This past summer, my friend kept asking me when I was going to book my “break-up hair” appointment. You know what I’m talking about; it’s that risky chop, new fringe, or striking colour transformation that so many women crave after wading through a major heartbreak. It’s like a Klaxon bell ushering in your new era, and (hopefully) a decent confidence boost too, if all goes to plan. And after my long-term relationship ended back in the spring, I felt very ready for a big change. Shades of auburn hair colour like ‘cinnamon cookie butter’ and ‘cowgirl copper’ were everywhere on my feed at the turn of the season, and I thought a similar tone might be the perfect fresh start for autumn.

Our Acting Beauty Director said I’d be in safe hands at Blue Tit, Dalston, so I went for a consultation to discuss my options, really key if you're thinking of a big change too.

My hair before the appointment was long, crazy-thick, and dyed blonde with layers of balayage dating back to 2020. If I braided it loosely, it would dry with the faintest hint of a “beach wave” kink. That was always the end goal: to look like a surfer with effortless saltwater waves. But TBH, most days it just looked like a frizzy, ratty mess, thanks to bleach damage and my naturally straight, coarse hair.

The lengths of my hair went all the way down to my bra straps, which is also something I wanted to address during my transformation. I always felt like I was suffocating with it plastered to my back on the sweaty London Underground. Tube girl, I was not. Plus, it took me nearly two hours to wash, dry, and style it from start to finish, (in this economy? who has that kind of time...) and it never looked right in my opinion; always too “done” and fussy.

I struggled to achieve a natural-looking wave in it, and always ended up with overly-tonged mermaid waves, which felt naff to me. Beach waves are probably the most ubiquitous hairstyle of the Millenial generation, and while I do think they can look super pretty, I was so bored of that look on me. I also craved something lighter, quicker, and easier to manage on a daily basis. At my consultation, I met with Millie Jocic, Colourist and Level 2 Stylist at Blue Tit. I suggested we try a late 90s / early 2000s long layered bob. The versatility, I hoped, would let me either flick the ends out a bit, or style with heated rollers for a bouncy rom-com star look. And what’s better for healing heartbreak than starting to feel like the main character again?

London's Blue Tit salon in Dalston took my locks from dry, faded old balayage to a vibrant and glossy copper hue

Colour-wise, we opted for a cross between cinnamon cookie butter and cowgirl copper, aka warm brown with a reddish tint throughout, and a shiny finish like a polished two-pence coin. Jocic explains, “Copper is a great way to change it up without going too crazy, as it is still a colour that people have naturally. When deciding on your perfect shade with your stylist, it’s important to consider your eye colour, skin tone and colours you tend to wear regularly with your general style.”

How long does red/ copper hair colour last?

She also warned me that as it’s a fashion colour, it will fade faster, and I might need a top-up every six weeks or so if I want to maintain the vividness. Reds fade famously fast. So if budget is a concern, you have to factor in how often you are willing to pay for a salon top-up on your colour, or buy an at-home tint. (Or, you know, just roll with the gradual fade-out process.)

Jocic also encourages clients to be mindful of home care, such as how often you wash it, using the correct aftercare products, and how often you style it with heat – all things that can affect your colour duration. I wanted to go balls-to-the-wall orange with it, but she suggested we start with a more wearable coppery brown to dip my toe in the water - ok, wise - and once it fades, we reasoned, I could always play around with a more vivid hue.

Post-salon appointment, I’ve been loving how much easier my hair is to manage at this length (especially when I exercise), and it’s been cool to see how the copper gradually fades out to a warm

How my appointment went - step by step

Step one was to chop the length off, and I’ll admit, it was a dopamine rush to see several inches of my hair on the floor. Deadweight (mental, physical, emotional), be gonnne. Next, we topped up my half-head of balayage to keep the colour multi-dimensional, mixed in with Olaplex Treatment No. 1 for protection. After rinsing out the bleach foils, she applied Olaplex No. 2, a salon-only mask for strength and softness. Finally, it was time for colour, which Jocic mixed with an oxidant. This meant it penetrated my hair better, to keep the colour fresh for longer. When we rinsed it out at the sink, she thought the colour could stand to be more vivid, so she re-applied another round.

The final step was trimming some subtle long layers in and giving it a glossy blow-dry. TBH I feel like a new woman; I love how dramatically different it looks. Three days after I left the salon, Hailey Bieber debuted her new ‘cinnamon cookie butter’ hair, so according to my girl math calculations, that basically means I’m a beauty influencer now, right? The colour has taken some getting used to and I find myself reaching for the bronzer and blush more to warm up my face.

But I am really enjoying it as we head into autumn and I get out all my long coats and cosy jumpers. I feel lighter, too, and surprisingly more spontaneous. My shorter hair is a piece of cake to wash, dry, and style now. Buh-bye, two-hour wash day routine. And because we chopped off the ratty ends, it looks relatively okay even on days when I don’t style it and just let it air dry. So if last-minute plans pop up, I’m in. ("Sorry I can’t I have to wash my hair tonight” was sometimes a legitimate excuse for me before.)

maddy's copper hair must-haves

Kérastase Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo

Remington H9100 Proluxe Heated Rollers

Now 27% Off

Aveda Botanical Repair Intensive Strengthening Masque

Gisou Honey infused hair oil

SAM MCKNIGHT Cool Girl Barely There hair texture mist

Oribe Conditioner for Beautiful Color

Oway thermo-detangling cloud

ghd Wide Plate Hair Straightener

How to make red hair colour last

To make my new colour look vibrant for as long as possible, I’m doing my best to follow the aftercare advice. I sprung for a bottle of Oway’s Thermo-detangling cloud at the salon, which I spray onto damp hair to protect against heat damage. At nearly £50, it’s pricey, but I’m heat styling my hair a lot more with this short cut so I wanted to splurge on something good. She also suggested the brand’s No-rinse Moist Conditioner, Colour Protection hair mask, and Glossy Nectar for nourishing hydration and polished hair cuticles.

Styling my shorter hair

To style it, I tend to blow-dry it upside-down for volume, and then either straighten it with slightly flicked-out ends or curl it with Remington heated rollers for an ultra-feminine look. I’m also playing with half up styles, giant Good Squish scrunchies, colourful clips, and headbands. Overall I’m loving the versatility of the cut and colour, and obsessed with how quick and easy it is. My breakup was months ago now, but I’m loving this new hair so much that I actually wish I had the nerve to book the appointment sooner. What do you think, are you going to try the copper hair trend this winter?

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 Maddy Alford is the Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan UK and Women's Health UK, covering fashion content online and in print. Maddy specialises in shopping galleries and first-person reviews of the best fashion buys, from jeans and jewellery to wedding dresses, gymwear, and winter coats. She also writes op-eds on on pop culture, viral fashion moments, travel journalism, fitness, and the LGBTQ+ community's relationship with style. Maddy is also a fashion stylist who has worked on over 100 photoshoots at Hearst, including those starring Raye, Niall Horan, and Lena Dunham. Previously, she has worked in fashion PR and e-commerce, including stints at ELLE US and UK, Net-a-Porter, InStyle, and Time Out New York. Maddy has ten years of experience in the fashion industry in both London and New York City, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She is passionate about second-hand shopping, inclusive fashion, running on Regent's Canal, and finding London's cosiest pubs. 

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