Have you noticed a fresh wave of chic brunettes filling your Explore and For You pages in 2025? Across TikTok and Instagram, fashion-forward beauty lovers are embracing one particular shade that’s shaping up to be a major color trend this year: ash brown. Since we spend more time than most people searching for hair inspiration—and regularly hear from some of the best hairstylists and color experts in the industry—we decided it was time to explore this cool-toned brunette trend in detail and share the looks we expect to see everywhere.
While no one can predict every beauty trend with complete certainty, we at Who What Wear have a strong sense of the hair colors people will be requesting at their next salon appointment. Below, we’re highlighting 13 ash-brown hair ideas we’ve recently spotted on celebrities, along with expert advice to help you achieve the cool, smoky brunette shade you’ve been dreaming about.
What Is Ash Brown?
If you love keeping up with trending hair colors, you may already have a picture of ash brown in your mind, but explaining the shade can be tricky. Hair color specialist Sue Tyrrell describes it simply: “Ash brown is a cool-toned brunette with smoky, silver undertones.” When asking your colorist for this look, Tyrrell recommends requesting a neutral-to-cool brown shade without red or orange warmth. Bringing reference photos can be especially helpful if you have a specific depth, finish, texture, or tone in mind.
Is Ash Brown Easy to Maintain?
The big question is how much effort ash brown takes to keep looking fresh after leaving the salon. According to Tyrrell, this color does need regular care, particularly if your natural hair has warm undertones. “Ash tones fade faster and can turn brassy without the right care,” she explains. “The correct at-home haircare is required.” In other words, color-safe shampoo, nourishing conditioner, glossing treatments, and heat protectants should become part of your routine if you want your ash-brown shade to stay cool and polished. Regular salon touch-ups can help prevent unwanted warmth from appearing over time.
Keep reading for some of the most stylish and expert-approved ash-brown hair ideas, seen on celebrities and public figures such as Lily-Rose Depp and Daisy Edgar-Jones. You’ll find plenty of inspiration for your next salon visit, along with product suggestions to keep your color looking healthy, glossy, and vibrant.
Golden Beige
Lily-Rose Depp arrived at the 2019 Met Gala with a beautiful take on ash brown created by colorist Cass Kaeding. The shade blended butterscotch blonde with soft ash-brown tones, darker roots, and lighter ends for a refined, dimensional finish.
Smoky Balayage
Ashley Park from Emily in Paris is often seen wearing voluminous ash-brown hairstyles. This particular look, created by Los Angeles–based celebrity hairstylist and wig expert Clayton Hawkins, combines caramel brown, taupe, and soft gray tones throughout the hair for a smoky balayage effect.
Money Pieces
For a softer version of ash-brown balayage, Tyrrell suggests pairing an ash-brown base with face-framing money pieces for extra brightness and detail. Ciara’s look at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History is the perfect reference, featuring a tousled bun with soft strands framing her face.
Shadow Roots
Tyrrell recommends creating more dimension in ash-brown hair with shadow roots that blend smoothly into a smoky brunette balayage. Hailey Bieber wore a bob with this effect to the Saint Laurent womenswear S/S 24 show, and the effortless finish continues to inspire beauty lovers.
Brass Tones
If you prefer a warmer, more eye-catching version of brunette, consider a sleek style like the one seen on Emmy-winning news anchor Bianca Peters. Before using hot tools, apply a generous amount of heat protectant, then finish with a shine spray to create a smooth, glossy result.
Subtle Highlights
Soft blonde highlights placed over a mushroom-brown base can add just the right amount of contrast to wavy hair. Selena Gomez wore this understated yet stylish look, created by celebrity hairstylist and Kristin Ess hair artist Marissa Marino.
Gray Streaks
Lighter strands placed around the face can brighten the complexion and make the eyes stand out, especially when paired with soft mousse-brown tones. Hailee Steinfeld’s timeless bob at the Sinners European premiere is a strong example of how elegant this color combination can look.
Mocha Ash
Daisy Edgar-Jones looked stunning at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival with a polished mocha-ash shade. Unlike some ash-brown styles that feature blonde pieces, this look stays rich and brunette while making her skin appear radiant and glowing.
Honey Dipped
Goddess braids are having a major beauty moment, making ash-brown braids with honey-blonde ends a perfect trend-forward choice. Winnie Harlow wore this style while walking in Kate Barton’s first show during New York Fashion Week, giving the look a warm balayage-inspired twist.
Toasted Taupe
Think of toasted taupe as the hair-color version of TikTok’s toasted glam makeup trend. The shade sits beautifully between mocha and taupe, with soft neutral-blonde accents adding brightness. Kaia Gerber’s selfie shows exactly how flattering and wearable this color can be.
Bronde Tips
When you can’t choose between brown and blonde ends, bronde offers the best of both shades. Shay Mitchell demonstrated how a hint of blonde on the tips can bring warmth and movement to ash-brown hair before heading out to a Louis Vuitton fashion show.
Low-Contrast Shades
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is known for her signature blonde hair, but every so often, she experiments with slightly deeper tones. This low-contrast look features soft brown shades melting into butterscotch blonde, creating a smooth and expensive-looking finish.
Muted Brown
A blend of highlights and lowlights can create a multidimensional brunette shade that works beautifully across every season. Zoë Kravitz wore a similar muted-brown effect with her signature extra-small tree braids while attending the Saint Laurent menswear F/W 25 presentation.
Why Trust Us?
At Who What Wear, we understand that beauty is never one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products across skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails while working closely with trusted experts, including dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists, and other respected industry professionals. This helps us create guides that feel thoughtful, inclusive, and useful.
Our focus is always on formulas and ideas that deliver real results, whether they come from affordable favorites or luxury picks. Every product recommendation is shaped by performance, ingredient knowledge, expert insight, and what we would genuinely suggest to our closest friends and family.
