Copper hair is a sexy yet natural take on red hair that will show off your fiery spirit without appearing too unnatural. If The Little Mermaid was your favorite Disney film, then wanting to try copper hair color at least once is fully understandable. Copper hair is a type of ginger or red hair that is bright, metallic, and fun. It looks more natural than true red hair, but it still has all of that sexy drama.
In this article, we’ve got a ton of inspiration for you, with 57 photos of some of the best copper hair color ideas out there! It’s high time to dive into the myriads of gorgeous copper hair color shades we have put together to inspire you to pick the most insane, mesmerizing copper hair dye for you!
1. Wavey Copper Lob
A bright copper hair color is great for making a long bob haircut a little more dramatic and playful. A touch of darkness at the route adds dimension as the curls gleam and shine.
2. Copper Melt Three-Tone Ombre
Darker roots and lighter ends are a classic, and with copper hair color shades they make the hair look like a melting cascade of metal. The roots start off dark, and lighten up as they go from auburn all the way to bright copper at the ends.
3. Deep Mermaid Copper Hair
The mixture of coppery orange tones and deeper auburns makes for super dramatic and voluminous copper hair that has depth, shine, and health. Pair this deep copper hair color with pink outfits for an opulent, foxy look.
4. Autumn Copper Sombre
A chocolatey brown and brighter yellow-copper come together in this sombre hairstyle to exude delicious warmth that is oh-so-seasonal for autumn. Add subtle waves to this copper hair color and you have a show-stopping look you can take from day to night.
5. Golden Copper Waves
Ride that wave, baby! Brighter copper hair shades like this one are perfectly natural looking, and are also super playful and youthful. You can’t tell easily, but this is actually a bob augmented with some hair extensions, for when that copper hair needs extra oomph.
6. Wood and Copper Balayage
Copper hair dye on its own is ultra bright and fun, but when the cooler seasons roll around you might want to bring it somewhere more sophisticated. A balayage of cool browns and warm coppers is just that!
7. Burning Copper Balayage
This balayage is so bright I feel like I have to shield my eyes to look at it! The mix of brighter copper hair colors with a touch of true red, plus the dark brown for dimension, make for a balayage that reflects light like no other.
8. Gold Tinged Copper Hair
That touch of gold at the ends of the hair is everything, turning a lovely wavey copper hair color into something much more unique with just a simple touch. Pair with dangling earrings and a little black dress to steal the show at the party.
9. Metal Copper Hair Melt Cascade
Copper hair dye can achieve miraculous effects, like this intense color melt. The roots and first few inches of the hair remain dark, and then effortlessly transform to a red that melts into that perfect metallic copper hair color, leading to a hairstyle that seems to be living and breathing.
10. Grape and Orange Copper Balayage
A hint of cool grape with a whole lot of orangey copper hair color leads to this sophisticated balayage. The dark roots of this bob ensure easy maintenance, while the blend of colors is unique and multi-dimensional.
11. Punky Pumpkin Copper Bob
With copper hair being so fun, how can you not play around with the styling as well? These messy curls are a perfect complement to the shiny pumpkin shade of the hair. Take note of just a few brown strands here and there that make this copper hair color seem to jump out at you.
12. Halloween Copper Colormelt
This colormelt blends Halloween colors together into a copper hairstyle that is anything but spooky! The change over from dark roots to bright pumpkin copper ends is extreme but all the more beautiful.
13. Peek-A-Boo Copper Hair
A great hair colorist can make hidden stripes of color, like the intense red in this case, a fun element of an otherwise sophisticated take on copper hair colors, deepened with a lot of browns and auburns. The copper hair shades look especially vivid when you straighten your hair this sleek.
14. Dark Copper Hair Flow
If your hair is naturally dark, and you don’t want to overdo it with the bleach, then this is exactly the kind of copper hair color you want to consider – deeper, redder, and very well blended for that healthy dimension. A subtle wave takes the copper hair color to completely new heights.
15. Muted Copper Waves
If you’re a little hesitant to become a full-on copper queen, you might enjoy a more muted take on copper hair colors that have a lot of browns and auburns in them. This look is wearable and will pair well with most clothes in your wardrobe.
16. Gentle Copper Swirl
A hint of copper hair dye is all it takes to brighten up brown hair considerably, and to make for a super lovely balayage, especially in time for autumn. This copper hair color is ideal for those stepping into the red hair game for the first time, and we are sure you are going to intensify the copper tones as time goes by.
17. Choppy Copper Bob
Choppy bob haircuts require careful styling and dyeing to avoid looking flat, and different shades of light and dark copper hair dye can seriously help. The wavey styling is also key to the beauty of this warm balayage.
18. Hot and Cold Copper Sombre
Cool and warm copper hair colors are not the easiest shades to mix, but it can be done, as we see in this gorgeously long hairstyle. The color starts darker at the roots and seamlessly goes slightly lighter making a lovely, wearable sombre you’ll adore.
19. Golden Copper Hair Magic
The secret to the intense shine of this balayage is a lot of tiny swipes of brown dye that give a ton of contrast and make this golden take on copper hair colors appear alive. Be bold to pair this copper hair color with bright shades of yellow and gold to make the traffic stop as you are passing by.
20. Deep and Cool Copper Balayage
This is one of the few cooler takes on copper hair colors on this list, at least when it comes to undertones. A cool brownish-red hair acts as base, while a slightly rosey golden copper is balayaged through to give a highlight to the clean waves.
21. Frayed Metal Curls
This ultra vibrant copper hair color looks like it could be made of real metal, with slightly teased curls looking wild yet feminine. A touch of brown at the roots ensures that the whole style looks like it’s moving!
22. Simple Mermaid Copper Hair
Copper hair colors can look really clean and fresh when they are kept naturally warm, and styled into simple, chic waves. This is one of the most versatile copper hair color shades you can easily pair with your wardrobe of rainbow palette.
23. Dreamy Copper and Auburn Waves
Dark auburn roots work so well with all kinds of copper hair shades, including this super bright mixture of orange and blonde coppers. The contrast is extreme and memorable! The mid-length haircut makes this look gleam with volume and strength.
24. Muted Woodsy Copper Hair
The more woodsy coppers that have a lot less red in them and a lot more yellow with just a hint of blue are definitely more mature and less Disney princess. This sophisticated bob shows exactly those kinds of copper hair colors, mixed with a nearly burgundy underlayer of color.
25. Deep Copper Waves
Long, wavey hair can protect you like a warm hug in the autumn, especially when it is colored appropriately. These copper and auburn waves are just deep enough to be perfect for the season.
26. Chocolate Caramel Waves
When a copper hair shade is truly balanced with a bit of brown, it becomes the kind of delicious caramel that is working so well with the chocolate brown roots in this dramatic balayage. Pair with a little white dress to be the fairy in town!
27. Apple, Pumpkin and Straw Balayage
The beautiful thing about copper hair colors is that they are possible to mix in so many different ways. This balayaged bob shows how well apple red, straw blonde, and true copper can come together in vivacious hair.
28. Baby Pumpkin Highlights
These long, fiercely highlighted waves are showing that copper hair color can totally be a pastel, as long as it’s applied to seriously bleached hair. This ultra soft baby pumpkin copper hair shade gives an intense contrast to a deep brown base.
29. So Hot it Burns Copper Balayage
Be careful touching this copper balayage – the temperature was turned up so high with the flawless styling, dyeing, and color blending that you might actually burn yourself. This is that flaming copper hair color that will look amazing on any length and thickness of hair.
30. A Wave of Warmth
The touch of copper balayage running through this wavey bob lends a lot of warmth and dimension to what is otherwise a primarily cool hairstyle with a light cherry cola brown base. The vintage curl added makes this one of our favorite copper hair color shades to fall in love with!
31. Straight and Messy Copper Bob
Warm copper hair shades, a touch of brown for dimension – we cannot get enough of these balayages! We already knew they were perfect for wavey styles, but here is proof that they can work even on the sleekest of bobs, and maybe even inspire a touch of tousling.
32. Deep Copper Hair Romance
These deep copper hair shades that have a touch of extra brown in them are a touch more conservative, so they are a good way to ease into red hair. Style them into flawless curls and a wavey side bang for a romantic look that is perfect for special events.
33. Under the Sea Copper Waves
If you’re embracing copper hair, why not go for full-on mermaid hair? Style it into waves, dye it a deep reddish-copper, and live your best Ariel-inspired life. Pair with antique jewelry to wow the crowd!
34. Understated Copper Lob
There is something interesting happening in this copper long bob. A close look at the ends will show a touch of straw coloring, adding a subdued and balancing touch to the red-toned copper hair dye.
35. Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Balayage
Is anyone else getting hungry? These pumpkin orange copper hair shades are simply delicious, especially with chocolate browns keeping the root healthy and adding volume. This is also one of the most wearable copper hair colors perfect for beginners.
36. Neon Copper Hair
From the most wearable to the boldest! This sleek style proves that copper hair colors don’t always have to be all that natural – neon copper is bright and unique, but still passionate and warm.
37. Fire Up That Copper Balayage
This is another extreme take on copper hair colors, with a deeper coppery-red root that melts into a bright orange-yellow take on coppers in a flame-mimicking balayage. This copper hairstyle screams the wearer is on fire!
38. Copper and Color
Only a truly creative spirit can come up with such a fascinating blend of colors, while a talented hand is what’s required to pull them together so cleanly without creating a muddy mess. The copper hair base gleams brightly with health, while the muted mix of purples, greens, and blues at the bottom contrasts in a way that is pure fashion.
39. Copper and Rose Gold Colormelt
This is a complex colormelt that really shows an intense progression of metallic copper and rose gold hair shades, starting with deep auburn at the root and ending with a lavender-tinged rose gold at the ends, with all shades showing up in between. This copper hair color is for the creative souls out there!
40. Autumn Kaleidoscope Copper Hair
Deep, woodsy brown roots and gleaming dark copper curls make for a simple hairstyle that is healthy, autumnal, and warm. Wear it loose or style it into a chic updo paired with your sparkling sequin dress for special events.
41. Copper Brunette Drenched in Orange
Those brunette roots are hard to let go of… nor should you, since you can fully embrace the joy of copper hair while still staying a brunette at heart! Just have a look at this fiery take on a copper sombre.
42. Straw Copper Bob
This is another great example of what copper hair colors look like when they are yellow-dominant, with just a hint of red. The mixture of lighter and darker straw coppers is sophisticated and reserved.
43. Subtle Depth on Copper Hair
This deeper take on copper hair colors combines a lot of different shades of darker copper, to create a really subtle balayage that has volume and movement, without the extreme contrast of some of the other looks here. This is also an excellent hairstyle idea for women over 50.
44. Cherry and Pumpking Balayage
The base color for this balayage is a deeper, cherry copper shade that has a lot of presence despite being on the darker side of things, while a thread of pumpkin adds just a touch of whimsical brightness. This copper hair shade is an awesome fall hair color idea to try.
45. Coppery Brown Curls
These brown curls are washed with just a tint of copper hair dye that adds a ton of shine and warmth. This is a fabulous way of updating brunette hair for fall and making it a touch brighter!
46. Deep Copper Lob
This deeper copper hair color has a ton of yellow and brown in it, but because of its intense shine it doesn’t seem all that dark. Haphazard curls keep this look airy and fun. Pair with a deep mauve lipstick to create a femme fatale look.
47. Casual Copper Hair
All others step aside, the master is showing us how simple copper hair is done. This blend of light and dark copper shades that are low on red is artful yet wearable, in the way only Guy Tang can create.
48. Feathery Copper Brown Curls
This is another simple take on copper hair colors that are high on browns and low on reds. Careful styling makes the curls look soft and feathery. Pair with a minimalist makeup look to make the copper shades pop.
49. Piecey Copper Wave
Using copper hair dye on thin strands of hair is labor intensive, but it’s the only way to get this high-dimension and high-shine piecey copper hair look. This color will look dramatic when paired with a deep burgundy or red lipstick, so go for it!
50. Copper Peach Balayage
Peach and copper are a dreamy mix that is soft and lovely, but also unique and innovative. This wavey bob mixes lighter copper hair shades with a deep brown copper, while the peach is the secret to the brightness of the look.
51. Blonde to Copper Success
Tired of your blonde hair? It’s easy to switch to a luxurious copper, and the hair instantly looks shinier and healthier! This take on copper hair leans more towards brown, but it gleams like any metallic.
52. Coppery Glint Balayage
Copper hair dye gives an instant glimmer and gleam even to a brown-heavy balayage like this one! A subtle wash of bright copper is all it takes to add that sudden and surprising shine.
53. Pumpkin Spice Latte Curls
Another gleaming take on pumpkin and coffee copper hair shades, which shows that just a little bit of copper goes a long way to elevate brown hair colors. It’s deep, dramatic and so perfect for the gloomier seasons!
54. Cherry Copper A-Line
An A-line bob is already a show-stopping haircut, but pairing it with such an astounding red-heavy copper hair color makes the wearer impossible to forget. Add some choppy baby bangs to make the look even sweeter.
55. Auburn and Deep Copper Bob
This feathery bob is primarily a totally wearable auburn, but a touch of muted copper hair dye gives it extra life. The hairstyle is kept as simple and wearable as the color job, making the look understated but chic.
56. Gleaming Copper Touch
The orangey copper hair dye in this balayage is super bright, acting as the perfect highlight to increase gleam and shine, and turn this reddish brunette look into something much bigger than the sum of its parts. This multidimensional copper hair color is great to take from fall directly to summer.
57. Autumn Leaves on Fire
A storm of autumn leaves falling is the first thing that comes to mind, with this perfectly waved and impossibly shiny take on brown and copper hair colors. The lush waves give movement to the color making it more alive.
Photos via Instagram