“Chocolate Chai” Is The Balayage Trend To Try This Fall

When it comes to your pre-fall hair color appointment, the safest approach is to keep it simple. You want a subtle change, like a believably sun-kissed highlight, that will make you feel like a new person, but one who doesn't need to book a follow-up four weeks from now. (Because who knows where we'll be?)

For inspiration, let us direct you to the trending brunette balayage tone that NYC-based colorist Stephanie Brown is calling "chocolate chai" — a comparison to the hot latte in your coffee cup on a chilly September morning. From a hair-tone perspective, the dark root color lends itself to the chocolate reference, while the swirls of chai are the pale-brown highlights placed around the hairline (but off the root).

For a visual on the refreshingly simple, yet cozy hair-color trend, scroll through the gallery ahead.