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By Steph Bong·June 30, 2026
Created in collaboration with stylist Adrienne Dara, Honey Copper expands the Shades EQ portfolio with a new solution for controlled warmth.
Redken is expanding the Shades EQ portfolio with Honey Copper, a new color family designed to deliver dimensional warmth with more control. Available in Levels 6, 8 and 9, Honey Copper sits between the Warm Gold (WG) and Copper (C) families, combining a balanced brown-to-tan background with gold and copper reflects. Honey Copper gives colorists a versatile option for creating soft warmth on blondes, adding richness to brunettes, enhancing existing copper tones and supporting filling and toning services.
According to Global Artistic Ambassador and formulation expert Adrienne Dara (@adriennedara), who co-created the collection, Honey Copper was developed to solve a challenge colorists encounter every day: porosity. Healthy roots, mids and porous ends often absorb color differently, making it difficult to achieve balanced warmth throughout the hair. Honey Copper's balanced background helps create a more predictable deposit, reducing the risk of porous hair grabbing too much tone while still delivering the warmth clients are asking for.
"Controlled warmth is the true kryptonite of porosity," Adrienne shared, explaining that the shades were intentionally designed to work with the hair's natural absorption patterns rather than fight against them.
The Honey Copper family includes three new Shades EQ shades:
Watch Adrienne's breakdown in her IG post below:
The collection arrives as warm color continues to evolve beyond bold copper transformations. Many clients are now looking for softer warmth that feels natural and lived-in. Honey Copper was designed to fill the space between traditional gold and copper tones, giving colorists another option when creating customized warm results behind the chair. For stylists, that means greater flexibility whether they're warming up a blonde, enriching a brunette or creating a reflective copper finish that doesn't feel overly saturated.
The launch also marks a milestone for Redken. For the first time in the brand's history, a professional stylist was invited into the labs to help create a new color family. After identifying a gap in the existing Shades EQ portfolio, Adrienne partnered with Redken to test, refine and develop the final shades. "A year ago, I had that thought and I brought it to the attention of Redken," she explained. "They didn't just listen to me. They asked me to co-create it with them."
The collaboration reflects a growing shift toward innovation shaped by the professionals using color every day behind the chair.
Watch Redken's "Making Honey" BTS video with Adrienne Dara below:
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