Modern Auburn Hair: How To Create Rich, Expensive-Looking Color

Are Your Reds Looking Flat or Overly Orange? Read This Colorist's Guide

Modern auburn updates traditional auburn with softer tonal contrast, controlled warmth and richer brunette-red dimension. Tonal layering and neutral balance create a glossier, more reflective result without overly saturated warmth, aligning with the broader shift toward “quiet luxury” color and softer, more expensive-looking finishes.

“Auburn lives deeper and more balanced,” says Jessica Scott Santo (@jessicascotthair), Moroccanoil® Global Ambassador, lived-in color specialist and #ONESHOT winner. “It’s a red-brown with controlled warmth.”

We asked three color specialists to break down exactly how they formulate…