Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's polished blonde continues to inspire many of summer 2026's biggest hair trends, including Scandinavian blonde and cleaner, more intentional styling.Getty This summer, hair trends are looking noticeably glossier, richer, and more intentional. Across New York’s top salons, stylists say clients are moving away from overly undone texture in favor of reflective brunette tones, creamy “Scandinavian blonde,” polished blowouts, sharp bobs, and softer cuts that feel healthy, fluid, and expensive without looking overly styled.At sought-after New York salons, colorists and stylists describe a broader shift toward luminous color, smoother texture, and hair designed to catch the light — polished enough to withstand summer heat, while still feeling soft, touchable, and effortless.Champagne Blonde and “Buttery Blonde” Are Taking OverThis summer's blondes are skewing warmer, brighter, and far more polished than the beachy, heavily "lived-in" color that dominated the last several years. Instead of icy platinum or harsh contrast, colorists are seeing demand for softer, creamier blondes with glossy, light-reflective dimension.At Butterfly Studio Salon, color expert Kim Le says “buttery blonde” is becoming one of the season’s defining shades, inspired partly by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s polished ’90s hair. “This color’s bright and highlighted from root to tip,” she explains. “The brightness is consistent throughout to give that Scandinavian blonde finish.”This summer’s “Scandinavian blonde” trend feels cleaner, brighter, and far more polished than the beachy blondes of previous seasons.Butterfly StudioUnlike lower-maintenance balayage, these brighter blondes require upkeep. "This color isn't low maintenance though," Le notes. "For those of us who do not have naturally baby-blonde hair growing out of our roots, it will require more frequent highlight appointments to keep up."At Fekkai Salon at the Mark Hotel, colorist Marie-Antoinette Carlo is seeing a similar move toward warmer blonde tones, including golden champagne and honey shades that feel softer and more dimensional than stark platinum. "The goal is soft, healthy, multi-tonal color that feels effortless," Carlo says.Espresso Brunette and Jet Black Are BackHailey Bieber’s ultra-polished brunette reflects summer’s shift toward glossy, light-reflective color.Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesOn the opposite side of the spectrum, glossy dark hair is having a major resurgence. Kim Le says richer brunette shades and ultra-dark jet black tones are making a comeback, inspired by pop culture references like Maddy Perez from Euphoria, Megan Fox's glossy 2000s-era hair, and the hyper-polished brunette looks dominating Pinterest.Carlo says brunette tones are becoming richer and more reflective overall, with shades like mocha and espresso replacing flatter single-tone color. "The dimension lives within the color rather than sitting on top of it," she says. "The surface stays smooth and light-reflective, while depth is built underneath so nothing ever looks flat."Glossy, unapologetically dark brunette shades inspired by Megan Fox’s early aughts hair era are making a comeback.WireImageAt Ollin Salon NYC by Johnny Ramirez, senior colorist Jacob Schmidt says clients are gravitating toward softer brunette-blonde hybrids like warm caramel and cool mushroom tones that enhance natural color rather than dramatically transform it. The appeal isn't just aesthetic. Darker glossy colors are often easier and less expensive to maintain long-term, making them especially appealing as clients increasingly prioritize longevity and hair health.The New Luxury: Reflective Color and “Luminous Hair”Margot Robbie’s warm dimensional blonde reflects summer’s shift toward softer, glossier color.Corbis via Getty ImagesCarlo's "Luminous Highlight Technique" moves away from traditional balayage. "It's all about minimal placement with high-impact light reflection," she explains. "I place just a touch of light strategically so it catches when the hair moves."Carlo says the focus is on hair that looks fluid, reflective, and naturally luminous, with what she calls a "silk blouse effect" — a smooth, polished surface where light glides across the hair.Schmidt describes the overall summer mood similarly: "It's all about a drippy, shiny finish, no matter the color direction."The Bixie and Soft, Airy Bobs Are Summer’s Biggest Short CutsZendaya’s polished bob reflects the shift toward glossier, more intentional summer hair.AFP via Getty ImagesShorter cuts are having a major moment this summer, particularly styles that expose the neckline and feel lighter during hot weather.Jae-Manuel Cardenas at Ollin says both the bixie — a hybrid between a pixie and a bob — and sharp one-length bobs are becoming some of Ollin’s most requested cuts. Inspired partly by Zendaya’s recent shorter styles, the bixie combines softness with structure. “It’s easy, effortlessly chic, works with texture, and you can style it in so many different ways,” he says.Chiran Hayasaka at Fekkai Salon points to Zendaya’s recent shorter styles and what she calls a textured feathered bob — a tapered short bob cut into the shape of the head that exposes more of the face and neckline. “Keeping everything light and airy,” she says, noting that the look can be worn straight, waved, or air-dried with mousse for a more effortless finish.Part of the appeal is versatility: the cuts can be worn sleek, waved, tousled, or air-dried depending on texture and humidity.French Soft Layers Are Bringing Movement Back to Long HairLong hair is becoming softer and more refined. Hayasaka describes one of the season's defining looks as a “French soft layer cut,” built with a mix of long and medium layers customized to hair density, face shape, and head shape, creating movement without sacrificing polish.Cardenas says clients are requesting long soft layers styled smoother and straighter. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy continues to dominate inspiration boards, reflecting the broader return to cleaner, glossier, more polished hair.Hayasaka recommends lightly polishing the ends with a brush “to give slight movement,” then finishing with “one tiny drop of hair oil” to maintain shine and help combat humidity.Ultimately, the biggest shift this summer may not be a single cut or color at all, but a broader move toward hair that looks intentional again. Across salons, the common denominator is shine: reflective color, smoother texture, soft movement, and styles designed to catch light rather than fight against it. Or, as Carlo describes it, hair with a “silk blouse effect.”The Blowout Is Officially BackThis summer, polished blowouts are in.GC ImagesAs clients become more confident styling their own hair at home, expectations for polished, salon-quality hair are on the rise. “The introduction of styling wands like Dyson and Shark has opened an entire new world of access to different looks,” says Christian Nox, who says the shift has changed salon styling overall. “The bouncy, voluminous blowout is still trending and easier to achieve than ever before,” he says.“Long, soft layers, styled to be smoother and straighter is another huge summer look,” Cardenas says. “Beach waves are out,” he says. “Smooth shiny soft blowouts are back.”Humidity-Resistant Styling Fekkai’s Shea Butter Intense Mask is designed to help smooth frizz and maintain shine through summer heat and humidity.FekkaiTo maintain shine and movement through summer humidity, opt for lightweight smoothing creams, nourishing oils, and anti-frizz formulas.At Fekkai, Carlo favors the brand’s Shea Butter Intense Mask and Straight Balm styler for maintaining a smooth, reflective finish. For sharp bobs and shorter cuts, Cardenas reaches for Innersense Air Dry Styling Cream, Got2B Ultra Invincible Styling Hair Gel, and Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil, while longer soft layers pair well with ROZ Milk Hair Serum, ColorWow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, and Oribe Imperméable Anti-Humidity Spray.Perfect for summer, Shu Uemura's weightless multi-benefit nourishing hair oil that protects, nourishes and adds shine.Shu Uemura Schmidt likes Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Hair Oil and OUAI Wave Spray for shine, softness, hydration, and frizz control, while Hayasaka reaches for Brilliant Glossing Styling Cream paired with hair oil to tame flyaways and restore shine to dry-looking hair. Ultimately, the season’s biggest shift isn’t about a single cut or color, but hair that feels polished, fluid, and naturally luminous.