Seasonal Care

Okay, So What Are We Doing With Our Hair This Fall?

By Nadine Brasfield · September 18, 2026

Technically, fall is coming.

Does that mean Alabama is going to stop being hot and humid immediately?

Absolutely not. Let’s be serious.

But this is around the time of year when people start getting that little itch to change their hair.

Suddenly the bright summer blonde feels a little too summery. Brunettes want to go richer. Somebody sees one picture of gorgeous copper hair and decides she was obviously meant to be a redhead. Bangs start looking suspiciously tempting.

Every year, fall does this to us.

So I started looking at what hairstylists and beauty publications are predicting for Fall 2026, and honestly?

I’m not mad at it.

The overall vibe this year isn’t “completely reinvent yourself.”

It’s softer. Richer. Shinier. More dimensional. More natural movement. And, THANKFULLY, a little less high-maintenance.

Basically, Fall 2026 wants your hair to look expensive without requiring you to spend 45 minutes fighting with it every morning.

I can get behind that.

First: apparently everyone’s craving richer color

This happens every fall to some extent, but this year’s color trends aren’t necessarily about just making everything DARK.

They’re about making hair look rich.

Current Fall 2026 trend reporting is highlighting deep chocolate and espresso brunettes, warm cinnamon and copper tones, amber and caramel dimension, and softer beige or mushroom blondes. The common denominator is depth, shine and dimension rather than harsh contrast.

And THAT distinction matters.

Because when someone sits in my chair in September and says:

“I want to go dark for fall.”

My first question is basically…

How dark are we talking?

Because there is a very big difference between adding richness and dimension to your existing color and deciding that your summer blonde needs to become level-three espresso by dinner.

Those are two very different Tuesday afternoons.

Chocolate brunette is having her moment

Deep chocolate brunette is showing up all over the Fall 2026 trend reports, and this is probably one of my favorite directions.

But I don’t mean one flat sheet of nearly-black color.

Think chocolate, walnut, espresso, maybe some softer ribbons of dimension, and LOTS of shine.

The goal is for brunette hair to catch the light instead of becoming one dark blob.

This is also where a gloss can be ridiculously pretty.

If you’re already brunette and just feeling a little faded from summer, you may not need a dramatic transformation at all.

Sometimes we just need to put the expensive back in the brunette.

And yes… copper is back because apparently fall has laws

Would it even be fall if someone didn’t decide to become a redhead?

Warm reds are absolutely part of the Fall 2026 conversation, especially cinnamon, amber, maple and coppery tones. Current reporting is leaning more toward dimensional, wearable warmth than screaming orange-red. (Allure)

And listen.

I LOVE a beautiful copper.

But this is where Instagram can get us in trouble.

You see the perfect cinnamon copper on somebody else and think:

THAT. Put that on my head.

Except their starting hair, natural level, previous color, undertone and maintenance tolerance may be completely different from yours.

Red tones can also fade. Fast.

So before we turn you into an autumn leaf because September happened, let’s talk about what you’re starting with and what maintaining that color will actually look like.

Fall hair should still make sense in December.

Blondes aren’t disappearing. They’re just putting on a sweater.

This might actually be my favorite part of the Fall 2026 color trends.

You do NOT have to abandon blonde because summer ended.

I’m just seeing blonde get softer.

Creamy beige. Mushroom. Honey. Taupe. Golden tones. Softer roots. More depth.

In other words:

Blonde, but she stopped yelling.

Fall trend coverage is specifically pointing toward beige and mushroom blondes with blended roots and softer ribbons of color, plus warmer honey and caramel tones. (Allure)

And this is such a good option if you still love being blonde but you’re tired of chasing the brightest possible blonde every appointment.

Adding some dimension can completely change how the color feels without taking away the blonde you worked very hard to get.

Because I am not taking you dark just so you can walk back into my salon in March holding a picture of platinum blonde.

We’ve both suffered enough.

The haircut trends are getting softer too

Here’s where Fall 2026 gets really interesting.

I’m seeing bobs, lobs, face-framing layers, softer shags and wispy or blended bangs showing up repeatedly in current trend reporting. The emphasis is less on hair looking aggressively styled and more on cuts that naturally have movement and can work with your texture. (Allure)

YES.

Please.

Give me a haircut that actually does something.

One of the biggest things I think people misunderstand about a good haircut is that the cut itself should help create the shape.

You shouldn’t have to beat your hair into submission every morning just to make the haircut look like the picture you brought in.

And this matters even MORE with curly hair.

Curly girls: please don’t copy-paste the haircut

This is where I put my curly-hair-specialist hat on.

You can absolutely participate in haircut trends when you have curls.

Bobs on curly hair?

Adorable.

Face framing?

Yes.

Shags?

Curls LOVE movement.

Bangs?

Also yes.

But the cut needs to be designed for your curl pattern, density, shrinkage and how you actually style your hair.

A chin-length bob on straight hair and a chin-length bob on curls are not the same haircut.

Because curls have one particularly entertaining hobby:

shrinking.

And sometimes they wait until they’re completely dry to reveal just how committed they were to that decision.

So bring me your inspiration pictures. I love them.

But we’re going to use them as inspiration, not blueprints.

I want the feeling of the haircut you’re showing me while still making it work on the actual human being sitting in my chair.

Fall 2026 also seems to be over overly “done” hair

And I LOVE this.

One of the bigger themes in current 2026 hair coverage is hair that looks healthy, glossy and polished while still moving naturally. Vogue’s reporting specifically points toward less emphasis on overly styled hair and more attention to movement, natural texture and individual details. (Vogue)

Translation:

Your hair is allowed to look like hair.

We don’t need every curl identical.

We don’t need every layer curled away from the face with military precision.

We don’t need to shellac everything into place.

And for my curly clients especially, I hope this trend keeps moving in this direction.

I love definition.

But I also love volume.

I love a little fluff.

I love hair that moves.

Sometimes frizz is not an emergency.

Sometimes it’s literally just part of having texture.

Okay, but what does FALL actually do to your hair?

This is where trend talk meets reality.

Because while everyone’s discussing cinnamon brunette and cute little bobs, your hair is also responding to its environment.

Temperature and humidity affect how hair behaves.

As the weather changes, you may notice that the routine that worked perfectly during summer suddenly isn’t giving you the same result.

Your curls may behave differently.

You may notice more static.

Your hair might feel drier.

Your scalp may behave differently.

You may find that you need a different balance of moisture, hold or cleansing.

And this is where I need everyone to remember:

Your hair cannot read a calendar.

September 22 does not arrive and your hair immediately requests a heavier conditioner.

Especially here.

Alabama fall can basically be summer wearing a pumpkin hat.

So don’t overhaul your entire routine because the internet announced that it’s “fall hair reset” season.

Pay attention to what your hair is actually doing.

Your summer hair may also be bringing receipts

Sometimes what we’re blaming on fall is actually the aftermath of summer.

Sun.

Swimming.

Heat styling.

Vacations.

Ponytails.

Brightening appointments.

More time outside.

Maybe approximately 4,000 messy buns.

By September and October, those ends may have been through some things.

So before deciding your products suddenly stopped working, look at the condition of your hair.

Maybe you need a trim.

Maybe your color needs a gloss.

Maybe your curls need a little more moisture.

Maybe there’s buildup.

Maybe your routine needs adjusting.

Or maybe those last two inches have simply completed their earthly assignment and it’s time to let them go.

Thank them for their service.

Don’t automatically reach for the heaviest product you can find

Cooler weather can mean adjusting moisture.

That does NOT mean every person needs to start coating their hair in the thickest butter available.

Especially if you have fine hair or looser curls.

Too-heavy products can leave hair limp, coated and confused.

You may need more moisture.

You may need better moisture retention.

You may need less protein.

You may need more protein.

You may simply need to clarify.

Hair care is annoying like that.

There isn’t one magical Fall Routine™.

The goal is to adjust based on what YOUR hair is telling you.

My favorite Fall 2026 trend isn’t actually a color or haircut

It’s the bigger shift underneath all of this.

Healthy-looking hair is fashionable.

Shine is fashionable.

Movement is fashionable.

Natural texture is fashionable.

Color that grows out beautifully is fashionable.

Haircuts that don’t require a professional blowout every morning are fashionable.

Current fall trend reporting keeps circling back to ease, softness, gloss and personalization rather than dramatic, high-maintenance perfection. (Allure)

And THAT is a trend I hope sticks around.

Because I’ve never been interested in giving someone hair that looks incredible for one picture and becomes their full-time job afterward.

I want your hair to look good when you do it.

I want your color to make sense for your lifestyle.

I want your curls to still look like your curls.

I want your haircut to cooperate with the hair naturally growing out of your head instead of fighting it every morning.

So… should you change your hair for fall?

Maybe.

But you don’t have to become an entirely different person because somebody put pumpkins outside Hobby Lobby.

Sometimes your fall transformation is copper.

Sometimes it’s cutting eight inches off.

Sometimes it’s adding bangs.

Sometimes it’s taking your summer blonde a little warmer and richer.

Sometimes it’s adding dimension back into your brunette.

And sometimes…

It’s a trim and a gloss.

That’s it.

You walk out looking ridiculously shiny and suddenly feel like you’ve reinvented yourself.

Hair is funny that way.

So yes, bring me the Fall 2026 inspiration.

Bring me the chocolate brunettes.

Bring me the mushroom blondes.

Bring me the cinnamon copper.

Bring me the bobs, layers and bangs.

But we’re not just asking:

“Is this trending?”

We’re asking:

“Will this actually work for my hair, my lifestyle, and the amount of effort I’m willing to put into it?”

Because trends are supposed to be fun.

Your hair should still feel like you.

Even if Fall 2026 convinced you to get bangs.

And if it did? We’ll get through this together.