With December just around the corner, hairdressers are patiently awaiting Pantone’s announcement for ‘Colour of the Year’.
After the subtle disappointment of 2026’s Cloud Dancer, hairdressers are eagerly waiting for their upcoming colour inspiration. From Aurora Red, Mineral Green and Midnight Indigo, our hair experts are certain that Pantone’s 2027 Colour of the Year will be a breath of fresh air for colourists with predictions that are vibrant, multi-dimensional and full of personality.
The Predictions…
Dan Spiller, JOICO EMEA Color Ambassador
“Aurora Red has dominated colour trends in 2026, being heavily featured in art, design, fashion and media. The word ‘aurora’ means to shine - this shade is a blend of colours that work together to shine individually. For this look, a cocktail of muted red, orange and yellow hues and flecks of mocha infuse with one another to create the multi-dimensional Aurora Red. The result is a beautiful harmony of contrasting shades of the spectrum, with a colour that has a fashion-forward essence that clients love.”
Diana Carson, Creative Director at Rainbow Room International
“I’ve been seeing Cyan Blue everywhere this year – it’s unapologetically bold, sitting perfectly in the middle of blue and green. It has a unique way of feeling both fresh and grounding at the same time – it’s modern and energetic, but it feels somewhat connected to nature and the ocean. It can be worn as a bold, global colour that makes a statement, or as a softer, blended balayage that adds dimension and movement to the hair. For me, Cyan Blue deserves to be the Colour of the Year!”
Kirsty Judge and Tina Mehmi, RUSH Artistic Color Team Members
“2026 was all about a blank canvas with Cloud Dancer. 2027 is for returning to our roots with Mineral Green. Loved for its calming presence, Mineral Green is a soft neutral shade that can be blended with the balayage technique throughout a lighter base for added dimension. For this look, which incorporates Mineral Green throughout, we took inspiration from the layers and patterns found inside a malachite crystal, with sleek flowing hair reflecting its natural depth and movement. Hints of orange were added to bring warmth and mirror the glowing tones found within natural minerals. This colour will be popping up everywhere in 2027!”
Brian ‘Leo’ McCallum, Owner & Creative Director of ROAR Hair & Beauty
“I think this year, we’ll go to the other end of the spectrum. Last year, we had Cloud Dancer – a gorgeous white shade and this year I think will go in the opposite direction. ‘Midnight Indigo’ provides a strong contrast to last year’s shade – creating a yin yang effect. Cloud Dancer represents a blank canvas, whereas Midnight Indigo introduces a sense of mystery. Although not a traditional hair colour, Indigo is universally flattering on almost all skin tones and offers a slightly softer alternative to a jet black, perfect for those who are looking for a darker shade but still want to keep it playful.”
Safy Burton, Owner of Safy B’s
“In comparison to last year, I think this the Pantone colour will be super bright and playful, Vibrant Orange is a shade that stood out to me. This year in salons, we have seen Cowboy Copper takeover and this bright tone is a louder take on the popular shade. This shade of orange is extremely versatile, slight tweaks in the formula can be made to ensure that it works for every skin tone and although this may be considered as an ‘alternative’ shade, orange hair has broken into the mainstream salon catalogue. From runways to influencers – orange hair is now seen as intentional and whimsical, something we will be seeing more of in salons in 2027.”
Tracey Ann Smith, MOOD Creative Director
“I think the Pantone colour of the year will be a pop of vibrant colour, and in a very different fashion from the previous muted neutral tones we have seen with the Mocha Mousse and the Cloud Dancer. I think we will be seeing the return of lively colour through a vibrant, chic cherry red! This colour represents boldness, creativity and a playfulness that I think is very popular and a striking opposition to previous years. A chic cherry red is also versatile colour, the outcome can be entirely different dependant on the skin tone, for warm undertones, the red blends naturally whilst cooler tones will see a deeper berry effect. It’s the perfect colour for those looking to bring a touch of whimsy to their hair!”
