Blonde hair color
Long blonde hair has to be the ultimate look - it doesn't matter what else we flirt with we still keep coming back to the trademark of many a sexy screen siren.
Platinum shades look striking but aren't for everyone. If you want to go extra light but don't think your complexion can take it, try a few ultra-light slices through the front of your style instead.
Blonde doesn't have to be about being the lightest you can go; deeper shades like caramel, ash and toffee all fall into the blonde spectrum and look beautiful placed as highlights throughout the hair.
This season's blondes are pure tones of matte ashes and contrasting chocolates. Old-fashioned blonde highlights are replaced with discreet techniques. Hidden color and changing partings give a softer less bash effect. Honey blonde, caramel blonde, white blonde and toffee blonde mixed together make natural-looking hair colors. They are suitable for most skin tones and are therefore very wearable.
While brown hair is naturally glossy, blonde hair needs a bit more to help to keep it from looking dull. However, blonde hair becomes brassy for a number of reasons. It's often when the hair has been bleached or pre-lightened and the desired color result hasn't been achieved. Too much sun and not enough after-sun protection can cause brassiness, too. Product, pollution, sunshine, smoking and chlorine all contribute to brassy hair or make grey/white hair look yellow. A sun screen keeps blonde tones soft and creamy. Shampoo with a hair detoxifier first, then follow with a color shampoo to remove the yellow from the hair. Invest in a good blonde shampoo and an intensive conditioner. Violet-tinted shampoos and conditioners are a godsend for blondes, as the color helps correct and counteract any brassiness within the hair.
Also try to avoid using heated appliances at least once a week to give your hair a break and restore some condition. If you simply cannot do without your irons, make sure you use a heat protecting spray like CHI Ironguard and use CHI Shine Gloss spray for smooth glossy locks.
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Cool ContrastMixing up chunks of sand spun blonde and pale brunette-to-gold tones yields a look that’s alive with contrast. The jaw-length bob has sliced-into edges that flick up in back. Further forward, hair is snipped shorter and is styled to go under, blow dry the crown for lift using a large round brush. |
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Vanilla PopTaking hair to the far end of the blonde spectrum means lightening it with bleach until there is barely a hint of color left. This is one look you should definitely not try at home, especially with those precisely placed glints of pale orange at the tips and crown. |
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Ice PrincessUltra-pale color that’s near silver-blonde is definitely not for the shy type! Like Christina Aguilera, it says you’ve go attitude and tons of confidence. Long layers styled into loose waves are the ideal complement. |
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Golden GirlMix up highlights and lowlights but always get a little extra gold added to the color formula, and you’ve got color that shines on. A salon-sought shade, the blending of shimmery tones heralds golden rays to come. |
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Street FairLayered cuts that show off underlayers are perfect for bold vanilla shades with a deeper gold underneath. The crème brulee blonde adds instant texture and dimension to hair that would look less sensational in a singular shade. |
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Like ButterBuild up to buttercup by taking your darker, cooler winter shade into the light. Here, warmer pieces are added throughout for an easy transition. Each time you get color, add more warmth or extra lowlights, positioning them to enhance the movement of the cut. |
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Ice MaidenIf you’ve got the basics to pull off near platinum (cool skin tones and blue eyes), there’s no better time to go all the way. Keep the cut on the simple side so hair stays healthy and retouches are easy. For fun, leave just a little yellow in the color. |
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Milk ChocolateFor the perfect tone-on-tone brunette, get golden brunette highlights painted on top of a light but warm brunette base. A clear glosser pumps up the shine and locks in color. Anyone from a medium blonde to a dark brunette can wear the shade. |