Hailey Bieber’s hair color is now a deep espresso brown, the darkest shade she has worn in more than a decade.
The finish is glossy enough to look expensive, which matters because a color this dark reads as heavy or flat without it. Matt Rez, the Los Angeles colorist behind the shade, debuted it on September 18.
The Espresso Shade
Hailey Bieber’s new color is a deep espresso brown that sits between rich chocolate and soft espresso, with enough gloss to look expensive.
It is the darkest shade she has worn in more than a decade, and it first appeared on September 18.
The name shifts depending on who is describing it: espresso, deep chocolate brunette, espresso-inflected brown.
If you’re taking it to a stylist, save the photo and ask for a "glossy espresso-chocolate brown" instead of leaning on one label. A picture settles what a shade name can’t.
How the Color Wears
Richness is the first thing this shade delivers: a deep, dark brunette that looks expensive instead of flat. The gloss does most of the work.
Light slides across the surface so the hair reads as liquid, and that shine keeps a color this dark from looking heavy. I’d say it is the real appeal.
It is also much darker than Hailey has ever been, which is why it frames the face so well.
The depth draws attention to her features and eyes, and against her olive skin the espresso sits comfortably, without the harshness a dark shade can bring.
Her longtime caramel-bronde looked sunny. This one looks polished and quieter.
The Team Behind It
Matt Rez, a Los Angeles celebrity colorist whose clients include Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa and Tate McRae, created the color.
Irinel de León did the cut and styling, and on September 18 she posted the first look on Instagram. Priscilla Valles added extensions for length and volume.
No formula for the new shade has been published: not the brand, the levels or the developer. I’d treat that as useful rather than frustrating, because a formula copied blind rarely survives contact with a different starting color.
Bring the photo to your colorist, call it a deep espresso brown, and let them build it from your hair as it is today.
Past Hair Colors
Before the espresso, Hailey Bieber’s hair ran lighter and warmer.
Her colorist, Matt Rez, built the viral "toasted almond" with midlights: mid-toned blonde and rich cinnamon tones blended from root to ends. He told Harper’s Bazaar in December it was golden brown meeting honey "bronde."
The new shade is a hard turn from that, and Vogue says as much:
Bieber’s latest hair change may be the darkest she has gone in years, but it doesn’t feel severe.
— Vogue
The move was gradual.
She told fans in her TikTok comments she wasn’t making any big hair decisions postpartum and was taking a year off from cutting. If you’re saving the photo, I’d read that as a cue to go slowly too.
Fall Layers and Movement
Treat this color as a seasonal switch: swap summer’s lighter, warmer brunette for deep espresso as the weather cools, then lighten up again later. Bieber’s version debuted September 18.
Layers keep a shade this dark from looking flat. Piecey layers and face-framing strands give the cut its movement, so ask your stylist for both by name instead of just "dark brown."
Length varies between photos, from just past the shoulders to well below them, and extensions added some of it. I’d pick the length your own hair can reach.
The 2023 Gloss Formula
The formula that circulates under this name comes from a January 2, 2023 POPSUGAR story about a gloss colorist Matt Rez used to take her hair to a richer brown for fall.
It is not the formula for the new espresso color, so don’t hand it to a stylist as that.
Two versions exist: the reported original, and an adaptation for a darker base, mixed by stylist Madison Clifford.
| Version | Redken Shades EQ | Built for | Time on hair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 7NCH, 8GG, 9GB (equal parts) | Bieber’s base | n/a |
| Adapted | 7M, 8GG, 6GB | Naturally deeper hair | About 15 minutes |
Only 8GG appears in both, so treat the rest as a starting point for your own base.
Hair Condition and Shine
Dark color only reads as expensive when the hair underneath is healthy.
Suzie McGill, Artistic Director of Rainbow Room International, says going darker "always looks luxurious when the hair is in the best condition." She adds that nourishment lets hair rejuvenate and hydrate, which gives a long-lasting shine.
That is the finish Who What Wear describes on Hailey Bieber’s new shade: dark, rich and exceptionally glossy, a sign the liquid hair trend is sticking around.
Her previous color was a lighter brunette, so the move to espresso leans harder on shine.
A deep, even shade shows dryness quickly. I’d say get the hair healthy before you go darker, not after.
Gloss Upkeep and Timing
A gloss is the easiest way to try a darker tone before you commit to permanent color:
- The POPSUGAR editor tested it on faded, brassy highlights and went from drab to chic without dyeing her whole head.
- Processing usually runs about 15 minutes, so it fits inside a single appointment.
- With good care, a gloss lasts four to six weeks.
- Clifford still suggests booking monthly to keep the shine looking expensive.
- Between visits, a color-safe shampoo and conditioner helps. The Vegamour GRO+ kit is $98, down from $116.
- If you’re unsure about going darker, I’d start here. A gloss fades on its own schedule, and permanent dye doesn’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hailey Bieber’s natural hair color?
Hailey Bieber’s natural hair color is light brunette. She shared in summer 2024 that she was leaning into her natural shade as part of a hair health journey, letting her lengths grow without making dramatic changes.
Before going darker in September, she had spent years experimenting with high-octane blonde, caramel highlights, and tonal brunettes.
What was Hailey Bieber’s toasted almond hair color?
The toasted almond was a viral hair shade Hailey wore before her espresso transformation, created by colorist Matt Rez.
It contained a mixture of mid-toned blonde hues and rich cinnamon tones blended from root to ends using midlights. Rez described it as golden brown meeting honey bronde, a perfect harmony of blonde and brown tones.
How long does a hair gloss last?
A hair gloss lasts 4 to 6 weeks with good care.
Processing usually runs about 15 minutes, so it fits inside a single appointment. Between visits, use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner to help maintain the shine, and consider booking monthly to keep a darker shade looking expensive.
