10 Sunset Hair Color Ideas for a Mesmerizing Mane
Adorning hair in swathes of gold and hints of pastel tones, sunset hair color is here to celebrate the dreamiest of natural phenomena. Like the sunsets you see in the sky, this look combines a clash of ethereal colors that melt together. Think purples, pinks, oranges and reds – but not always at the same time. Burn bright with fiery orange and scarlet tones or glow softly with hues of gold, purple and pastel pink. This look is a statement-maker, but it's also surprisingly versatile.
So, how do you get your own sunset mane? Read on for all the inspiration you need. From lust-have looks to maintenance, we've got the full lowdown on the most captivating hair color...
How to Get Sunset Hair Color
1. Choose Your Shades
From pinks to corals to purples, any sunset shade is possible with the Wella Professionals portfolio. Discover translucent pastels for bold hair beginners with SHINEFINITY, or go vibrant with Color Touch and Koleston Perfect. Before you book in for a salon consultation, try to have an idea of the colors you'd like to see in your sunset mane, and think about how soft or vivid you want them to be in your finished look.
2. Consider Commitment
It's not just about the color of your sunset mane – commitment is a big consideration too. Do you want to try the trend for the season or make it last? Do you have time for regular touch-ups or do you want the soft regrowth of a balayage? Think about how long you'd like to work the trend, and how often you can go for maintenance appointments. This might mean the difference between your colorist using a semi-permanent color formula, like Color Fresh CREATE, or a permanent color, like Koleston Perfect.
3. Book with an Expert
Once you've got an idea of the shades you want, it's time to book your salon appointment. Creating a sunset mane can be a complex process, so we always advise you to leave your color in the hands of an expert. Many times (unless you have light blonde hair), you'll need a pre-lightened hair base to make your sunset tones pop, so a colorist will also ensure this is done in the safest and gentlest way possible. To locate your nearest Wella Professionals salon, head to our Salon Finder. You're just a few clicks away from your dream color.
10 Gorgeous Sunset Hair Color Ideas to Try
Golden Hour Rosé
This radiant, rose gold look is a Wella Professionals exclusive; an ethereal explosion of pinks and golds that can be recreated at your nearest Wella salon. It’s inspired by golden hour, that moment just before the sun rises and sets, when skin and hair are bathed in warm, light-reflective hints of rose and amber. Ideal for (soon-to-be) blondes, it’s one of the biggest hair color trends of 2025; a must-try for pastel lovers looking to elevate their glow.
Coral Glass Hair
Get the glow of glass hair with our new Golden Glass collection of services. Want this sunset-inspired palette? Then ask your colorist to recreate the radiant Coral Glass look. In three steps, they’ll layer strands with light-reflective color and care for irresistible shine, so you get a soft, seamless veil of coral hues that shimmer through brunette hair. First, they’ll create your base color with the vibrancy of Color Touch, then add your zero lift, zero damage, glass-like top coat with SHINEFINITY Color Glaze. Finally, your hair will be glossed up with ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, infused with Squalene and Omega-9 for a lustrous, healthy look.
Copper Sunset Hair
Image Credit: @terricolours_hair
Summer meets fall in this coppery mane, which sees hints of vivid red and gold swept through the lower layers of hair for a striking reveal. To create this ‘fire rainbow', your colorist can reach for semi-permanent Color Fresh CREATE.
Deep Purple and Pink Sunset Hair
Image Credit: @jodiegrovehair
As the sun disappears below the horizon, an explosion of delicate purple and pink tones sets the night's sky aglow. This two-tone ombre encapsulates that moment flawlessly. A combination of the sunset and mermaid trends in one, it's pastel perfection that looks even better through healthy, nourished hair. Care for your color with Oil Reflections Luminous Smoothing Oil for instant luminosity, no matter your style.
Sunset Watermelon Hair
Image Credit: @jhair_stylist
Fruity bursts of watermelon pink and passionfruit purple make this the juiciest sunset look around, created (again!) with the unstoppable pigment power of Color Fresh CREATE. Because this semi-permanent portfolio features such a wide range of vibrant colors, it's a go-to for anyone wanting to embrace bolds that fade true-to-tone from one appointment to the next.
Pink and Peach Pastel Sunset Hair
Image Credit: @jhair_stylist
Like a Caribbean sunset, awash in peachy, pinky and apricot tones, this color block hair look was made for the bold; a daring duo for major hair impact. If you go for this one, make sure you have the Color Fresh Mask in your kit. Grab two colors – Pink and Peach Blush – and apply them to clean, damp hair in the shower when your shades need a pick-me-up. In just 10 minutes, these masks will revive your color for a salon-fresh look and feel.
Rose Gold Sunset Hair
Image Credit: @luca_brusini
If you want a softer take on sunset hair with low-maintenance regrowth, keep your root area natural and ask your colorist to transform the mid-lengths and ends. On a dark blonde hair base, this rose gold ombre is a multi-tonal masterpiece, with light hair tones interwoven with the pinks for a boost of brightness. A demi-permanent formula, like SHINEFINITY Color Glaze, will help you nail this look, and give you a radiant shine you can feel from root to tip.
Sky Blue and Lavender Pastel Sunset Hair
Image Credit: @jhair_stylist
Lavender clouds peek through a pastel blue sky in this ethereal sunset mane; the perfect shade combo if you prefer adorning hair in icy cool tones. Even those with natural blonde hair will need a pre-lightening session to reach a platinum base, so ask your colorist to use bond-strengthening BlondorPlex for 97% less breakage*. Then, they can mix up your shade with your choice of color product, whether you want semi-permanent Color Fresh, demi-permanent Color Touch or permanent Koleston Perfect.
Sunset Orange and Pink Hair
Image Credit: @nikkiclifford_hair
If 'go bold or go home' is your mantra, try a kaleidoscope of sunset shades. This blend of orange, gold, pink and purple tones will satisfy your vivid color craving. For high intensity, we love the Koleston Perfect Special Mix portfolio of shades, featuring the boldest brights that your colorist can tweak to hit the exact color tones you want.
Dark Sunset Hair
Image Credit: @hairbytom_at_thehairhouse
For darker sunset hair, swap peaches and pinks for bold oranges and reds, as seen in this head-turning, two-tone, dip-dyed hair color creation. Fiery and flawless, it burns bright with the help of the Color Fresh Mask, a semi-permanent, color-depositing treatment that tints and conditions in one step. No wonder this mane looks so smooth.
How to Maintain Sunset Hair Color
1. Start Bold
Maintenance for colored hair starts in the salon. Your colorist might recommend painting your shades bolder than your reference pics, so you start with a brilliant hair color that takes longer to fade. It means your mane will be a touch more intense than you planned, but after a few washes, you'll hit your dream hue and you'll get extra mileage from it.
2. Care at Home
Use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner to lock in your shade for longer, like INVIGO Brilliance Color Protection Shampoo and Vibrant Color Conditioner. This shine-enhancing combo will make bold tones appear brighter for longer, while keeping hair strands moisturized. Plus, each product comes in two formulas for different hair types – one for fine/normal hair and one for thick/coarse hair.
3. Protect and Perfect
Heat and UV rays are the two biggest culprits behind brassy hair and shade fade, so protect your sunset mane with a styling product that shields against both. ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In is your savior; a delicate cream that instantly tames frizz, reduces breakage, and creates a veil of protection against hot tools and scorching rays. Use it before blow-drying, then smooth a drop through lengths daily. For sunset hair that lasts, this is your secret.
* When using Wellaplex N°2 with Blondorplex, versus Blondorplex alone.
