From Platinum to Dirty Blonde: 7 Stunning Blonde Hair Ideas

Do blondes really have more fun? Why not try a lighter hue yourself to find out if the saying is true? Blonde is anything but basic—in fact, there’s quite a bit of variety within the blonde family. Depending on your skin tone and how much time you’re willing to devote to maintaining your color, you can find the right shade of blonde for you. Of course, it’s worth reminding you that going blonde isn’t the easiest dye job and requires bleaching. And, if you’re starting with dark brown hair, it could require multiple sessions to take you to the level of blonde you want. That being said, we’re here to give you the scoop on seven gorgeous blonde hair color ideas as well as tips for taking care of your new color.

Blonde Hair Idea #1: Platinum

This icy blonde shade looks seriously dramatic. So, let’s be real: Platinum is not for everyone. Since it’s super-light it is very high maintenance. While platinum locks may look too severe on those with dark features, extremely light, icy strands best suit a fair complexion and light eyes.

Blonde Hair Idea #2: Golden Blonde

Go for the gold! A golden hue isn’t a solid choice just because the description sounds luxurious but because it can help add warmth to your complexion. Regardless of skin tone, if you have cool undertones, this gilded shade will look gorg on you.

Blonde Hair Idea #3: Strawberry Blonde

So, you’re flipping a coin, calling heads and tails over and over, trying to decide between becoming a blonde or attempting red. How about going for the happy medium? We’re talking strawberry blonde! This light reddish blonde is perfect for those with naturally fair skin and cool undertones. If your cheeks are sprinkled with freckles, even better.

Blonde Hair Idea #4: Baby Blonde

If you’ve ever admired a baby’s hair color, you’re not alone. Babies somehow luck out in having super-light strands that look so beautiful. While you can’t turn back the hands of time, you can mimic this color. Your baby-inspired hue should be white blonde with delicate babylights (yes, that’s a thing) throughout, for a multi-dimensional color that appears like it could have been lightened by the sun.

Blonde Hair Idea #5: Ash Blonde

As gray-toned tresses increase in popularly, ash blonde is a great way to get in on the trend—without actually going gray. This color flatter those with warm undertones the most. The green and blue tones in an ash blonde shade balance out rosiness.

Blonde Hair Idea #6: Honey Blonde

If you’re looking for an extra-sweet shade, honey blonde may be right up your alley. A honey hue falls somewhere in between warm and cool, making it a great neutral blonde option for just about anyone who is currently considering lightening their hair. You can opt for all-over color or honey highlights for just a touch of lightness.

Blonde Hair Idea #7: Dirty Blonde

Dirty isn’t a word you usually want associated with your hair, but hear us out. This shade of blonde, which borders on light brown, is an easy way to dip your toes into the blonde water—so to speak. You get to be blonde, just with a little less drama. Dirty blonde is ideal for eventually transitioning to lighter shades, but you may end up liking it so much you’ll decide to stay dirty forever.

How to Try a New Blonde Shade

Nervous about giving your hair color an update? Follow these two steps to help find and achieve a blonde shade you’ll love.

Step 1: Pick your color inspiration. Once you have an idea of the color that’s going to work for you, search for images of exactly how you want your new hue to look. This will help ensure that the results match what you had in mind.

Step 2: Choose a stylist or go at it solo. When trying a new hair color—especially when it involves making a dramatic change—it’s often a good idea to go to a professional. If you’re starting with a dark base especially, you’ll want to let a trained colorist handle bleaching and toning. Colorists are also endless sources of expert input. You can ask them about which shades will look the best with your coloring and how many sessions it’ll take to get there. That’s right: It may not be realistic to achieve the lightest of blondes in just one day. Breaking up bleaching and dyeing across multiple days might be a good option for your hair.

If you’re opting for a subtler change in color, feel free to DIY it if you’d like. For a bunch of beautiful blonde color options, try the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference or the L’Oréal Paris Féria.

How to Take Care of Your New Blonde Hair Color

With a new color should come a new hair care routine. If you’re going blonde, be prepared to make a few changes to your regimen. Here are some tips to consider when putting together your new hair care routine.

1. Switch to a system of shampoo, conditioner, and mask formulated for blonde, color-treated hair. Don’t just use any ol’ products—reach for a system formulated for your new hair hue, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shampoo, L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Conditioner, and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shade Reviving Treatment. The EverPure Blonde system can help neutralize unwanted brass tones while hydrating over-processed hair. Gently massage the shampoo into wet hair, then rinse and follow up with the conditioner. Leave the conditioner on for 1-2 minutes before rinsing. Swap out the conditioner for the mask once a week, and apply it after using the shampoo. Leave it on for 3-5 minutes before rinsing.

2. Schedule touch-ups. One of the plights of rocking a blonde mane is that your brilliant blonde shade will start to grow out, revealing your roots. That means you’ll probably want to go in for touch ups every few weeks or so. You should base the frequency on how fast your hair grows and how stark of a contrast there is between your blonde color and the new growth. When you’re at the salon, consider booking your next appointment before you leave!

3. Temporarily hide gray roots. Of course, finding the time to make it to the salon for touch-ups every few weeks is easier said than done. For those moments when gray roots have started to grow in and you want to hide them in a pinch, reach for the L’Oréal Paris Root Cover Up in Light to Medium Blonde or Dark Blonde, This temporary spray dries quickly, is lightweight, and lasts for one shampoo. To use, shake the can well, hold it 4-6 inches for your hair, and spray the color onto new growth and partly through the length of your hair to blend in the color.

4. Pair your blonde color with your natural texture. Put down the heat tools and air dry your blonde hair instead! Just because you’re not blow-drying or flat ironing your strands means you have to sacrifice style. Here, are three styling products to use without heat tools.

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray: For a quintessential California-girl vibe, pair your blonde hair with beachy waves. Spritz this spray onto towel-dried hair, create a braid, then undo the braid once your hair has dried. Want tighter waves? Create multiple braids to get the look.

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Ruffled Body Mousse: If you’ve avoided mousse forever thanks to being scared of looking like you walked straight out of an ‘80s music video, it’s time to give this styling product another shot, as it can be useful in helping enhance your hair’s texture. Apply an egg-sized dollop of this mousse to clean, damp hair, evenly distributing it from root to ends. Scrunch your hair and let it dry.

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Undone Style Cream: Want effortless-looking hair minus all the work? Just apply a small amount of this cream to clean, damp hair. Evenly distribute from root to ends by using your ringers as a comb. That’s it and that’s all!

5. Opt for a new haircut. Why not kill two birds with one stone by getting a haircut during one of the same sessions when you touch up your color? Blonde hair looks stunning when paired with pixies, bobs, or lobs—so if you’ve ever dreamed of going shorter, use this as your excuse to make the chop! As with choosing a new hair color, look through photos to find your haircut inspiration—and show them to your stylist so that you end up leaving your appointment happy. Fresh new hair color + a brand spanking new ‘do? Hello, beautiful!

Whether you decide to make a dramatic change and go platinum or you want to stick to something a little closer to brown like dirty blonde, there’s a shade of blonde out that that’ll suit you. Just remember to make some tweaks to your hair care routine once you do go blonde and you’ll be good to go.