Kiernan Shipka hit the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars Party red carpet wearing a warm, luminous Golden Hour Brunette by longtime colorist Tracey Cunningham (@traceycunningham1), Schwarzkopf Professional® U.S. Creative Director of Color & Technique and co-owner of Mèche Salon in Beverly Hills.
To create the softly radiant finish, Tracey layered tonal warmth and subtle depth throughout the hair using Schwarzkopf Professional® IGORA VIBRANCE®. Strategic lowlights and a refined root gloss ground the look with richness, while a luminous gloss through the midlengths and ends captures that signature “golden hour” warmth. Finished with soft waves by celebrity stylist Clayton Hawkins (@claytonhawkins), the result is a light-reflecting, dimensional brunette that moves beautifully on camera. Read on for Tracey’s exact formula.
The Formulas
- Formula A (lowlights)
- Schwarzkopf Professional® IGORA VIBRANCE® 7-1 + 7-0 + 8-0 + 6-volume developer
- Formula B (gloss, hairline)
- IGORA VIBRANCE 8-0 + 6-volume developer
- Formula C (gloss, base)
- IGORA VIBRANCE 7-0 + 7-1 + 6-volume developer
- Formula D (top)
- IGORA VIBRANCE 9-55 + developer
- Formula E (gloss, mids and ends)
- IGORA VIBRANCE 9-7 + 0-55 + 10-57 + developer
- Formula F (face frame)
- IGORA VIBRANCE 8-0 + 20-volume developer + OLAPLEX No.1
Steps
- Introduce subtle depth by applying Formula A as lowlights through the interior to build dimension and enhance warmth.
- Apply Formula B at the hairline and Formula C at the base. Process for 10 minutes.
- Refine the top section by applying Formula D to boost reflective warmth.
- Gloss the midlengths with Formula E. Process for 10 minutes to amplify shine and saturate the hair with warm, golden tones.
- Brighten the face frame using Formula F. Tracey added OLAPLEX No.1 Bond Multiplier to this step to protect the hair’s integrity and ensure a healthy, high-shine finish.
- Process accordingly, then rinse, treat and style as desired.
