My "Espresso Martini" Hair Color Gets Me Tons of Compliments

I know, I thought I was over food-based beauty trends, too. Unfortunately, when I heard about the "espresso martini" hair color, I had to change my stance. Not only do I freaking love espresso martinis (sub tequila for vodka), but when I started seeing the different espresso martini hair inspiration photos on social media, I immediately knew I needed to try it.

I'm a natural brunette, and I find switching my hair color up to be a bit of a hassle. I like the idea of highlights, but keeping them a good, rich tone that doesn't turn brassy can often be a challenge. Since all of the examples of this trend featured the most subtle lightness, however, I figured it might end up being the perfect color for me. To try it, I visited hairstylist Sierra Kener at Nine Zero One Salon in Beverly Hills.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the espresso martini hair-color trend, and to read about my experience getting the color.

"Espresso martini hair is a rich chocolate color with a skinny piece of lightened hair around the front," Kener tells PS. Rather than just a solid brunette base like with black hair color , this version can involve smaller highlights throughout, or it can just feature two "money pieces" to frame the face. The latter are meant to signify the creamy froth often seen at the top of espresso martinis.

"[The trend] will look best with clients who have darker natural hair who want something low maintenance while still having a little dimension," Kener says. However, it can be completely customized to suit your needs.

To get the look, you want to start out with a rich brunette base: think espresso or chocolate. I'm a natural dark brunette, but I had a lot of warmth in my hair from a previous highlight job I had done over the summer, so Kener added lowlights throughout to get me closer to my darker base.

"We low-lighted with 7NB in the MyDentity warm series because I wanted to add dimension, shine, and richness," she says. If your hair doesn't have any existing highlights as mine did, your colorist can either add in a few lighter pieces or stick with a solid base.

I'm also the lucky owner of quite a few grey hairs, which Kener calls "sparkles," so we went over those with a demi-permanent cream color.

From there, it was time to add the "froth," which Kener did using four highlight foils around my face to lighten things up. After shampooing, she applied a toner all over my hair to balance out brassy tones. "This allows the right amount of warmth to shine through without going dull," she says.

Once she finished conditioning my hair, Kener gave me a gorgeous bouncy blowout so I could survey the final look, which was stunning. She removed the brassiness from my hair, and instead gave my hair life and dimension. Plus, the "frothy" money pieces at the front of my face made the entire look pop.

I got to show off my new hair color over the weekend, and I'm not exaggerating when I say I received more compliments than I have with any other hair color.

This trend is low-maintenance, and only requires salon visits every six months or so. However, to maintain the longevity of your new look, it's important to use color-safe products whenever washing or styling your hair. Additionally, Kener recommends a heat protectant like the MyHero Collagen Shield Spray ($28). "This will prolong the color and protect it from heat damage as well as keep it shiny," she says. "Even if you aren't using heat tools, this will protect your hair from the sun's heat. Think of it like a sunscreen for your hair."

MyHero Collagen Shield Spray

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Kener also says if you need to cut out any warm tones in your hair (since brunettes tend to get brassy), she recommends using a color depositing conditioner like the MyRefresh Color Depositing Conditioner in Purple Raven ($24). "I recommend doing this every fourth shampoo," she adds. "It will mute just the right amount of warmth.

MyRefresh Color Depositing Conditioner in Purple Raven

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And last, "I always recommend using a good mask," she says. "When working out, slick your hair back and add just a little to the ends." Kener suggests her clients use the Aavrani Intensive Repair Mask ($39) at least once a week.

Aavrani Intensive Repair Mask

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Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for POPSUGAR. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for POPSUGAR's TikTok and Instagram accounts.