Way back when (as in, only a couple of years ago), "bronde" took the beauty world by storm. A breakthrough term to define the ambiguous light brown hair color that wasn't quite blonde, but not yet brown, this high-profile hybrid has arguably become one of the most covetable hair trends (dare we say ever), and has yet to lose steam.
Finally, there was a concrete term to use when referring to the gorgeously noncommittal tresses a lá Jennifer Aniston, Cara Delevingne, Olivia Palermo, Jessica Alba, and essentially half of Hollywood. Thus, we consider the bronde trend an official split from extremes -- resulting in some major light brown color inspiration. Since the birth of bronde, we've fallen in love with every iteration of the look -- calling aye to marriages of blonde and brunette that culminate in sultry shades of light brown, and nay to harsh, one-dimensional color that feels flat, stuffy and dated.
In an effort to dig a little bit deeper, we got the inside scoop from Matrix Style Link Celebrity Colorist George Papanikolas on the latest trends in the world of light brown hair color -- all equally gorgeous variations of soft brunette inspired by ancient stones, rich contrast and shimmering shades of metallic. From tiger's eye to bronde, bronze to copper, and everything in between, we're divulging the hottest new (color) couplings for 2017.
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Light Ash Brown
A slightly softer (and less dimensional) shade of bronde, this ashy, light brown hair color is having a total moment. As Victoria's Secret model Josephine Skriver so elegantly demonstrates, the sophisticated neutral effect is still exceptionally natural looking, making it the low maintenance and perfectly wearable color of our dreams.
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Cocoa Brown
Papanikolas describes this luxe hue as a "pale, cool, pearly brown that looks beautiful on fair skin." We can't get enough of Gigi Hadid's slightly darker hue as of late, which makes perfect sense considering the model's pale complexion and light features.
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Sandy Brown
Though she's dabbled in lighter and brighter shades of blonde, this cool, neutral shade is Cara Delevingne's signature. Another eye-catching variation of bronde, it's a beautiful complement to those with cool undertones. Pro tip: To determine your undertone, look at the inside of your wrist! If your veins look blue or purple, you have cool undertones and if they're on the greener side, you have warmer undertones.
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Sun-Kissed Brown
The brightest in the bunch, this drool-worthy light brown shade has us dreaming of sandy beaches, ice cold bevies, and lips that don't chap the second we leave the house. A tad more blonde than brown, this sunny shade is incredibly flattering, says Papanikolas, as it can be customized with either cool or warm highlights to suit your skin tone. Supermodel Nina Agdal demonstrates, and we're raising our hands (we know you know the Emoji).
