Summer has arrived and with the new season often comes a desire to switch up our hair. For some, it presents an opportunity to go for a bold and dramatic new look. So why not try out this season’s most popular hair colour?

Fiery copper is this summer’s hottest (sorry) hair trend for 2021. Celebrities such as Rumer Willis, Jorja Smith and Sarah Hyland have refreshed their signature dark hair with a wash of the vibrant red hue instead. 

One of the latest celebrity to try the trend is Ashley Benson, who dyed her signature blonde hair to fiery copper. The Pretty Little Liars star posted a series of pictures on Instagram debuting her new look, which was done by celebrity hairstylist Anthony Holguin. Benson, who is usually a blonde, has tried various hair colours over the years, from brunette to pink. And now, she has ticked another colour off the list, captioning her Instagram post: “Always wanted to be a redhead”.

The hair trend has also taken centre stage in some of this year’s most popular TV shows.

After wrapping season one last year, Bridgerton star Phoeve Dynevor went back to her signature blonde hair. But now, the actor has dyed her hair fiery red once again as she reprises her role as Daphne Bridgerton for season two of the popular Netflix show.

Other popular TV shows have also put red hair in the spotlight.

Earlier this year, WandaVision’s Wanda Maximoff had glossy red hair for the majority of the show.

While in The Queen’s Gambit, Beth Harmon (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) has copper hair to represent the character’s fiery personality, despite Harmon being a brunette in the book.

The colour lent itself to Harmon having one of the most iconic hair looks in television – in fact, even Gigi Hadid cited it as the reason behind her recent hair colour transformation.

Here, Adam Reed, UK editorial ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel, breaks down everything you need to know about the trend. Plus, we round up the best products to help maintain the glossy shine and vibrancy of fiery copper hair.

Why is copper hair so popular at the moment?

“Copper is a trend that we started to see before lockdown and it has really carried on during this time. It’s a colour that I personally think has a revival every year, it never really goes out of fashion. Just think of that gorgeous warm, copper with a beautiful rich tone – super glossy and shiny.”

What are the key things people should keep in mind when trying copper hair?

“Firstly, absolutely go to your hair salon (when they reopen) and see a professional. It is important that you get a really good copper pigment so that it lasts. Copper tends to fade a lot quicker than other colours so it’s key to keep up that gorgeous vibrancy. Secondly, I really recommend using a shampoo and conditioner designed for coloured hair.”

Does hair texture affect the type of copper colour you should go for?

“No, not at all, hair texture does not affect the type of shade you use. It is really nice to have dimension in copper and the good thing about copper is that it’s naturally super dimensional, so you will always see those different tones running through the hair.

“Sometimes, if your hair is curly, it is nice to have some softer colours running through the lengths of your hair – think a little more bronzy.”

Do you have any tips for somebody who wants to try the trend but is scared of going completely copper?

“If you are scared of going completely copper, try a wig! You can try different looks from a strawberry blonde all the way through to a stunning, rich copper bronze.”

Main image: courtesy of brands