Tracey Ann Smith, Creative Director at MOOD, talks key autumn/winter trends for this coming season…
Bessette Blonde
Inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and the 90s era, Bessette Blonde is a bright, buttery, and golden-toned blonde with high-impact face framing and a more lived-in root, creating a contemporary yet timeless look. Tones are strategically placed throughout the hair via chunkier highlights or hand-painted sections and paired with a darker root and a glossing service to give the style a more undone finish with mega shine.
Chocolate Drizzle
Rich, lustrous brunettes are always on trend; however, for autumn/winter, they are even more popular with clients looking for a lower-maintenance shade for the season, but one that looks beautiful, healthy and full of shine. Glossing services are great to enhance these hues in between permanent/semi-permanent colour appointments at the salon, and if clients are looking to add more depth or dimension, subtle, lighter ribbons of caramel can be placed through the hair to create that ‘drizzle’ effect.
Sculpted Buns
Buns will be one of the key styles for autumn/winter 2026 – either slicked back with a ‘lacquered’ shiny finish for a more statement look or sculpted with braiding and some face framing for a more relaxed yet still chic, sophisticated and formal style. These styles will take over from the Pammy Buns of recent years and will be requested by clients coming into the salon for their styling appointments for weddings and special events over the season. To create volume in your bun before styling with this look, I always recommend a product like the MOOD Body Builder Densifying Filler. This can be sprayed through damp hair before styling and will instantly give the hair more body and bounce, giving much more to work with, and the style will hold its shape and fullness rather than falling flat.
Wet Look
This has been seen on many of the AW26 runways, including on Calvin Klein’s Fall 2026 show. This A/W, we will see the wet look swept over to the side, with clients wearing this look with minimal makeup for a beautiful high-fashion look that really lets the hair do the talking. The look will appear less ‘wet’ at the root before looking ‘drenched’ at the ends for a super cool, trendy finish. This style on a bob/lob is my favourite – it looks so luxe and chic. My signature products for creating wet looks that last are MOOD Hairstyling Bodyguard Wonder Coat, which can be applied onto lengths and ends, helps to seal the hair, delivers mirror-level shine, and gives the illusion of a permanently wet finish, and MOOD Hairstyling Bodyguard Protect and Glow Serum, which I like to use as a top layer for definition and extra glass-like shine. Less is more with this look – start by adding the product sparingly and apply more when needed.
Discover more at moodhaircolor.com.