"Raspberry Bourbon" Is New Way to Add Rich Red Highlights to Brown Hair

Just when you thought we'd exhausted every possible drink-inspired hair-color name, another highlighted look is calling to mind a delicious cocktail concept. First noticed by PopSugar, "raspberry bourbon" is trending right now, and it's easy to see why. Not only is the beverage itself something we'd like to sip this season, but the rich, reddish-brown balayage is truly perfect for transitioning from fall to winter.

Photos posted by stylists and colorists on Instagram show deep brown hair that has been brightened up with red tones — some warmer auburn, some more on the berry side, but all with the same outcome: a blend of brunette and red that conjures images of a swirling raspberry bourbon drink.

"I like it because it’s a way for a brunette to have red hair with minimal commitment. It also makes the hair have a ton of dimension," says Sally Hershberger Hudson Yards senior colorist Nikki Ferrara, who says that the look is probably most easily achieved on someone who already has medium to dark brown hair. "The best thing would either be a partial or full balayage highlight first, followed by a medium reddish-brown gloss to cover the highlights. I would lift the highlights maybe a little reddish to begin with — this way, you wouldn’t need too much of a gloss."

In fact, if you're already starting out with blonder highlights. Pennsylvania-based stylist Erika Rohrbach, who did the two beautiful looks above, tells Allure that the one below was achieved on who had some grown-out blonde highlights throughout her naturally medium brown hair. "I used a warm brown base color to give her a rooted look and used a demipermanent red glaze to cover her grown-out highlights," Rohrbach says.

But while Ferrara says brown hair is the easiest place to start, the example below proves raspberry bourbon hair can start from a lighter place. Arkansas-based colorist Keraleigh Sullivan tells Allure that, for her naturally dirty-blonde client, "I used a permanent color for her roots since she had a little grey we needed to cover. I used Redken Color Gel Lacquers in 3N with 20 volume for 25 minutes, and I used a color-melt technique to achieve her ends with Redken Shades EQ Gloss in 5CB mixed with 7CC."

In other words, it's probably best to go to a pro for this look. And perhaps you can break out the real raspberry bourbon during your appointment.

Now read more about hair trends:

• 8 Gorgeous Fall Hair Color Trends for 2019
• "Brown Ale" Hair Color Is a Gorgeous Way to Highlight Brunettes
• Why Colorists Are Obsessed With the "Tweed" Balayage Technique This Fall

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