Hair trends are changing, but one thing remains consistent: guests want hair that looks beautiful and works with their real lives.
If you have been searching for the latest hair trends, looking for an Ames hair salon, or scrolling through inspiration photos trying to decide what to ask for at your next appointment, 2026 is all about customized color, healthy-looking hair, soft movement, and lower-maintenance beauty.
At Finesse Spa Salon, we are seeing several trends that aren't just beautiful in a photo — they can be customized to work for your lifestyle, natural hair, and maintenance preferences.
1. French-Inspired Highlights
French highlights continue to be a beautiful choice for guests who want brightness without losing the natural depth of their hair.
This technique can be especially beautiful on brunettes, creating soft ribbons of caramel, beige, or golden dimension rather than an overly highlighted appearance.
The goal is effortless-looking color that grows out beautifully.
2. Dimensional Brunettes
Flat, one-dimensional brunette color is taking a back seat to rich, dimensional shades.
Think:
- Caramel
- Chocolate
- Mocha
- Soft copper
- Golden brunette
- Beige brunette
The right combination of color and placement can make brunette hair appear fuller, shinier, and more dimensional without dramatically changing your overall look.
3. Lived-In Blonding
If you love blonde but don't love frequent maintenance, lived-in blonding may be worth discussing with your stylist.
Instead of creating an extremely bright root-to-end blonde, your stylist can strategically maintain some natural depth while creating brightness throughout the mid-lengths and ends.
This creates a softer grow-out and can make your color schedule more manageable.
4. Glossy, Healthy-Looking Hair
One of the biggest beauty trends isn't actually a color — it's shine.
Guests are looking for hair that looks healthy, reflective, soft, and polished.
A professional gloss can refresh tone, enhance dimension, and give hair a beautiful shine between larger color appointments.
5. Soft Layers and Face-Framing
Haircuts in 2026 are embracing movement.
Soft layers, face-framing pieces, and customized shaping can give hair more movement without sacrificing length.
The best haircut isn't necessarily the trendiest haircut. It's the one that works with your natural texture, face shape, styling routine, and desired amount of maintenance.
6. Hair That Fits Your Lifestyle
Perhaps the biggest trend of all is personalization.
Your inspiration photo is a starting point — not a guarantee of the exact result.
Your stylist should consider your current color, previous chemical services, natural texture, density, lifestyle, and how much time you realistically want to spend styling your hair.
That is why a consultation matters.
How Do You Know Which Trend Is Right for You?
If you are searching for hair salons in Ames, Iowa, start by thinking about the problem you want your hair to solve.
Do you want:
- More brightness?
- Less maintenance?
- More dimension?
- A softer grow-out?
- More movement?
- A healthier-looking finish?
- A completely new look?
Bring your inspiration photos to your consultation, but also be open to your stylist helping you customize the idea for your hair.
Find Your Next Look at Finesse Spa Salon
At Finesse Hair Salon, our goal isn't to recreate someone else's hair. It's to help you discover a version of the trend that works beautifully for you.
For more than 67 years, Finesse Spa Salon has been part of the Ames community, creating personalized beauty experiences built around education, care, and connection.
If you are looking for an Ames hair salon to help you navigate your next color, cut, or styling transformation, we'd love to help you find the right direction.
Ready to talk about your next look? Schedule a consultation with the Finesse Spa Salon team.