Why You Should Color Your Hair Blonde

Blonde hair has historically been associated with innocence and youth, traits that symbolize an adventurous, carefree spirit. This correlation is most likely due to so many people starting out life with golden locks that naturally darken with age. Perhaps this explains the common desire to try out blonde hair colors as adults. Dyeing your hair blonde can totally transform your look, as anyone who has done a total makeover or gone undercover knows. And we all need a change now and then, even natural blondes looking for an upgrade or a refresh.

Blonde Hair Color Levels: How to Pick Your Shade

For the vast majority of us, blonde hair colors are 2 or 3 levels lighter than our natural hair. On a scale where black is 1 and very light blonde is 10, determine how far your starting hair color is from the blonde hair color you want to achieve. If the gap is more than 4 levels, you’ll probably have to bleach your hair before applying blonde hair color. You can also lighten a medium brown base up to 7 levels with Nutrisse Ultra Color Platinum PL1 or PL2. Olia blonde hair dye can also lift up to 3 levels.

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Maintaining Your Blonde

Use products formulated for bleach blonde hair like the Garnier Hair Filler Color Repair System.
Tone bleached hair and neutralize brassiness with purple shampoo.
Steer clear of the heat from hot water, direct sunlight, and styling wands.
If styling with heat, shield bleached hair by applying a heat protector like the Flat Iron Perfector.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can confidently pick any blonde hair color you want! Many salon pros say that a common approach to choosing a blonde hair color is to match the undertone temperatures of the hair dye and the skin. For example, complexions that lean toward the warm side of the tone spectrum look great in warmer blonde hair colors with rose or gold reflections. Fair skin that tends to be in the cool range might consider blonde hair ideas with blue or lilac undertones. But the choice really is yours. Anyone can easily pull off platinum or bleach blonde hair, go strawberry blonde or icy blue blonde. Anything goes!
The best blonde hair color is the one you feel your best in J. Depending on the natural color you’re starting with, you may need to bleach out the color to create a clean slate before dyeing your hair blonde. But if you see a blonde hair idea that you like, then do it! A great place to start for personalized guidance is our Shade Selector, then you can try on your chosen blonde hair color shades with our Virtual Try-On Tool.
Hollywood’s famous blondes of the past have created an indelible mystique. The classic blonde hair colors are still beloved favorites, and they run the gamut from light to dark: Extra Light Natural Blonde (Nutrisse 100), Very Light Blonde (Olia 10.0), Medium Natural Blonde (Nutrisse 80), Medium Blonde (Olia 8.0), Dark Natural Blonde (Nutrisse 70), and Dark Blonde (Olia 7.0).

For even more blonde hair color ideas, check out our article on 13 popular blonde hair colors.

Tips for Bleaching Your Hair Blonde At Home

Don’t be a rebel: Before you color, read all the instructions in the box and always perform the 48-hour allergy test.
Get the deets: For best results, read up on how to bleach your hair at home so you’re properly prepped for your dyeing session.
Be patient: Bleach takes a while to reach peak blonde, so respect the times indicated and wait until your hair is dry to see the actual color.