New seasons call for new wardrobes, and while you’re at it you might as well pencil in an appointment at the salon for a fresh hair look. If you’re a brunette, or considering taking your strands in that direction, then might we suggest going for cinder toffee brunette? Hairstylist and trend forecaster, Tom Smith—who also brought us cowboy copper—coined the moniker and says it’s the “softest and most wearable brunette” you could try.
“Cinder toffee brunette is a rich, warm brunette hair color with golden, caramel, and toffee-like undertones. It takes its name from ‘cinder toffee,’ a type of honeycomb candy that has a deep caramelized sugar color,” says hairstylist Sierra Kener. “This shade blends darker brown tones with warm highlights, creating a multi-dimensional, glossy look. It often has a sun-kissed effect due to the golden hues woven through the darker base.”
As with other hair colors, you and your colorist can customize cinder toffee brunette. You can add some balayage to the mix, make it a bit warmer or cooler, or infuse some beautiful highlights for extra dimension. We’ve got plenty of hair inspiration below.
1. Sun-Kissed Cinder Toffee
Here’s a lighter cinder toffee brunette—almost a bronde—that has a warm and glowy effect to it. “I like that it looks very natural—like the sun just-so-slightly kissed it,” says celebrity stylist Cody Renegar. “It reminds me of fall, there’s a subtle richness to it.”
2. Bright Highlights
The warm and natural medium brown serves as the perfect base for bright highlights. “Incorporating more intense, contrasting caramel or toffee highlights against the dark base creates a striking, high-impact appearance,” Kener says. It makes the hair look instantly shiny while creating some delicious depth.
3. Ashy Cinder Toffee Brunette
You don’t have to write off cinder toffee brunette if cool and ashy tones tend to bring out your complexion more than warm tones. The key is to incorporate more ashy undertones alongside the warmth for a more neutral or cool-leaning effect. Katelyn Ellsworth, hairstylist and founder at The Roslyn, recommends this medium brown base with ashy tones.
4. Balayage Cinder Toffee Brunette
A balayage approach creates a “gradual transition from dark brown at the roots to lighter, toffee, or caramel shades toward the ends,” says Kener. Balayage allows for an easier grow-out phase and captures both light and dark together.
5. Dark Cinder Toffee Brunette
Those who want to stay a bit darker (or go a bit darker from where they’re currently at) can take inspiration from this gorgeous interpretation of cinder toffee brunette. “I like that it’s a very subtle blend; it naturally weaves into her brunette hair,” Renegar says.
6. Copper Toffee Blend
Incorporating copper or reddish tones is a way to really warm up your brunette hair for a more vibrant version of the toffee brunette look. “The warmth of the toffee tones, and the placement of the highlights or balayage, make it versatile and adaptable for different skin tones and styles,” says Kener.