Is auburn a low-maintenance hair color?

Not exactly. Auburn tends to fade relatively quickly, making it generally more high-maintenance than other hair colors. It's worth noting, however, that your natural hair color will also play into how much upkeep your auburn color will require. Generally speaking, a brunette will have an easier time maintaining auburn hair than a blonde since it's closer to their natural color.

Can I dye my hair auburn at home?

Technically, yes, but this may be more or less difficult depending on your natural hair color and the shade of auburn you're going for. For example, certain shades may require bleaching hair first. It's best to seek out a colorist.

Who are the best candidates for pulling off auburn hair?

Auburn is a versatile hair color making it flattering on nearly everyone. Of course, to find which shade of auburn will best suit you, consider your skin tone and eye color. In general, those with fairer skin will find lighter and/or brighter auburn flattering. On the other hand, if you have a darker skin tone, you might gravitate toward deeper reds. Medium skin tones have more flexibility and can go warmer or cooler with their auburn color.

28 Stunning Auburn Hair Colors to Inspire Your Next Look

There’s something about the red-brown color of auburn that just suits every season, and this year the trend is still going strong into winter. Take it from Joico Global Artistic Guest Artist, Mark Mileti: "Auburn is always a tried-and-true trend tone," he says. "So much so that I find my blondes and brunettes who are color shy to even request warmer highs and lows to be infused in their chosen blonde or brunette. I find it pretty regular… Once the weather gets cooler, the hair color gets warmer."

Keep reading for 28 of our favorite takes on auburn hair color, to see whether you prefer copper, sun-kissed, plum, or true red auburn.

Meet the Expert

Mark Mileti is a Joico Global Artistic Guest Artist with more than 25 years of experience as a hair colorist. He is currently working as a stylist at Sam Bracto Salon in New York City.
Ryan Sanger is a hairstylist at Bomane Salon in Beverly Hills, California. There, he specializes in hair color and extensions.

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Copper Auburn

Emma Stone has worn every shade of auburn. Here, she wears a perfect example of copper auburn, which Mileti describes as "a copper color with a slightly brown base and a hint of gold." It's a "more mellow sister to copper, the slightly saner cousin to burgundy."

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Rich Warmth

Taraji P Henson with auburn hair — Frazer Harrison / Getty

Sanger calls copper auburn the true shade of auburn. It's a color that's overall incredibly warm and rich—just like the metal, he explains. Try warming up a naturally darker color by adding copper auburn highlights, as seen here on Taraji P. Henson.

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Red-Gold Undertones

Karen Gillan with a Long Pixie Cut and auburn hair — Ian Gavan / Getty Images

Just like any other hair color, there are different shades and levels of auburn. Here, Karen Gillan opts for a brown dye with red-gold undertones instead of a more fiery and undulating red shade. It's always a good idea to bring in photos and examples of the shade you're going for so you can avoid any miscommunication or disappointment in the end.

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Brown Base

Janet Mock curly, natural bob with auburn color — Jean Baptiste Lacroix / WireImage / Getty Images

Brown base colors have a tendency to turn to blonde as their committed hair change, but copper auburn allows more time between salon visits by working with that chocolate-toned base, instead of replacing it entirely. You'll still have brighter ends, and they'll melt into your natural base seamlessly while fooling people into thinking that any regrowth is an effortless and intentionally blended color job.

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Sun-Kissed Auburn

Auburn Brown Hair Color Sun-Kissed Julia Roberts — Getty Images

If you want to gradually make your way into auburn territory, going for more of a sun-kissed tone might be your best jumping-off point. Sun-kissed auburn is a "deeper more red base with lighter and less vibrant ends," Sanger says. "The main difference between them is the gloss/base color that adds the specific tone you want to see."

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Brighter Strands

Ciara with Auburn Brown Highlights in her hair — @ciara / Instagram

To get a sun-kissed shade of auburn, ask your colorist to place highlights close to your ends to brighten the overall look and add more dimension. When it comes to aftercare, Sanger recommends the Davines Alchemic Shampoo ($32) and Conditioner ($35) "to preserve and enhance the tones in your hair," he says. For this shade specifically, use the "Golden" version, because it will keep your strands bright.

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Copper Tone

Jessica Chastain with Auburn Brown Hair Color with Copper highlights — Getty Images

And then there are those like Jessica Chastain—who rarely needs to get her color done because she has a uniquely natural copper tone to her auburn strands. When you take a photo of your desired shade to your colorist, keep the natural base color of your reference in mind to help set realistic expectations.

08 of 28

Cascading Gradient

Emma Roberts with Auburn Brown Hair Color Gradient — Getty Images

We're predicting this natural, sun-kissed auburn gradient is the hair color trend to get you through any season. If you lean on the side of cascading waves and effortlessly undone braids, this gradient shade has your name all over it.

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Multiple Tones

To avoid a harsh, unnatural color, Mileti says to concentrate the most vivid hues mid-strand. "I like to concentrate bright slashes of color through the body and ends of the hair to create the warmth, fire, and passion that we associate with reds or auburn. Multiple tones are applied via highlighting and low-lighting to create personalized auburn hair color."

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Eye-Matching Tones

Rihanna with Eye Matching Auburn-Brown Hair Color — Getty Images

If you're in love with the idea of auburn hair but aren't sure which shade to choose, Mileti says to look at your eyes, not your skin tone. "When determining whether a person can be a great auburn, the truth is in their eyes. I always look for warm flecks in the eye—copper or golden tones. Even blue eyes can have warm undertones."

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Plum Auburn

Plum is a shade of auburn for people who are color-averse to brighter tones when it comes to their dye preferences. This darker hue was practically made for wearing throughout the autumn and winter.

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Cooler Color

Ayesha Curry with cool-toned auburn Brown Hair Color — @ayeshacurry / Instagram

Brighter tones aren't the only ones in need of at-home care. Darker, cooler colors also need some TLC for vibrance and longevity. Sanger recommends using the same Davines Alchemic Shampoo and Conditioner he recommended for sun-kissed auburn, but this time in the "Silver" version, as to keep the cool plum undertones intact.

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A Hint of Violet

Auburn-Brown Hair Color Violet Hint on Debra Messing — Getty Images

Plum auburn can be described as having "a violet tone to it and is overall a deeper auburn," Sanger says. This shade can look almost chocolate brown in some lighting because its red tones are less fiery and more subtle.

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Preserved Color

Kat Graham with preserved auburn hair color — Daniele Venturelli / Contributor / Getty Images

"I always remind my clients that auburn is a commitment and proper products are paramount," says Mileti. Sticking to color-preserving products can double the longevity and vibrancy of hair color, thanks to the oil and peptides found inside.

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True Red

"A true primary red tone can be as bright and vibrant as you want, or more subtle and natural," Sanger says. A punch of vibrant red like we see here on Madelaine Petsch is sure to make your auburn stand out among the rest.

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Added Depth

Zendaya with auburn hair with lots of depth — Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

One of the many reasons auburn seems to be a color we can't resist is its ability to add depth to our strands. The fact that it has so many color variations gives a lot of room to play with highlights and lowlights, and create a customized shade that is one-of-a-kind.

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Natural Coloring

Isla Fisher with Auburn-Brown natural Hair Color — Getty Images

"When I formulate [color] for clients and a fiery auburn is desired," Mileti explains, "it is very important not to go too far from the natural color so as not to throw off the eye color or skin color. Too many times reds are unsuccessful because they go too fiery at the base (or root), drawing away the woman’s natural coloring."

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Subtle Roots

Tyra Banks With Auburn-Brown Hair Color — Getty Images

If you do decide to make the jump and go for something brighter, Mileti recommends staying away from too much color at the roots. He says it's the make-or-break habit to dyeing your hair with a red undertone.

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Balayage With Dimension

Ariel Winter with balayaged auburn hair — Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images

Ariel Winter's painted-on balayage offers chunky streaks of auburn that blend into her natural color. The added length and volume make the color appear even more dimensional.

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Highlights Around the Face

Amy Adams with highlighted Auburn Hair — Desiree Navarro / Getty Images

Amy Adams's bright hair helps to open up and brighten her face. Here, the lighter color is concentrated near the front of the head—key to a more natural look.

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Light to Dark Ombré

Isis King with red ombré hair — Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

The ombré look sees hair going from dark to light, with the bulk of the color concentrated near the top of the head. Here, the look opens and brightens the face, and waves add softness to the bright color.

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Merlot With Lowlights

Sophie Turner with merlot-colored auburn hair — Daniele Venturelli / WireImage

Sophie Turner's tresses are so deep brown you almost don't notice the auburn undertones. But they're definitely there. Here, she wears her hair pulled back in a severe middle part—which further accentuates the look.

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Two-Toned Auburn

Doja Cat with black and auburn two-toned hair — Jason Kempin / Getty Images

Doja Cat puts a spin on the classic auburn look, pairing the red hue with chunks of black throughout her curly mane. The look is dramatic and calls for the two colors to be starkly different, rather than blending in.

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Orange Meets Auburn

Jorja Smith with auburn meets orange hair. — David M. Benett / Getty Images

Jorja Smith's auburn locks veer orange. But rather than featuring highlights, the look is one-tone. It's a dramatic hue for those with lots of confidence (and the willingness to undergo lots of touch-ups, as roots will show through easily with this look).

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Classic Auburn

Julianne Moore with Auburn Hair — Daniele Venturelli / Getty Images

Julianne Moore's shade of auburn is about as classic as it gets. The look is neither too dark nor too bright and looks best when it's well cared for (i.e. stay away frm the sun or harsh chemicals and use a color-protecting shampoo like Davines Nou Nou, $32).

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Nearly Black Auburn

Lana del Rey with deep, rich auburn hair — Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

Lana del Rey's color borders on black, making her waves and curls necessary to see all the rich reds throughout. One of the keys to a look like this is moisture, so we advise investing in a gloss to help preserve and boost the color.

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Deep Copper

Halsey's deep copper offers a rich take on the classic look. We especially love how they paired the deep red hair color with a brighter red shade near their eyes. The contrast helps show off both their face and hair.

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Lightened Up

Bryce Dallas Howard with auburn highlighted hair — Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images

Bryce Dallas-Howard's long tresses see highlights throughout. Auburn and blonde make for a natural pairing, particularly if you keep the blonde on the areas the sun would naturally hit.

FAQ

Is auburn a low-maintenance hair color?

Not exactly. Auburn tends to fade relatively quickly, making it generally more high-maintenance than other hair colors. It's worth noting, however, that your natural hair color will also play into how much upkeep your auburn color will require. Generally speaking, a brunette will have an easier time maintaining auburn hair than a blonde since it's closer to their natural color.

Learn More Calling All Redheads: 7 Expert Tips for Keeping Your Color Bright
Can I dye my hair auburn at home?

Technically, yes, but this may be more or less difficult depending on your natural hair color and the shade of auburn you're going for. For example, certain shades may require bleaching hair first. It's best to seek out a colorist.
Who are the best candidates for pulling off auburn hair?

Auburn is a versatile hair color making it flattering on nearly everyone. Of course, to find which shade of auburn will best suit you, consider your skin tone and eye color. In general, those with fairer skin will find lighter and/or brighter auburn flattering. On the other hand, if you have a darker skin tone, you might gravitate toward deeper reds. Medium skin tones have more flexibility and can go warmer or cooler with their auburn color.

The Best Hair Color for Your Skin Tone, According to Stylists