Blonde has never seemed more approachable. We are at a very exciting time in the world of hair colour, when rainbow hair is commonplace on the streets and in (some) office environments, and when going intentionally grey doesn't seem like a bad idea, according to much of Hollywood. All of a sudden, blond seems, well, reasonable.
There's a new wave of blond ambition in town, heralded by stars like Beyoncé, Miley, and Chrissy Teigen. Girls who weren't born fair-haired are now making it look, dare we say, even cooler than the iconic Hollywood blondes we've come to know and love (we're looking at you, Gwyneth and Reese). Above all, there's the feeling that this shade is totally attainable, no matter what Mother Nature gave us.
Perhaps, everyone should go blonde once in their lives, just to see what all the fuss is about. But, be warned — that means regular root touch-ups (every four to six weeks, depending on your look), and salon glazes in-between. Keep all that in mind before you decide to hit the bleach.
If you've been bitten by the blond bug, though, click through to get a little inspiration. We gathered insight from three in-demand colourists — Tracey Cunningham (who dyes Charlize Theron), Justin Anderson (none other than Miss Miley), and Rita Hazan (Queen Bey) — to break down the best blondes in Hollywood. Then, we sourced the products — both salon and at-home — you need in your arsenal. Prepare to become a total bleach babe — your dream shade awaits.
The Classic Blonde, À La Grace Kelly
“The mix of sandy and bright-blond tones makes this the most natural-looking hue of Old Hollywood. Because it can be a bit ashy, it’s best on fairer complexions, rather than tan or darker skin tones,” says Anderson.
Photo: Everett Collection/REX USA.
The Modern-Icon Blonde, À La Charlize Theron
Charlize is also a warmer blonde, “but there are vibrant undertones,” Cunningham says. “This really enhances her skin tone.”
Photo: Stewart Cook/REX USA
The Socialite Blonde, À La Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth does the cool-blond thing, but she prefers it less lived-in. “This colour reminds me of New York — and money!” Anderson says. “It’s a near-platinum shade that requires the most upkeep — even when your natural colour is on the lighter side, like Gwyneth’s.”
“When your hair is one colour, you never really see how light it is unless you have something lighter or darker next to it to make it pop,” explains Cunningham, the actress’ go-to colourist. “That’s why we add babylights to keep it multidimensional while creating luxurious depth.”
Photo: PDN/REX USA.
The Platinum Blonde, À La Miley Cyrus
“This is a high-maintenance shade,” Anderson says. (He should know — he frequently colours the star.) “Being this blond is obviously going to be the most damaging to the hair, so it works well with a shorter style. I think it goes nicely with pink skin tones, but it’s also great because it is such a statement that you will barely ever feel the need for makeup.”
Photo: Matt Baron/BEImages.
The Buttery Blonde, À La Reese Witherspoon
“This is the all-American shade,” Anderson says. “It’s buttery tones accented by an icy pop of bright-blond highlights — it works so well with her pink cheeks. This is consistently the most requested type of blond in Los Angeles.”
Photo: Tiffany Rose/Getty Images.
The Blonde Ambition, À La Madonna
Madge has run the gamut from buttery to strawberry and just about everything in-between. She makes noticeable roots with a colour edging on platinum look cool, showing that pale colours don't always require major upkeep.
Photo: James McCauley/REX USA.
The Can’t-Be-Bothered Blonde, À La Kate Moss
Another roots advocate? “Kate Moss is the ultimate rock-'n'-roll blonde,” Hazan says. “The trick is not to go overly blond — allow contrast in the colour, and leave a lot of time in-between root touch-ups at the salon,” adds Anderson.
Photo: REX USA.
The Party Blonde, À La Kate Hudson
“This is easily one of the most requested shades of blond in Hollywood,” Anderson says. “Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest hues for girls to pull off. Kate is more of a yellow-blonde than most people realise, so to pull this off, you have to have the right colouring — and personality. I like it best with a natural-looking tan. Keeping up with the roots is also essential.”
Photo: Picture Perfect/REX USA.
The Golden Blonde, À La Shakira
“This is classic golden-blond with light, pale highlights,” Hazan explains. “This allows her to pull off the colour convincingly. Plus, the contrast of gold and pale creates a youthful, beachy sort of blond.”
Photo: Picture Perfect/REX USA.
The Honey-Blonde With Depth, À La Beyoncé
“This is a shade of honey that has a variation of high- and lowlights, which gives Beyoncé the perfect balance for her medium skin tone,” Hazan says. “This gives the colour dimension and contrast, but in a very subtle way.”
Photo: Gregory Pace/BEImages.
The Bombshell Blonde, À La Claudia Schiffer
“It’s the right amount of gold and honey tones,” Anderson says. Unlike Beyoncé, who has similar colours in her 'do, Claudia has a mane that's full of “dramatic pops of bright-blond highlights, making it perfect for bouncy, full, voluminous hair,” he says.
Photo: The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
The Faux Blonde, À La Jennifer Aniston
“We all know she’s not a natural, but Jennifer pulls her colour off with such ease because the overall tone complements the olive tones in her skin,” Anderson says. “If you’re going blonder than Mother Nature intended, remember to keep a bit of contrast in the hair and also some warmth! Women are always afraid of gold, honey, or even red tones, but when your skin is naturally beige or tan, it’s the only way to go. Pale or ashy blonds don’t look as convincing when you’re closer to brunette.”
Photo: David Fisher/REX USA.
The Bronde, À La Chrissy Teigen
“Chrissy’s mum actually inspired me to take her this light ‘brond’ colour,” Cunningham says. “She showed me a childhood photo of Chrissy, and I knew we had to go lighter. This perfectly enhanced her olive skin tone without being too much.”
Photo: Everett Collection/REX USA.
Salon Quality
Olaplex is a single-ingredient molecule that was partially pioneered by Cunningham, and then became a salon sensation for in-the-know colourists. "It gives me superpowers," she says of the product, which is used to supplement bleach and dye concoctions at the mixing bowl. Olaplex claims to bond the hair that breaks during the lifting process, allowing your colourist to take you from deep-brown to platinum in just a day. "Every single client at my salon gets it," she says. Before you book your appointment, make sure your salon uses this. (It's a game-changer.)
Photo: Courtesy of Olaplex.
Shower Time
"I know it sounds awful, but rinsing your hair with cool water is key for both your hair and your skin," Anderson says. "Even though it may sound extravagant, an at-home shower filter is helpful to keep your bright pieces intact. Over time, chlorine and metals found in water build up on the hair, especially blond hair, which can leave them looking dull, flat, and sometimes brassy. You can fix that by using a clarifying shampoo, like this one from dpHue, once a week, but also by installing a filter in your bathroom."
T3 Source Showerhead Filter, available at Sephora.
Photo: Courtesy of Sephora.
Colour Shampoos
Most blondes adopt purple shampoos, but this is typically only good if you're a) prone to brassiness (dark hair to start out with) or, b) you've gone a very pale, cool shade. Always ask your colourist which is best, but our oft-bleached beauty department favours the Davines Alchemic range. "Always go for sulphate-free," Cunningham says.
Davines Alchemic Shampoo Silver, available at Davines.
Photo: Courtesy of Davines.
Quick Gloss
Hazan developed foaming glosses for at-home use, which are genius post-shampoo quick-fixes. There's a blond one, which will enhance golden highlights, but there's also this lovely lavender one, which pretty much instantly banishes brass. Let it sit for as long as you can.
Rita Hazan Ultimate Shine Breaking Brass, available at DooBop.
Photo: Courtesy of Rita Hazan.
Colour Conditioner
"Redken's Blonde Idol range has a violet conditioner for cool blondes and a gold for warm blondes. It dispenses a conditioning pigment that either kills brassiness or enhances warmth," Cunningham says.
Redken Blonde Idol Custom-Tone Conditioner, available at salons.
Photo: Courtesy of Redken.
Color Mask
But, you're inevitably going to miss that twice-monthly glaze, or you're going to go a little too long between root touch-ups. It happens. Luckily, Shu Uemura's Reviving Balm is basically like having a colourist mix you up something special, right in your shower. Apply it from roots to ends, and then trace through with a fine-toothed comb to make sure the application is even. Leave it in for 15 minutes while you go about your business, and then rinse it out — you've got a fresh new dye job.
Shu Uemura Colour Lustre Shades Reviving Balm, available at Wonderland Beauty Parlour.
Photo: Courtesy of Shu Uemura.
Hair becomes more susceptible to damage after being bleached — even when you're paying the highest levels of care and attention to it. Adding a pre-shampoo treatment is one of the easiest ways to bring back a soft, silky feeling to parched or damaged strands. You simply slap it on, let it sit for an hour or so (you can pull your hair into a bun or pop on a shower cap), then rinse before you shampoo and condition like you would normally.
Christophe Robin Moisturising Hair Oil with Lavender, available at Sephora.
Root Cover-Up
Like we said earlier, roots can look badass — but it also has a lot to do with personal preference. If regrowth isn't your thing, you can temporarily blend the line of demarcation (where your colour meets your natural hair colour at the root) using a tinted, pressed powder. There are a few formulas out there, but we love John Frieda's because it comes with two shades. Simply brush it onto roots, just like you would apply eyeshadow. It won't totally cover your roots (it's powder, not magic), but it will softly lighten your regrowth and won't budge until you shampoo.
John Frieda Root Blur, available at Ulta.
The Roots
"We're at a great place in time, when roots are sexy," Anderson says. "Unprocessed hair at the root can get quite oily and give hair a flat look. Use a dry shampoo — I always pick this one because of its scent."
Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo, available at Nordstrom.
Photo: Courtesy of Serge Normant.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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