Cowboy Copper Hair Is the Coolest Red Shade for Fall (2024)

Autumn might not officially begin until September 23, but I am of the firm belief that fall beauty trends like copper hair spiritually start now.

It is, after all, pumpkin spice latte season, which is a controversial take in itself, I know. But if Starbucks unveils fall beverages in August, shouldn’t the hair colors they inspire make their own debut? Exactly. Thus, without further ado, meet fall’s biggest red hair color trend: not pumpkin spice red, but apple cider copper—which is also known as trending shade cowboy copper.

Consider the shade to be the next iteration of last year’s copper craze, now leaning more into golden auburn territory than its highly pigmented predecessors. “This hair color shifts the bold copper shade we’ve been seeing everywhere to a more muted copper. Think apple cider,” says Shvonne Perkins, master colorist and lead educator at Madison Reed who coined the shade’s name. “It’s a mix of a warm, light auburn hue with subtle hints of gold and copper.”

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is: Timeless auburn hair icons Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts are known for sporting the shade, while celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Megan Thee Stallion, Camila Morrone, and Riley Keough have rocked the look more recently. But you can expect to see more, and soon: Cowboy copper’s warm and cozy vibes make it the perfect pigment for fall.

“Cowboy copper is a lit-from-within ambered liquid spice,” Mauricio Bermudez, senior colorist at New York City’s Suite Caroline Salon, tells Glamour. “As fall approaches, cozy and candlelit hair color draws us in and feeds the soul.”

As for why Bermudez thinks red is having such a moment? Well, he doesn’t—because it’s not fleeting; red is here to stay. “Red has been fully embraced as a standard color rather than trending color,” Bermudez explains. “As many have gone from ‘girl next door’ to ‘hear me roar’ in the last year, others have looked on and now understand that the shade is attainable. It’s not intimidating, and it’s not only for a certain client.”

Red is also a healthy color direction, Bermudez points out. “Clients aren’t temporarily enjoying these spicy shades. Rather, clients of all styles are basking in the warmth for long periods of time, making it a mainstay color all around us and not a blip on the radar or rare sight. Red is the platinum [blonde] for those with darker hair: While platinum is a process to lift from dark strands, copper is a power pop that makes a statement while nourishing the hair.”