for fading, so make sure you’re in for the maintenance,” Kener says. At-home care is crucial—both Kener and Vassallo suggest that you (implore you, really) wash with a sulfate-free shampoo, ideally no more than three times per week. Kener’s favorite is RŌZ Foundation Shampoo, which cleans the hair using an ingredient derived from coconut, and Vassallo loves Christophe Robin Color Shield Shampoo. As for conditioner, try Christophe Robin Chic Copper Mask, which gradually deposits color into the hair and “will keep your tone vibrant between salon visits,” Vassallo explains.
When you want to wash but have the color exactly where you want it, use Kener’s go-to Crown Affair The Leave-In Conditioner. It moisturizes hair and protects from heat, which she says “will help keep the cuticle closed and healthy and ensure more longevity of the copper tone.”