A great hair colour can take your look to the next level, but finding a stylist that can get you there isn’t always easy. That’s where Matt Rez, Hollywood’s most in-demand colourist, shines.

The Moroccanoil global ambassador’s multi-dimensional work has been seen on the likes of Florence Pugh, Tate McRae, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, but when it comes to changing up your look, Rez recommends thinking about what complements your unique colouring rather than chasing what you see online. “The craziest thing is when people use [a celebrity photo] as a reference and they’ll be like, ‘I want this but not this’ and it’s two photos of the same event,” he says. “There are all these delusions around hair colour, especially when we’re looking at illuminated screens. Phones have different settings, and eyes perceive colour differently.”

Whether you’re still debating “cinnamon cookie butter hair” for fall or dreaming of Dua Lipa’s vibrant burgundy colour (also the work of Rez, FYI), consider this before you present your inspo to your stylist: “There are three [components] to hair colour: colour, tone and reflect,” he says. “Even if you have a warm colour, if you happen to be on a red carpet it [might] photograph cool. It’s not that your hair colour was actually cool in tone. It’s a reflection of the light and what’s around you.” The key is to find the shades that will add dimension and lift your hair in all environments.

With all this being said, I sat down in Rez’s salon chair at the Moroccanoil headquarters in NYC, hoping to take my dark brown hair to a cherry red shade, which did not end up happening. (“The red in your inspo photo leans on the cooler side, and I would never put anything purple-toned on you, It would take away from you,” he told me matter-of-factly.) Instead, we decided on a medium chocolate “espresso martini” colour. “We’re not using any bleach on you; we’re using a clear permanent hair colour, which is something Moroccanoil has that no other line has,” says Rez. “It counteracts unwanted red tones and it’s going to give you really soft, natural-looking highlights. Like you’ve been in the sun for the entire summer and then some.”

Ahead, Rez shares his hair colour trend predictions for 2024 and his advice for finding your perfect shade.

What are the colours that are exciting you the most right now?

“I’m really liking chocolate colours. They’re fun to play with and you can mix them to get them to lean cool or warm or neutral.”

 

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How can someone determine if they’re better suited to cool or warm tones?

“I have a hard time with this question because you can’t [always] put it in such a category. Typically speaking, how light or dark you go should depend on how light or dark your eyes are. When it comes to the tone of the hair color, it should complement your skin tone. But not everybody has the same exact skin tone all around. I say the safest place to be is in the neutral world. Trust the person you go to, they should be able to help you see it.”

What colour trend do you think is on its way out?

“I feel like copper had its moment—and I was responsible for it, [according to] my older sister. But I think copper is going to die down because it really got played out, in my opinion. It’s still beautiful, but I don’t think it’s gonna be that trend that everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, I wanna get that.”

What can we expect to see more of in 2023?

“I think we’re going to see more solid brunettes next year. That doesn’t mean it has to be [entirely] monochromatic, but it’s definitely going to be more natural-looking, less ribbon-y, and much more blended with soft dimension.”

Do you feel like the general trend is moving towards low-maintenance colours?

“I have to say yes. Pre-COVID, everyone was doing the most and then during [the pandemic] they got nothing. But then when everything re-opened, there was this vengeance—everyone needed to go light all of a sudden. Now, [many are] leaning towards more natural looks and honestly, I have to thank Hailey for that.”

 

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Is it safe to say that Hailey’s brunette is the most-requested hair colour right now?

“For sure. She convinced a lot of people that I never thought would want to be brunettes to go brunette. Lily Aldridge has the ombre, Sarah Jessica Parker is the forever bronze, and Jennifer Aniston was like that too. I think Hailey is in her own world of brunettes.”

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