I tend to disagree. I think blonde hair can be sexy, sophisticated AND attention-getting (and I know plenty of guys who prefer brunettes, but maybe that's just New York for you).
What I do know for sure about blonde hair, is it is expensive to upkeep. But as someone who has always gotten hightlights to lighten my natural blonde, my hair is worth every penny. Below you'll find everything I know about blonde hair. In the meantime, these galleries will inspire you:
How to Tell if You'd Make a Good Blonde
The rule of thumb to follow when it comes to blonde hair is this one: If you had blonde hair as a kid, you'll likely look good with blonde hair as an adult. You'll also look good blonde if you have pink skin that burns easily, and blue or green eyes. If your skin has yellow undertones, you may look jaundiced or washed out with hair that's too light.One way to tell if you'd look good blonde is to go to a wig shop and try on several blonde ones. If it washes you out, you'll know an all-over blonde is not for you. (I tried on brown wigs and it made my ruddy skin tone look TERRIBLE, so I know I can never go brown).
Even if you wouldn't make a great blonde, you can try the ultra-trendy "bronde" hair color instead. It's just the perfect sun-kissed blonde for natural brunettes.
Get the Right Hue
Contrast between your face and hair is important when going blonde. If you have fair skin, the biggest hair color mistake you can make is to go too light. I'm pale and have had my hair too lightened so that my face and my hair looked like one big wash of the same color. The best hair color allows for contrast and shows off the face.Should You Get All-over Color or Highlights?
When going blonder, you have three options:- Single-process color
- Highlights
- Single-process color to lighten your base over which your stylist adds highlights
If you have a great hair color base, you can skip the all-over color and get highlights instead (more on highlights in a bit). A great base for highlights is "dishwater" or "dirty" blonde hair. Always ask your stylist to pay special attention to the hair around your face. Lighter highlights can make your face "pop."
If your hair is dark all-over, your stylist can first lighten your base to a blonde using single-process color, then add highlights to create depth and texture. Highlights make hair look more natural and sun-kissed. You don't want to go this route if you've had your hair chemically straightened or permed. You should never subject hair to more than 2 chemical processes.
Make Sure You Can Make This Commitment to Blonde Hair
Just as short hair is high maintenance because you have to get your hair cut every 6 weeks, blonde can be a very high-maintenance hair color. You have to commit to regular touch-ups and proper products to keep it looking natural and fresh.Due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months, depending on what kind you get. Ask your stylist about a gloss treatment following your color. Gloss boosts color and makes hair shinier.
If you are busy at work or at home and know you won't make regular trips to your salon, consider frace-framing blonde highlights and lowlights instead of all-over color. When it grows out, it will look more natural.
Should You Do Your Own Color?
DIY hair color has come a long way and even some of the top beauty editors admit they color their own hair. You can do your own single-process, give yourself highlights and even touch up roots on your own. The main rule of thumb with at-home hair coloring is to never go more than 2 shades lighter than your natural shade. "One bad color job will take a professional colorist two or three salon visits to correct," says New York City colorist Sharon Dorram in Harper's Bazaar.Learn more about DIY-coloring in How to Color Your Hair at Home.
So You Wanna Go Platinum?
Not all skin tones look good in super blonde hair. Plus, not all hair can handle the harsh processing it involves to get that amazing shade of ultra-white. Find out if platinum hair suits you in Can You Get Away With Platinum Hair?. Then peruse photos of amazing platinum hair color.Consider Your Haircut When Getting Color
When going for dramatic change, I always suggest getting your haircut BEFORE you get color because the color should compliment your cut. Rita Hazan said in Marie Claire that hair color should be inversely proportional to hair length. Shorter hair can go lighter, while longer hair should be warmer and deeper. (Tell that to Hollywood, Rita).Dark Hair? Take Your Time Going Blonde
Hazan warns brunettes going blonde should not rush in. "Even at the salon your hair will only lighten so much at one time -- push it too far and it turns orangey," says Hazan in Allure Magazine. "Do a little every month, so you can control brassiness."You're Going for Highlights, But Which Kind?
There are basically 4 types of highlights: basic foil highlights, baliage or "hair painting," chunking or "piecing" and lowlighting.Foil highlights add strands of color to hair. You can get up to 5 different shades in hair to make it look more natural and less monochromatic.
Baliage, or "hair painting," allows the stylist to add natural stripes of color to hair in large or smaller swaths. This is best for women with a great base color who want to go just a couple shades lighter. You won't need to get roots touched up as much with baliage as you do foils.
Lowlighting allows the stylist to add darker shades to hair giving color more contrast.
Protect Your Investment
Blonde hair is susceptible to chlorine and the sun. I've included 8 of my best tips to protect your blonde hair color. Also see my list of the Best Products for Hair Color.More blonde hair color tips on the next page ...
