Smoky Gold Is The Breakout Hair-Color Trend For Winter

If the entrée into the dark-at-4 p.m. time of year is any indication, it's time to head into the salon for your annual pre-winter lowlights. But before you schedule that appointment with your colorist, take a step back and consider something a little different from last year's look: smoky gold, the on-trend balayage shade of the season.

Celebrity colorist Cassondra Kaeding is calling it now: "Smoky gold is going to blow up," she says, explaining that the shade feels appropriately seasonal, but still fresh. "Most people gravitate to cool colors this time of year, but this take on dark blonde is within the comfort zone because it picks up on ash and espresso tones, just with a subtle gold lift at the face frame and ends. The result is soft and blended — and a gloss finish gives it that gorgeous shine."

With Kaeding's help, we rounded up visual evidence of the trend — and all the proof you need of just how pretty it is on a range of different hair types — ahead.