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Elle
12-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Elle
The Best Brunette Bob Hair Inspiration For Summer And Beyond
If you're looking for brunette bob hair inspiration for a summer switch-up, look no further. While dark hair colours have the advantage of looking generally shinier than blonde locks (deep hair tones tend to reflect light), those with brown to black hair can have a trickier time refreshing their looks as it's much easier to do an expressive colour switch-up (say adding fun streaks of pastel) on lightened hair. One way to add interest to brunette lengths is to play around with bronde tones to lift the complexion and bring a luminosity to the overall look. But if you're ready for something a little more dramatic, it's time to consider a brunette bob haircut for summer for summer. 'Any bob with texture or movement [think a French bob or a choppy one] will always show off colour, especially a darker colour,' says John Alfred, colourist at Hershesons Fitzrovia. 'The shape and texture allows the light to get inside the hair and bring out all the different tones.' If you're scheduling a drastic haircut and a colour change, Alfred recommends cutting the hair before seeing your colourist. 'If it's just a trim or adding texture, then you can colour first. Most of the time we colour first in the salon, unless it's a full re-style,' he adds. Choppy, high-low layers will instantly add an edge to your dark hair. Pair it with a full fringe for an ultra-cool, modern effect. Straight brunette strands, when kept short, tend to look their healthiest and glossiest. Lean into it with a minimalist style (an A-line bob is perfect for brunettes) with even edges. Curl some pieces inwards to add movement. Teaming plush curls with a chin-length bob is a sure-fire way to make a polished statement. Let your hair do the talking and keep the rest of your styling minimal. For the brunette whose summer diary is peppered with festivals (or perhaps you're just keen on embracing colour), try understated red tips. The extra detail feels unexpected yet looks polished enough for all occasions. The laissez-faire attitude of the French bob is perfect for brunettes as the tousled styling brings some much-needed texture and movement. There's an enigmatic, almost aloof vibe to the bob with bangs hairstyle, too. Pair with a red lip and little else on the face. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.
Refinery29
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
I Got 'Moonlight' Hair — Winter's Answer To Balayage
In recent months, my long brunette hair has looked frazzled, lifeless and one-dimensional. This isn't surprising considering it's been over five years since my last balayage appointment and seven months since it was cut. It's fair to say that I was long overdue a refresh, and with the seasons changing, it seemed like the perfect time to trawl TikTok and Pinterest for inspiration. Among the abundance of bold copper shades and brooding cherry hues, one trending hair colour stood out to me — not least because of its unusual name. Enter: 'moonlighting'. The moonlight hair technique — a speedy spin on traditional highlights or balayage — has gone so viral on TikTok that it has amassed tens of millions of views and climbing. In those videos, colourists appear to brush the hair back and hand-paint specific areas (such as the front and side sections underneath the hair) with bleach. Essentially, anywhere the light catches. The result? Imagine your natural hair colour bathed in the incandescent glow of a super moon. @anilmermerofficial How did you like the moonlight technique we recommended for hair that has not been dyed before? ⭐️ . . . #hair #explore #balayage #brushlight #themoonlyhairpalace ♬ original sound - overlays To me, it's a brighter nod to the 'candlelit brunette' or ' expensive brunette ' shades that recently took over top London salons. Some liken it to 'glow lights', whereby bleach is applied strategically to illuminate very specific strands of hair. Asking around, I learned that colourists are also describing the technique as 'vibrant brushlights'. This appealed to me because it seemed to be an easy way to revive my lacklustre lengths while adding depth and shape in a natural way. What is the 'moonlighting' hair colour technique — and how does it differ from balayage? Keen to give the moonlight hair colour trend a go, I headed along to Hershesons in Fitzrovia, where I quickly learned that the trending technique is not all it seems. While the countless viral videos appear to show colourists mastering freehand balayage with a simple brushstroke here and there, Hershesons expert colourist John Alfred revealed that the moonlighting technique is likely all 'smoke and mirrors'. To my surprise, he branded it 'fake balayage'. On closer inspection, Alfred noted that the 'bleach' applied in the videos resembles hair mousse and suggested that genuine hand-painted balayage requires precise — rather than haphazard — application. This is time-consuming, unlike the rapid application demonstrated in the trending videos. Crucially, Alfred warned that bleaching the hair in this way (without foils or toner) would likely turn those dyed sections orange, particularly on dark hair like mine. It simply wouldn't lift the colour enough to achieve the bright, cool gradient that the videos lead viewers to believe. While the viral moonlight hair colour technique might all be for views, the lightened results are undeniably chic. Unlike the buttery balayage that has swayed so many of us lately, the moonlight hair colour trend is intended to be a brighter and low-maintenance shade that's suitable for all hair types, lengths and shades. That said, Alfred believes it's most effective on darker hair for a visible lift, and on layered lengths for extra dimension. It's so speedy that he has coined it the 'balayage lunch lift'. A previous full balayage session would last over five hours, but Alfred assured me that this lift would take a fraction of the time. He used FastFoils, which feature an endothermic coating that absorbs surrounding heat to activate dye quickly and evenly. This creates a brighter colour lift faster than traditional hand-painted balayage. I have a limited selection of hairstyles on rotation, which includes alternating between a centre and side parting, so achieving a seamless blend, regardless of my hairstyle, was key. Alfred applied bleach in a halo shape around the crown (under the top layer of my hair) as well as on the underside so that the moonlit segments would glimmer underneath and shine through my darker strands. This also meant that if I wanted to flip my hair over to the side, those dazzling strands would be front and centre. He targeted specific sections of hair on the top and within my fringe to create the face-framing element of the moonlight style, avoiding the roots to ensure that my hair remained low-maintenance as it grew out. What's more, keeping the roots the same adds extra dimension throughout the balayage, according to Alfred. The last step was a bespoke toner for my mid-lengths and ends. The benefit here was to draw out the various cool shades in my hair. How should you ask your colourist for moonlit hair? To achieve the moonlight hair colour, there are a few noteworthy buzzwords. Alfred suggested requesting 'partial balayage' or 'flash highlights' instead of a full head of balayage. Placement is crucial, too. He suggested asking for light accents and 'face-framing features' on the sides (and fringe if you have one), as well as in a 'halo shape' around the crown of your head — but avoiding the roots. Alfred also mentioned that 'closed balayage', which requires foils instead of freehand application like the videos, provides a higher level of lift — and is far better on darker hair. With all of this advice in mind, the moonlight finish is categorised by cool, bright and icy tones among more natural mocha and honey shades. After the revelation that the viral moonlight technique was, in fact, flawed, Alfred adjusted the approach to achieve the same luminescent effect. Alongside Hershesons hairstylist Samuel Broadbent, he considered the best cool tones for the highlights to achieve a moon-bathed finish, and to suit my complexion. Then we moved onto the placement and cut. What's the moonlight hair colour like IRL? Colour completed, it was time for Broadbent to work his haircutting magic. He advised combining the moonlight colour with a textured haircut for extra dimension, which aligned perfectly with my inspiration: Daisy Edgar-Jones' boho hairstyle. Broadbent trimmed my grown-out fringe to cheekbone length, cut soft layers throughout the body of my hair and feathered the front pieces. He then dried it using a blowdryer and loosely curled with a thin wand. He finished the look with a spritz of Living Proof Dry Volume and Texture Spray, $70, for an effortless, tousled wave. It's safe to say that the Hershesons team's rendition of the moonlight technique is versatile and quicker than other balayage methods I have experienced. The moonlit accents pop when light is shone onto my hair, and combined with the timeless soft layers, the highlights — or moonlights, as I'm now calling them — add volume and shape. How do you maintain the moonlighting hair colour trend? The beauty of moonlighting is that it's low maintenance. I was told that my hair will look naturally sun-kissed — or moon-bathed — as it grows out, and provided you're looking after it with sulphate-free shampoo, it could last for months. Alfred recommended refreshing the style with a toner every three to six months and stressed the importance of using nourishing haircare products like masks or deep conditioners. Besides this, it's always recommended to use a heat-protecting spray. My go-to is ghd Bodyguard Heat Protect Spray, $45. For me, styling at home is equally fuss-free. Broadbent suggested letting my wavy hair air-dry and adding a texturising spray. For a more polished look, he recommended curling with tongs and gently brushing through the ringlets with a Tangle Teezer Brush, $30, for relaxed waves, followed by a hair oil for a sleek finish. I highly recommend K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil, $94.95. Like any new hairstyle, it took some adjusting to the cool, lighter and brighter tones of the moonlight hair colour, but I've received multiple compliments. I've been told the light accents brighten my complexion and make my blue eyes pop. If anything, my solid brunette tones washed me out. Moonlighting tends to suit curly hair and waves best as the movement allows those lifted tones to pop. I'm most interested to see how my moonlit hair will grow out over the coming weeks. Whether I will need a toner top-up, additional cooler tones or want to inject a little more sun-kissed warmth into my hair remains to be seen. But so far, I like what I see. When I first had a full head of balayage, I was so blonde I barely recognised myself; the moonlight technique is a more tame and totally bespoke version of a full head of balayage. I'd recommend moonlighting to those undecided about dyeing their hair or people who are considering highlights for the first time. Ultimately, though, my experience has taught me not to believe everything I see online. Alfred warned that some hairdressers are eager to please and wouldn't call out a presumably fake trend, so I'd encourage everyone to bring along numerous examples of the style and colour you want as inspiration, rather than put emphasis on one viral technique. Lastly, research your chosen colourist well and don't be afraid to ask about the methods they use. A pre-appointment consultation — usually free — is your best bet when it comes to achieving a hair colour that you love.
