You’re going to want a glass of this refreshing hue.
By
- Reece Andavolgyi
May 15, 2023
If you’re a foodie in search of a new hair color, perhaps you should consider picking out a food-and-drink-inspired shade for your next hue. Espresso brown, sweet caramel and red velvet hair are a few of our rich favorites, but another color that we (and social media) love for summer is milk tea hair. This hair color has a blended mix of ashy blonde, gray and brown tones, just like the subdued color of the milk and black tea mixture that make up this yummy drink.
Milk tea hair can be more milky or gray depending on your preference, which means this tasty hue can be a stunning hair color option for almost all skin tones. If you’re ready to drink up this trendy color, read on to learn how you can get a milk tea hair color at home, plus everything you’ll need to care for your delicious hue.
6 Milk Tea Hair Color Ideas
If you’re craving a cup of milk tea for your hair color, here are six ways to sport this refreshing hue.
Rosy Milk Tea Hair
Milk tea with rosy tones is a great way to rock this hue without the ribbons of ashy color. Since this color is a little different from your typical shade of ash brown or blonde, head to the salon to get the perfect mix of milk tea and peachy-gold tones.
Brown Milk Tea
Think milk tea with more tea, less milk. This light brown hue has a mix of warm and cool tones, making it a sound choice for almost all skin tones. Use the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Cool Light Brown to sport the hue.
Blonde Milk Tea
If you find yourself drawn to shades of blonde, this version of the hue with more milk than earl gray, is just your cup of tea (pun intended). Get your hands on the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Cool Supreme Permanent Gray Coverage Hair Color in Ultra Ash Medium Blonde to give this hue a try at home.
Bronze Milk Tea
Bronze milk tea has metallic ribbons of gray-meets-brown color weaved throughout the milky hue. DIY the look with the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Cool Supreme Permanent Gray Coverage Hair Color in Ultra Ash Dark Blonde.
Gray Milk Tea
A slight variation from a brown milk tea hair color, gray milk tea is cool-toned, ashy and bright. Head to the salon to get this milky gray color, but use the L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Silver Slate in between visits to keep your color vibrant and fresh.
Violet Milk Tea
Violet milk tea is the ashiest version of the hue, with the blonde ribbons of color lacking any sort of warmth and appearing purple (sort of like you left your purple shampoo on for too long). Get a violet milk tea hue at home with the help of the L’Oréal Paris Féria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color in Dusty Mauve.
How to Care for a Milk Tea Hair Color
Once you’ve made a milk tea color a part of your beauty look, you’re going to need a solid hair routine to keep it looking just right. Here are some tips to help you out with that.
1. Use Shampoo and Conditioner for Color-Treated Hair
On wash days, reach for a sulfate-free system, like the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment, the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid.
Not only will this bonding trio help to keep your milk tea color from fading, but it will rebuild weak hair bonds that occur with frequent bleaching, hair color, chemical treatments and usage of hot tools. Using citric acid, this trio is able to penetrate the inner part of your hair follicle (called the hair cortex), rebuilding it stronger from the inside out and repairing damage.
2. Tone Weekly
If you opt for a blonde milk tea variation, it may be helpful to wash your strands with a purple shampoo, like the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo once a week to keep brassy tones away.
Another option is a toning gloss, like the L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss. This in-shower glossing treatment corrects brassy, lackluster color in a single five- minute treatment, and it doubles as a deep conditioning mask. It comes in 16 shades so if you’re sporting a milk tea hair color with a surplus of brown tones, this may be a better option for you than a purple shampoo.
3. Use Heat Protectant
Anytime you heat style your hair, you should be doing so with a layer of heat protectant shielding your strands. Depending on what milk tea hair color you choose, your hair may need to be bleached, which can make it dry and more susceptible to damage. Stay smart and use the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Sulfate-Free Weightless Blow Dry Primer, Heat Protectant when you heat style your hair to preserve the integrity of your strands.
If you can keep the hot tools usage to a minimum, that’s always a good thing, but another helpful tip is to use them on the lowest temperature setting, and only pass through each section of hair once if possible.
Next: 15 Ways to Flaunt a Trendy Icy Blonde Hair Color
Photo Credit: IG/@litto.carol, Photo Design: Sarah Duvivier