Although I’ve been a brunette my entire life, as soon as the sun makes an appearance and the temperature soars, I’m always tempted to go lighter. I usually opt for balayage or highlights to give my summer hair colour some dimension, but each summer I feel a jolt of excitement of going just a little bit blonder. In fact, hairdressers and colourists often tell me that once you dabble with blonde, you never look back. However, choosing the right shade of blonde can be an overwhelming decision. So we enlisted the help of Jordanna Cobella, creative director of Cobella Salon and Wella Professionals craft expert, to talk us through blonde hair. Plus, I’ve saved the best blonde hair colour inspiration that I’ve found to provide some salon ideas.
“When choosing the right shade of blonde, it’s important to consider your skin tone, its undertone, and also your eye colour,” says Cobella. “For people with cooler skin tones, ashier, cool-toned blonde shades suit them best. For warm skin tones, I recommend golden, honey-toned shades.” It’s also important to consider the maintenance that comes with going blonde. Depending on your hair colour and the colour application method that your hair colourist uses, you may need regular salon appointments to keep your hair colour looking its best. You’ll also want to consider how much heat styling you use. “Before going blonde, consider your hair’s current condition. Can it withstand going blonde? Think about your lifestyle. Going blonde can require regular upkeep to ensure it looks its best, with hair treatments or salon visits to liven up your blonde,” she says.
Want some blonde hair colour ideas? We’re screenshooting Cass Dimicco’s blonde hair colour for our next salon appointment.
To best prepare your hair for blonde, Cobella recommends some home haircare. “To make sure your hair is at its healthiest before going blonde, apply regular hair treatments, such as hair masks and oils. I recommend Wella Professionals Fusion Mask to help restore hair health and Wella Professionals Luminous Reflections Smoothing Oil to add hydration to your hair,” she says. As well as treatments, selecting a good shampoo and conditioner is important to ensure your blonde hair colour lasts for longer. “I recommend my clients use a colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner to lock in colour. Wella Professionals Invigo Color Brilliance duo is great for this, as it’s pH-balanced and helps colour retention. It’s also packed full of nourishing ingredients, helping hair moisture and shine,” she says.
While balayage and highlights are ideal for blonde hair, hair glosses and glazes are ideal if you just want to refresh your blonde hair colour. “Glazes are fast becoming a buzzword for keeping blondes fresh in between traditional highlight or balayage treatments,” says Cobella. “Wella Professionals Shinefinity in-salon service is perfect for adding a healthy shine to hair alongside toning it.” Looking for some blonde hair colour ideas? Ahead are the best blonde hair colours we’ve found on celebrities and the fashion set. Get ready to book your hair appointment.
Not quite blonde and not quite brunette, bronde sits as a happy medium between the two, and it is great if you’re a natural brunette looking to add light and warmth to your hair colour.
We’re practically mesmerised by these ribbons of blonde placed through the hair, which is perfectly showcased in a plaited ponytail.
Bronde looks beautiful on curls. Here, the base hair colour blends beautifully into blonde, and the expertly placed highlights make curls shine.
How pretty is this seamless transition from brunette to blonde?
Balayage is a colouring technique where your hair colourist hand-paints sections of your hair, which gives a natural, sun-kissed finish. What makes balayage so great is that it grows out naturally, so you’re not left with a harsh line of regrowth. Hair colourist Jack Howard’s balayage placements are works of art.
I am totally obsessed with this sun-kissed balayage.
This summery blonde balayage is so pretty and highlights curls beautifully.
Ask your hair colourist to apply blonde balayage around your hairline. It really pops when tied back into a ponytail.
Jennifer Lopez’s hair is given dimension with blonde balayage and face-framing money pieces.
Beyoncé is a prime example of honey-blonde hair. Think warm, caramel-like tones. It’s the polar opposite of platinum-blonde hair, which is cooler-toned and ashy. Honey-blonde hair is flattering and a good middle ground if you want your blonde hair colour to be subtle.
We’re screenshotting Hailey Bieber’s honey-blonde hair for our next salon visit.
We’re in love with Jourdan Dunn’s honey-blonde bob.
Would it be a blonde-hair article without Rosie Huntington-Whiteley? Absolutely not, and we have a lot of time for her honey-blonde hair colour.
Golden blonde is a notch up from honey blonde and has rich, multidimensional hues. Think honey, gold and buttery colours that reflect the light for an expensive-looking finish. Ebony Boadu’s hair is a classic example of this rich hair colour.
We’re taking note of Blake Lively’s golden tones.
Golden-blonde hair in the sunshine is a winner. Tying the hair up with a claw clip reveals all of the tones in the hair.
Golden-blonde hair and long ’90s layers feel so current right now.
Buttery-blonde hair has a mixture of warm and cool tones, giving the hair dimension. Hailey Bieber has butter-blonde hair here.
The mixture of warm and cool buttery tones makes this hair colour multidimensional and expensive-looking.
Jodie Comer’s buttery-blonde highlights complement her skin tone.
Cream blonde balances cool tones with sumptuous placements of brighter blonde, so the result is multi-tonal and light.
This creamy colour looks beautiful on shoulder-length hair.
Cream-blonde highlights look so chic.
Cool-toned cream ribbons of balayage look so pretty on top of a darker blonde base.
This is your sign to experiment with a cream-blonde money piece to frame your features.
If you’re looking for a cool-toned blonde hair colour, ash might be the next blonde hair colour to try.
Ash-blonde placements around the hairline draw attention to your features.
These ash tones add lustre to a darker blonde base.
I screenshotted this immediately.
This is the definition of expensive-looking hair colour.
Biscuit blonde has golden tones paired with cream. Think custard creams or rich tea biscuits for this good-enough-to-eat hair colour.
Varying tones of biscuit blonde really enhance curls.
This blend of warm blonde and cream is beautiful.
These biscuit-blonde braids are perfect for summer weather.
Slices of biscuit blonde look amazing on brunette hair too.
Oat-blonde hair colour is a hue down from platinum. Think more subdued and slightly warmer. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has ribbons of oat blonde around her hairline here.
This hue is so glossy and expensive-looking.
All the oat-blonde hair colour inspo we could need.
This cool-toned bun is our hair goals for summer.
This hue also looks so striking on a short pixie crop.
Platinum blonde is the boldest and lightest of blonde hair colours. Depending on your current hair colour, you may need a couple of salon appointments to gradually build up towards this striking shade. We’re totally obsessed with these long platinum braids.
This short platinum blonde is such a look on Billie Eilish.
We love this hue paired with a French-inspired fringe.
Razor-sharp hairstyles like this blunt bob are a perfect pairing with platinum.
You might already know that purple-toned shampoos and conditioners are ideal for keeping your blonde hair colour fresh. Olaplex’s is loved by hairstylists and beauty insiders.
“To keep blondes looking fresh and bright in-between appointments, I recommend them using a toning mask,” says Cobella. “For ashier blondes who want to remove brassiness, Wella Professionals Color Fresh Mask in Pearl Blonde or Lilac Frost will help remove any yellow tones. What’s great about these masks is that they not only tone the hair but also provide a hydrating treatment—perfect if you’re unable to get to the salon.”
If you’re jetting away to warmer climates and want to enhance your blonde naturally, spritz this through your lengths. It works best if your hair doesn’t have hair dye and you want to enhance your natural colour. It contains lemon and chamomile extracts, which help enhance the sun’s lightening effect on hair.
Root regrowth can be a bugbear for blondes, but this powder formula instantly disguises root regrowth, so no one will need to know.
A good conditioner is essential for blonde hair, which can be susceptible to damage. Veda’s conditioner is also purple-toned to counteract any yellow tones.
Blonde hair can sometimes look lacklustre, so keep a good hair oil to hand to add gloss and lustre to your lengths.
