Kendall Jenner's move to a coppery shade of red hair has sparked a new trend in tresses. Photo / Getty Images
Kendall Jenner's move to a coppery shade of red hair has sparked a new trend in tresses. Photo / Getty Images
A hair colour that was once described as being the "least desirable" is now so popular, hairdressers are reporting a huge influx in demand.
Red tresses have sadly been underrated for decades, with studies concluding that people naturally born with the hair colour suffer most in the dating world, a term dubbed "anti-redhead prejudice".
But after years of being brutally labelled the "least attractive" hair colour – redheads are finally having a moment.
In the past couple of months stars like Kendall Jenner – who is famous for her almost jet black hair – blonde actress Sydney Sweeney and singer Doja Cat have ditched their typical hair colours in favour of a red hue.
In particular, copper – a warm red shade – is being seen everywhere, with Sydney-based celebrity hair colourist Jaye Edwards telling news.com.au's The Beauty Diary there's a reason so many people are "obsessed" with it.
"I think coming out of the pandemic, people are looking for change. We are seeing so many full transformation requests in salon," he said.
"Natural copper tones are great option for those looking for a transformation as they can be tailored to match different complexions.
"It's a bold look, but when paired with lighter undertones, it gives a 'born with it' rather than 'from the bottle' look."
Jaye, who owns eight EdwardsAndCo salons located around Australia, also added that Kendall's recent transformation has "inspired plenty of people to give this look a go" – with the award-winning hairdresser stating he'd seen a spike in demand among his clients.
Stars like Kendall Jenner - famous for her almost jet black hair - blonde actress Sydney Sweeney and singer Doja Cat have ditched their typical hair colours in favour of a red hue. Photo / Getty Images
"Deep, natural-looking auburn tones, as well as coppery blonde tones have made a huge comeback while vibrant red has taken the back seat," he said.
There's also been an influx of TikTok users sharing videos under the hashtags "#kendallshair" and "#copperhair" – many of which have hundreds of thousands of views – proving the colour is truly in style.
"Why did I wait so long," one influencer captioned her transformation video, that had over 940,000 views.
US-based colourist Matt Rez, the man behind Kendall's dramatic hair revamp, said he has been "pleasantly surprised that everyone has been making a big splash and going for the warmth of copper tone".
"Copper colours are trending on TikTok with how-to videos, and definitely more of my clients are asking for warmer colours these days," Rez told WWD recently.
"Blondes are open to playing with strawberry tones and brunettes either want to switch to red shades or go really warm with their glosses for a reddish reflect.
"Hairdressers love doing a good red hair colour – it's a fun challenge for us."
Testing the new red
If you're now hankering for an all-new copper do, I can wholeheartedly relate. As a faux redhead the past few years, I'd been eyeing up copper for a while.
Recently, I took the plunge at Jaye's newest salon in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
The whole process took about six hours because we had to take out the deep tones from my vibrant red colour to get it to a place where the copper shade would take. It's definitely a long time in a chair, but I have zero regrets. I'm obsessed with my new golden locks.
Rebecca Scanlan's successful transition: One of the main reasons I decided to go from the bold red I previously had was in a bid to get some longevity out of my colour. Photo / Getty Images
Jaye recommends not turning to box dyes if you're thinking about changing your hair to copper and advises you need to be prepared to cover the cost of regular maintenance visits with your colourist.
"Going copper can be a gorgeous statement piece, but it is probably the hardest colour to maintain and will require multiple trips to the salon to keep that colour looking fresh," he warned.
"The colour does fade more quickly, and it is almost impossible to achieve it without a professional."
There are products out there that can help prolong the colour, with Jaye advising you purchase "professional/salon quality products" that state "safe for colour-treated hair".
"These products don't contain sulphates and parabens, which fade colour faster," he said.
"Vibrant peachy tones will always fade over time – I recommend investing in a copper-pigmented treatment mask, such as the Christophe Robin Copper Shades Variation Mask.
"I also suggest booking in for regular glosses; these are quick 15-minute in-salon treatments that help make you colour pop again without booking a full colour service."
One of the main reasons I decided to go from the bold red I previously had was in a bid to get some longevity out of my colour.
Previously, I was getting about four weeks at best before I either had to go back for a colour or lather my locks in a coloured conditioner which was my preferred option as it's heaps cheaper.
But with the copper, I'm finding it stays fresh for around eight weeks, which is a huge difference.
