11 Cherry Cola Hair Looks for a Cool and Moody New Look

Red hair’s fiery appeal has taken on moodier guise in recent months: meet cherry cola hair. This red is dimensional, fun, and infinitely customizable—and it’s resurgence is due, in part, to Dua Lipa’s moody, of-the-moment hue. 

“Interestingly, when I started to piece together this idea of a custom color for Dua, 'cherry cola' wasn’t a phrase that I had in mind—the words in my mind were 'dark,' 'bright,' 'blood,' 'grape,' and 'wine,'” says celebrity hairstylist Ben Gregory, who counted Susie Cave and Jessica Rabbit as inspirations for Lipa’s tailored shade. Once the color hit social media, it quickly became known as cherry cola, the name evoking depth and syrpuy sweetness. Regardless of moniker, Gregory notes that the defining traits are depth and vibrancy. “I liked the idea of creating a color that would read differently depending how it was styled,” he adds, a succinct summary of the trend’s far-reaching appeal. “A deep, dark, sultry red, fully blown out for a vampy red carpet look evocative of the 1990s supers, or styled in a way that feels more relevant to youth culture of today.”

Celebrity hairstylist Aura Friedman (a proven champion of the red trend) agrees. “I think this look is more fun and playful, and it ranges and variations of levels and brightness,” she says. And she’s right: cherry cola hair has taken on a life of its own, with past and present variations volleying between dark and sultry to berry-sweet and flashy. Be sure to head to the stylist with a vision (and photos) of what cherry cola means to you and to inquire as to the best shade to suit your skin tone. 

Aftercare matters, too. “Go to a hairstylist that you trust and invest in the aftercare that they recommend for maximum longevity,” says Gregory. Friedman relies on the K18 hair line (particularly the well-loved leave-in) for the most enduringly saturated reds. “The red color molecule is the biggest of the color molecules, which means you lose it faster,” she explains, further emphasizing the importance of post-salon routines. “K18 helps fill any holes and seal the cuticle and lowers the pH level, which helps lock in the color.” Because once you go red, your want of all things bold is bound to increase.

Here, 11 cherry cola hair moments to inspire your own subversively sweet look.