Recession Brunette Is the Most 2025 Hair Trend to Come Out of 2025

Anyone who has even done a cursory glance at their phone’s stock market app knows we’re in for a wild ride. There are plunging lows, euphoric (but much less dramatic) recoveries and uncertainty in every corner. Suddenly, your $500 hair coloring appointment isn’t looking too appetizing. Just like the lipstick index, hair is another way to measure the state of the economy…so without further ado, let’s talk about recession brunette.

• Sunnie Brook is a celebrity hairdresser and Biolage global ambassador with more than 20 years in the beauty business. As a previous salon owner and educator, Brook's client list is composed of a who's who of Hollywood, including Elisabeth Moss, Hailey Bieber and Ashley Park.
• Chaz Dean is a celebrity hairstylist, colorist and the founder of WEN hair and body care line. Dean has over 25 years of experience, and his salon has served the likes of Ming-Na Wen, Nicole Murphy, Gilles Marini, Alyssa Milano, Gwyneth Paltrow and others. WEN is also the winner of multiple QVC Beauty Awards.

In 2021, “expensive brunette” hit the scene, and eventually evolved into “jet set brunette” two years later. Both were timed with an economic boon attributed to pandemic spending, when cash was flush and flowing. Now? Not so much, and the hair trends have adjusted to match. Far from the opulence (and price tag) of layered highlights to create the “expensive” look, people are turning to “recession brunette,” also referred to as “recession blonde.” Essentially, this is a fancy way of saying you’re allowing your roots to grow out—because $500 every six weeks in this economy? No thanks. (At least, that’s the price in NYC.) However, there’s a way to do this without courting disaster.

Brook puts it this way: “I think of ‘recession brunette’ not just as a color trend, but as a mindset shift. It’s about embracing tones that are more forgiving on the grow-out, easier to maintain and ultimately kinder to your time and your wallet. But here’s the thing: It doesn’t have to mean going dull or flat. The most beautiful recession brunettes have intentional warmth or a subtle tonal play. Think coffee, cinnamon, even mushroom brown. That’s where the magic is—creating richness and depth that grows out gracefully and looks elevated in every light.”

There are a couple ways to request the recession brunette hair coloring technique at the salon. Dean recommends asking for a melted balayage that will match your roots, saying, “Doing a melted balayage into your lighter ends is the best way to jumpstart the growth that looks natural. You can also incorporate some thinly weaved in lowlights to soften the balayage even further for more depth and dimension.”

Brook advises a root smudge that will similarly blend with your natural hair color, paired with tone-on-tone lowlights, which, she says, will provide dimension minus high contrast. “This keeps the grow-out soft and diffused, like it was meant to happen.”

• Avoid Hot Water: To really maximize the life of your hair color, avoid washing your hair too frequently. Then, on wash days, Dean advises avoiding hot water. “Hot water fades your color quickly. Opt for a toning product and styling products to help combat unwanted warmth and prolong your color on all hair shades.” Dean recommends the Bella Spirit Indigo Cleansing Conditioner ($66), which will help brighten the cool tones of your hair.
• Use Color-Safe Products: “I always recommend Biolage Color Last Shampoo ($24) and Conditioner ($24)—they’re gentle on color and leave hair feeling fresh and touchable, not weighed down,” Brook says. Between salon appointments, she recommends the Color Last Deep Treatment Mask ($17), saying it’s her “secret weapon between salon visits—it restores shine and keeps the tone looking rich, not brassy or faded.”
• Switch Up Your Part: “This simple move shifts the eye away from your regular root line and can instantly soften the look of regrowth,” Brook explains. “Bonus: It adds volume and gives your whole style a mini reset.”
• Use Root Touch-Up Spray: “These are quick fixes, but incredibly effective for camouflaging grow-out in a pinch,” Brook tells me. “Just mist at the part or hairline, blend with your fingers or a brush and you’re good to go. Look for one that matches your tone, not just your level—it makes a big difference.”
• Play with Accessories: “A chic headband, silk scarf or even a well-placed clip can elevate your look while strategically covering roots,” Brook says. “Effortless, elevated and zero commitment.”