Inside Emma Stone’s Signature Copper Hair at the Oscars (Exclusive)
Celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham shares the treatments, glosses, and styling products she recommends to keep Emma Stone’s soft copper hair vibrant for the 2026 Oscars.
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As Emma Stone heads into the 2026 Academy Awards with two nominations tied to Bugonia, Best Actress for her performance and Best Picture as one of the film’s producers, another detail about the star always draws attention on the red carpet: her hair.
Stone’s luminous copper shade has become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable hair colors. It’s become one of those rare celebrity signatures that feels totally effortless and completely intentional at the same time. And it didn’t happen by accident.
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Behind the color is Tracey Cunningham, Schwarzkopf Professional’s U.S. Creative Director of Color & Technique and Chief Innovation Officer at Omi, who explains what it takes to keep Stone’s copper looking that vibrant, especially under red-carpet lighting.
The thing about copper is, it’s unforgiving
Copper shades may be trending across salons and social media, but they’re also one of the most difficult colors to maintain. “When I’m working with copper hair like Emma Stone’s, keeping it vibrant at home is everything,” Cunningham exclusively tells LA Times Studios. “That rich tone can fade fast if you’re not protecting it.”
The routine starts even before shampooing. Cunningham often recommends beginning with a strengthening pretreatment. “No. 3 PLUS Complete Repair Treatment is amazing,” she says. “Leave it on for three minutes before you shampoo and you’ll feel the hair get stronger and look glossier over time.”
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Strengthening the hair fiber helps preserve color while improving shine, two things that become especially important when hair is frequently styled for red carpets and press appearances.
Then there’s the shampoo situation
After strengthening treatments, the next step is cleansing. According to Cunningham, the type of shampoo used can make a big difference in how long a copper shade lasts. “For cleansing, I always recommend a sulfate-free shampoo like Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo to help keep the color looking rich and shiny, not dull,” she says.
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Her general guideline is shampooing about three times a week. Washing too frequently can strip pigment from the hair, while washing less often helps maintain color vibrancy. And to keep the tone looking freshly colored, Cunningham likes her clients to regularly gloss.
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What clients actually want before the Oscars
For Cunningham, getting ready for the Oscars isn’t about dramatic reinvention. “When a client is heading to the Oscars, they usually don’t want a totally different look,” she says. “They want to feel like themselves, just elevated. My job is to refine what they already love and make it feel fresh, polished, and red carpet ready.”
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Alongside treatments and glossing to keep color luminous, Cunningham says supporting hair health from the root can also make a difference. For clients who frequently color and heat style their hair, she recommends OMI Hair Growth Peptides to help support stronger, healthier strands.
Click here to learn more about Omi.
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