If You Need A Mood Boost, Drench Yourself In Color With The Rainbow Hair Trend

All those who spent 2020 dyeing their hair a color not found in nature, please rise. I did it myself, capitalizing on my time away from the office to turn my own hair bubblegum pink. Thousands of others did too, making a bright DIY dye job a pandemic pop-culture staple right up there with Tiger King and the “Savage” dance. But alas, it’s 2024 now, and the time has come to level up. Celebrity rainbow hair color ideas are taking over social feeds, one actor, influencer, and artist at a time. It’s not hard to see why, either — why wear just one eye-catching shade when you can wear a full-fledged multicolored masterpiece?

Though the idea of rocking more than one or two colors may seem tricky, the rainbow hair trend is surprisingly customizable. The colors themselves are totally dealer’s choice, with options ranging from a light pastel to aggressively neon. Dye your entire head from roots to tips, or hide the rainbow underneath other hair for glimpses of color throughout the day. No matter the style, rest assured there’s a shade on the spectrum out there for everyone. For those looking to try out the trend, search no further than this roundup of the best rainbow hair inspiration out there along with a few tips on how to get the cosmic look for yourself.

Rainbow Roots

Halsey’s worn a few different rainbow hair combinations over the years, but her color-blocked center part is next-level creative. The key to the look pictured from 2019, according to a press release issued by her stylist, Florido Basallo, is in the minimalism of the rest of her hairstyle. This allows the brilliant squares to get all the attention — it’s well-deserved.

Faded Ombré

Kylie Jenner switches up her hair color so often, it says a lot that these pastel rainbow braids from a few years ago are still dominating mood boards and Pinterests around the world. Created for Coachella, the soft kaleidoscope colors that bleed into each other remain one of Jenner’s all-time best looks, and her infamous Discount World sequined two-piece just cements it.

Face-Framing Color

Purveyor of all things hot, Megan Thee Stallion amped up her neon purple wig with delicately blended rainbow pieces, colored by Kellon Deryck, her go-to guru. The rainbow-bright sections met in the back to form a colorful v-shape while Meg’s roots and tips were left purple. The result adds even more emphasis to the multicolored hair. Deryck was kind enough to grant fans an inside look at exactly what dye shades he used for the look, all from the Guy Tang #MyDentity collection. Starting with a platinum wig, Deryck layered Purple Raven, Mint of Steel, Cosmic Coral, Phoenix Fire, Sheer Power, and Lightning Bolt to nail the colorful blend.

Pastel Color Palette

If there were ever a time for rainbow hair, it’s absolutely Coachella. Ciara turned up the fun for the festival with a combination of unicorn-colored pastels in icy pinks, blues, and purples, letting them all combine through her sultrily tousled waves. Celebrity hair artist Cesar Deleon Ramirez created the straight-up magical look, one of Ci’s all-time coolest.

Mix & Match Shades

To get the rainbow look, you don’t necessarily need the full shade spectrum — two or three poppy colors will do the trick, á la Kristen Stewart. Her hair, created by celebrity pro Adir Abergel, features a layering technique that blends inky jet black, neon red, and platinum blonde together. It looks even more multicolored with her electric yellow brows, too.

Rainbow Brights

By now, it’s clear that Cardi B never goes anything just halfway, including her hair, which is almost always as bold as her personality. Not even advanced pregnancy could stop the superstar rapper from donning the most eye-catching primary colors in her ultra-long hair for a look that’s one-part fairy princess, one-part My Little Pony.

Two-Tone Unicorn

With just two colors, neon orange and magenta, Alicia Keys transformed her hair into the best summer party ever. No stranger to the rainbow look, she’s worked this two-toned look before, test-driving shades of blue, purple, and pink — and they all suit her, of course. For those looking to dip their feet into the rainbow pool but hesitant to get all ROYBIV, follow Key’s colorful lead and pick two of your favorites.

Prismatic Ponytail

Katy Perry’s made super saturated colors a huge part of her brand from day one of her career, and that includes incorporating the aesthetic into her hair. She’s worn every technicolor shade you can imagine, but this blend of blues, indigos, violets, and pinks will forever be legendary.