Ask The Experts: And All Blondes Covered July 21, 2021 16:00

There are endless shades of blonde hair. The word ‘blonde’ can mean anything from golden-warm to icy-cool, and just when you think you’ve seen every flaxen hue going, another light and luminous trend comes along.

Throw techniques like ombré and balayage into the mix, and the blonde hair bracket just keeps getting bigger, but there is a way to make the list less overwhelming.

Known in the industry for her extensive background in training and education, as well as being a Master Stylist at Morgan & Morgan Hair Collective since 2001 and National Ambassador for Schwarzkopf Professional, Jennifer Morgan @jennifer.morgan.hair is the go-to girl with any colouring conundrum and her passion and skill set are enviable in the hairdressing community.

So in this blog we ask her to talk blonde...from ice to caramel and everything in between

ICE BLONDE

If snow queen is the vibe, ice blonde is the coolest colour around, combining pale platinum tones with a subtle silver, blue or white edge. The key to this look is getting major gloss, so that strands look like they’ve been veiled in a touch of frost, resulting in a shimmering effect with every swish, flick and curve of your hair. To get locks this light, hair needs to be pre-lightened to a pale yellow first, then toned with skill, of course with the addition of our bond-strengthening system, FibrePlex.

BEIGE BLONDE

Proving beige is anything but boring, this blonde is a guaranteed head-turner. It's just light enough to keep from being a dirty blonde shade and just warm enough to keep from being silvery. We also love how it's edgy but still ultra feminine. For lower-maintenance blondes, look to Gigi Hadid and Amanda Seyfried with their flaxen colour, it’s almost a griege shade, think golden beige but also ashy.

ASH BLONDE

Did you know? Ash blonde is one of the most Googled hair colours around, and we think it has something to do with its soft, ultra-versatile finish. The very definition of cool (in tone and style), it features a moody grey undertone, meaning it looks fresh on natural blondes without overwhelming brunettes when applied in fine highlights. Just remember that upkeep is key, so FabPro Conditioner is a must to top up those ashen tones.

HONEY BLONDE

There’s only one thing sweeter than honey and that’s this delicious shade of blonde. It’s the ultimate in warm-toned blonde shades; a shade so sunny and complexion-enhancing that it flatters everyone with a warmer skin tone, whether you wear it all over or in soft, subtle ribbons through a brunette base.

STRAWBERRY BLONDE

Strawberry blonde hair is a wearable not-quite-red colour with so many tonal variations its a shade for anyone. What is awesome about this sweet berry blonde is the variety of shades that can be combined and the intensities of each tone can make a huge difference. For example, increasing the rosy red colour and enriching the golden colour can fuse into an amazing rose gold hair colour.

SILVER BLONDE

Silver hair gets a wearable edge which sees platinum hues mixed with gunmetal greys for a seriously multi-tonal mane. This makes it perfect for year-round wear, as it’ll brighten up your complexion in the winter and make sure you glow in the summer.Take this trend to the next level by teaming it with the sleekest, straightest styles, made super-glossy thanks to the lightest spritz of Alterna Rapid Repair Spray for instant shine and protection

BRONDE BLONDE

One part blonde and one part brown, bronde hair is the trending colour made covetable by the likes of Jessica Alba, Lily Aldridge and Gisele Bündchen. It’s the dream for brunettes who want to dip a toe into a lighter look, and when they’re ready to rev up the blonde, it’ll segue into a honey or golden blonde with ease. In between blonde and brown—bronde—is always beautiful for people who are naturally dark to medium brown. Those with darker hair naturally produce warm because of underlying pigment in the hair, so to achieve a beautiful bronde, some warmth is necessary.

PLATINUM BLONDE

Also known as white blonde, platinum blonde is Gwen Stefani’s signature hue. It’s a mesmerising look, but comes with plenty of post-salon maintenance, too. To keep this shade looking fresh, we always recommend the BlondMe collection, which features a Cool Blondes Tone Enhancing Shampoo and Cool Blondes Mask, both with bond enhancing technology.

GOLDEN BLONDE

The clue’s in the name. Golden blonde hair has a gleaming, gilded tone that shines from all angles. There’s a hint of yellow, but it’s glowy and flattering rather than dull and brassy. These tones can range from light iridescent gold blonds, light to medium gold, and light to medium warm gold hues

FOILYAGE BLONDE

So foilyage isn’t technically a shade of blonde. Instead, it’s a technique that, when teamed with a lightening hair colour, will lend a surfer-girl, sun-kissed effect. Combining the freehand painted approach of balayage with the intensifying powers of foils, it creates bright, randomly-scattered highlights with a bold contrast against the natural base.

BALAYAGE BLONDE

Now, let’s talk about Insta-viral balayage; a more natural-looking process that involves painting freehand highlights through the mid-lengths, ends and face-framing layers. While foilyage creates a more contrasting effect between the roots and the tips, the best kind of blonde balayage lifts colour no more than two shades lighter than the natural base.

MUSHROOM BLONDE

It’s right in between light brown and dark blonde, like an ashier version of bronde with a touch of cool rose..and its one of summer’s coolest blonde shade. Because it doesn’t really fall into either blonde or brunette, it’s a great shade for blondes looking to dip their toes into the dark side, or for brunettes wanting to go a little lighter. To get the colour, ask your colourist for a violet/beige light brown or dark blonde subtle ombré, with a variation of both light brown and dark blonde pieces. It’s important to ask for something like cool rosewood, or else you’ll be left with a more traditional bronde.

SMOKEY BLONDE

Proving dark brunettes can go blonde, this smokey shade is created using a combination of ash, violet and grey. The hues were specifically designed to kick brassy tones and create a smoky hue, which is similar to silver blonde, but with a couple of inches of root shadow peeking through. You will definitely need th powers of a FabPro conditioner to keep this tone fresh at home

CREAM BLONDE

With a focus on texture over color, cream blonde is smooth, silky and Scandi-inspired, with more of a one-tone finish than other popular shades of blonde. To get this particular hue, we will need to pre-lighten your locks and then tone with a perfectly neutral shade

CARAMEL BLONDE

Think of caramel blonde as the lighter equivalent to dark chocolate brown hair. It’s just as rich and shiny, plus its warm, sun-touched finish makes your skin look glowier to boot. The secret lies in the glaze after the lightener. Jennifer Lopez, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Blake Lively have all experimented with this trend, and each time the result has been the same: utterly, undeniably flawless.

DARK BLONDE

If you’re wondering what the difference is between dark blonde, light brown and bronde hair, just know that dark blonde hair falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to lightness. Featuring more blonde than the average bronde, the highlights are less platinum and more dark caramel, balanced out with a few brown lowlights for added depth.

DIRTY BLONDE

Blondes with a lived-in look are often described as dirty blonde. They follow the same tone as dark blonde, but with a bolder contrast between golden highlights and dark lowlights. Consider this the go-to for festival season if you’re all about working boho waves, as the two-toned effect and tousled texture complement each other perfectly.

BABYLIGHTS BLONDE

Made for people who fear stripy highlights, babylights are the micro-fine solution, giving the wearer a seamlessly-blended finish no matter what shade of blonde they choose. Go for a root-to-tip finish or combine them with balayage-style painting, and you’ll see a streak-free, shimmer-boosting effect every single time.

VANILLA BLONDE

Who doesn’t love vanilla? This ice cream-like blonde is almost ash, but with brighter streams of frosted color that are totally irresistible to bleach lovers. For pale hair that’s also multi-tonal, go for a combination of lightening then adding the subtle tones with with a prettily placed toner

CHAMPAGNE BLONDE

Pink fizz, anyone? Champagne blonde centres around light locks with a pale rose or peachy tint, as soft and subtle as the colour of your favorite bottle of bubbly. A take home Fab Pro is a must to maintain the blush in this soft and subtle colour

 VIOLET BLONDE

You didn’t really think purple hair would become so mainstream, well  it’s still inspiring a slew of 2020 beauty trends. Amongst them is violet blonde; a platinum-meets-purple hue that was practically made for pastel hair-lovers, thanks to its super-subtle, powdery finish. 

BLONDE OMBRE

Make no mistake; blonde ombre hair is totally different to balayage, as it swaps freehand highlights for a soft gradient from dark roots to lighter ends. Blonde-seekers should go for this look if they want to achieve a beautifully-blended, summery look with an even fade, as if their topknot has been lightened on the beach before they let their locks loose.

CALIFORNIA BALAYAGE

Think of California’s cooler days, when your daily outfit is a sweater and sunglasses, and the morning sunrise fills the sky with a palette of bright gold and warm nude tones. The latter is the key inspiration for Cali balayage; a heavier take on traditional balayage, that sees platinum and pastel shades generously layered through the mid-lengths of hair. Though a high level of color is required to achieve these Golden State-worthy locks, the slightly lived-in root means the look grows out to be super low-maintenance. 

CREAM SODA

While Cali balayage is on the cooler side, cream soda color combines beige-brown and blonde hair tones, resulting in a warmer, creamier hue. Great for blondes who wish to go darker and brunettes looking to lighten up, this trend relies on luminous golden highlights that make skin appear brighter. 

GOLDEN TOFFEE

Go warmer still with toffee tones swathed through a rich brunette base. A palette of dark blonde highlights that boast a metallic sheen will suit most skin tones, and provide an instant lift to locks that are lacking lustre during these chilly months. 

CHOCOLATE BLONDE

Light Chocolate Brown with Highlights. Natural and carefree, this is how you’ll feel! This color fits medium and long hair best. Be sure that people will gaze at your elastic waves wherever you go. You can add a wonderful flowy effect to your strands by using a curling iron that will bring shine, volume, and texture to your hair.

Looking for more blonde hair looks? To break the shades down further, discover our round-up of the best warm-toned blonde hair ideas and cool-toned blonde hair colours check out our Pinterest pages for more ideas and inspiration