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If you have blonde on your mind, you have an endless kaleidoscope of shades to choose from. Whether you want a drastic color switch, à la Nordic icy blonde, or a subtle refresh in classic honey caramel, there's a flattering hue for every shade of skin. To help narrow down the options, we asked celebrity hairstylists Nikki Lee, owner of the salon Nine Zero One, and colorist at Sally Hershberger Will Francis to share their advice and best tips on going blonde.
Keep scrolling for 10 expert-approved blonde hair colors worth considering.
The New Natural
"Most of my blonde clients are looking for something more natural and low maintenance so they can have more longevity with their hair color," says Lee. Here, Julianne Hough's dirty blonde color proves that trading a high-maintenance hue for a more low-key look doesn't mean sacrificing one ounce of glamour.
Rooted, Undone Blonde
"Natural shades that incorporate some of their natural hair colors, especially around the root, is great for those who are looking to immediately brighten up their appearance without having to commit to frequent salon visits," says Francis.
Lowlights — or your own natural, darker shade of blonde or brown — from root to mid-length let you embrace the grow-out in a deliberate, impossibly chic way.
Blue-Blonde
On the flip side, Francis says that clients that are willing to invest a little more maintenance in their hair are ditching the natural and opting for lively and fun colors. "I anticipate seeing an increase of pops of color — especially shades of blue and purple — woven into a blonde base to add a touch of interest without committing to a whole head of one striking shade," says Francis. "Due to color fade, it requires more maintenance to touch up the color," he notes.
Multidimensional Blonde
Why choose just one blonde hue when you can give several shades a whirl? "My favorite shade of blonde to do appears multidimensional and emits a soft shimmer when touched by the sun," says Francis. "I always take features of my client into account when mixing up their perfect blonde to ensure their skin appears radiant and their eye color is enhanced."
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Caramel Blonde
Shades of soft, buttery caramel work wonderfully with warm skin tones to brighten your overall look. According to Lee, "People with warmer skin tones will lean towards golden blonde and cooler skin tones will lean toward more icy tones. For darker skin tones, I go with more golden and caramel hues."
Balayage Blonde
"Balayage is a great start for someone who is looking to add some brighter blonde pops and dimension throughout their hair," says Lee. "There isn't a huge commitment level and the grow-out is nice."
To make the look super modern, go with subtle highlights evenly distributed throughout, rather than high-contrast strikes of light color, like Sarah Jessica Parker's painted wisps of bright blonde, sun-kissed honey, and lowlights, that melt together to seamlessly transition into a gradient.
Icy Platinum Blonde
Striking, bold, and full of personality, Francis predicts icy platinum blonde will continue to be popular. "Icy platinum and ash are great shades that border on experimental with the infusion of gray tones," he explains. "I love platinum blonde on dark skin tones as I think it creates the most stunning contrast. But for those apprehensive of going that light, mushroom blonde is a great shade that is flattering to dark skin tones while still brightening up the overall appearance."
Ash Blonde
Want a cooler blonde but not quite ready to go all the way, white-hot Nordic ice queen? Tone down the drama by combining a flash of darker roots that fade into a frosty, ashy color — that is simple yet high glamour with a platinum shine — to test the waters to see if the style's right for you before committing to all-over platinum.
Honey Blonde
Another popular blonde shade, according to Francis, is the earthier golden and honey tones. Despite being somewhat traditional requests, gold and honey shades are highly requested as they tend to complement most skin tones, he says. Honey is a nearly universally flattering shade of blonde for skin tones ranging from very fair to dark, that immediately bring drama and vibrance, adds Francis.
Bronde
To infuse a range of blonde shades into the hair without a full process, go bronde. "I see this request a lot with brunettes who would like to add blonde into their hair without touching their root color," says Francis. The result? A natural look that has all the brightness of a lighter blonde with a darker base that allows for a graceful grow out.
"Another great option here is to add blonde only around the face, leaving the remaining hair its natural color," adds Francis. "This look can give the illusion of being blonde without having to dye the whole head."
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