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TikTok has seen its fair share of beauty trends come and go — from cloud skin to crying makeup to the anti-mascara look, it can be hard to keep up with them all. And now, a new TikTok-viral beauty trend has come into the rotation — enter: “cherry Coke hair.”
Also known as black cherry hair, cherry Coke hair is a black shade with red, burgundy, and even violet undertones — a bit similar to, well, a refreshing glass of fizzy cherry Coke. “When someone is asking for a cherry Coke hair color, I’m thinking of a dark, reddish, maroon color that’s brunette but also in the red family,” New York City-based hair colorist Cherin Choi tells Teen Vogue.
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If cherry Coke hair sounds familiar to you, that’s probably because it is. TikTok creators Hayley Bui and Erika Titus have recently dyed their strands cherry Coke red, inspiring other TikTokers to DIY the look themselves. Megan Thee Stallion rocked the vibrant look over the summer, and Keke Palmer did too a few years ago. But the stunning hair color has been around long before then, being spotted even as early as the late 1990s and all the way until the late 2000s.
With copper red hair dominating both the red carpet and our TikTok For You Pages the past year, it makes sense that cherry Coke hair is the latest shade of red to become popular. That combined with a recent surge in ’90s and Y2K nostalgia makes for the perfect new viral hair trend. “I love this trend and it’s been fun to see more folks experimenting with red hair color,” says Cara Craig, hair colorist at Beauty Supply Salon in New York City.
If you want to hop on the cherry Coke hair bandwagon yourself, maybe don’t reach for the box dye — Choi stresses that it’s always best to seek out a professional, “I can never truly recommend doing [an] adventurous hair color at home.”
Depending on your natural hair color, your hair colorist may try one of three things, according to Craig: a base break (which essentially lightens your natural hair color), a single process application, or bleach and tone. While anyone can rock cherry Coke hair, Craig explains that the shade is “best for hair that is medium brown or light” because it’s easier to dye and likely won’t require bleaching. On the other hand, if you have a darker head of hair, you may need your hair bleached and toned to achieve that cherry red hue.
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The only caveat with cherry Coke hair is that the shade can be a bit “high-maintenance” since it fades easily, according to Choi. To ensure your soda-inspired locks last as long as possible, Craig recommends washing your hair less and using a color-safe shampoo. Color-enhancing conditioners can be used as well. Choi suggests the Davines Alchemic Conditioner, which is specifically designed for warm red hair.
If you’re not ready to hop on the cherry Coke train, don’t worry — after all, like most viral TikTok beauty trends, this one will likely come and go. Who knows? Maybe Mountain Dew hair will be the next big thing.
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