Hailey Bieber debuts espresso brown, the hair colour taking autumn 2026 by storm
Thinking about switching up your hair colour this autumn but not sure which direction to go? The answer might be sitting in your coffee cup. Hailey Bieber has just gone for a deep, espresso-toned brunette, her darkest shade in over a decade, and Google searches on the topic have already gone through the roof.
A radical hair transformation for Hailey Bieber
For several months, the star had made a shoulder-length lob with a clean centre parting her signature look. It was instantly recognisable and widely copied. Then, in one fell swoop, she changed everything.
She swapped her lighter brown for a far more intense shade, created by colourist Matt Rez. The transformation was unveiled by her hairstylist Irinel de León on Instagram. The result is a long, fluid, ultra-glossy mane that reads almost black in certain lighting, while still revealing subtle chocolatey undertones.
The timing is no coincidence: Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand, is set to launch at Sephora France at the end of September 2026. This hair change was clearly anything but spontaneous.
Why espresso brown is having a major moment in autumn 2026
The numbers speak for themselves. According to a search trend analysis carried out by Fresha with Glimpse, searches for “espresso hair” have surged by 400% in a single year, with around 162,000 searches recorded last month alone. Meanwhile, searches related to Hailey Bieber’s hairstyle are up 21%, reaching approximately 9,000 searches over the same period.
For Danielle Louise, hair and beauty expert at Fresha, the timing makes perfect sense. This is precisely the time of year when people move away from the lighter shades they wore in spring and summer and gravitate towards richer, deeper tones. Autumn naturally drives demand for warm, enveloping colours.
What sets espresso apart from a classic black is its ability to deliver depth without that flat, cold uniformity. According to the expert, the shade can be tailored to each person’s natural colour and skin tone, with warmer, cooler or more neutral variations depending on the individual. That versatility is exactly what gives it lasting appeal, well beyond a fleeting trend.
What this trend means for you in practice
- Espresso brown suits a range of skin tones thanks to its warm, cool and neutral variations.
- The shade delivers depth and shine without tipping into a flat, uniform raven black.
- Google searches for espresso hair have climbed 400% in a single year.
- Around 162,000 searches were recorded on the topic last month.
- Searches for Hailey Bieber’s hairstyle rose 21% over the same period.
Before you rush to the salon, a few things to consider
The urge to go espresso can hit fast, but it’s worth taking a moment before you commit. According to Danielle Louise, hair that has previously been lightened can react unpredictably when dark pigments are reintroduced. In some cases, the colourist will first need to restore warm pigments to avoid a dull, lifeless result.
It’s also worth remembering that going back is far more complicated than going dark in the first place. Switching to brunette can be done quickly, but returning to blonde after such a transformation is a very different story. The expert therefore recommends that anyone who is unsure start with a shade just slightly darker than their current colour, or try a temporary or semi-permanent dye before fully committing.
Hailey Bieber’s transformation was carried out by colourist Matt Rez, with the cut and styling by Irinel de León, a professional duo behind a result that has clearly already convinced hundreds of thousands of people to rethink their colour for this autumn.
