Whether you’re the type of gal to go for soft sunkissed highlights over the summer period, or if you’re an all-year round ice blonde queen, we all know that caring for blonde hair is a full-time commitment. So, what do you do if you fancy switching up your colour without undoing all your hard work and hours spent in the hairdresser’s chair?
We sat down with some of our stylists and quizzed them on all the summer colour choice woes us blonde haired girls are left to face this time of year, every year. And they didn’t disappoint. In fact their solution was surprisingly simple – they recommend opting for the latest twist on your current classic blonde shade. By making just a few simple changes to your existing pre-lightened hair, you could leave the salon with what appears to be a completely new shade – without losing the lightness of your hair. Intrigued? The trick is all in the tone of your hair colour and expert application – and we can say with comfortable certainty that our Master Colour Experts are the stylists for the job. We’re pretty sure you’ll be as obsessed as we are with this latest run-down of blonde trends for summer 2019, but don’t take our word for it – check out the exquistely named shades of blonde for yourself:
Ice White Blonde
We’ve been on this ice white wave for a while now, but it doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon. In fact, girls like Cara, Karlie and K-Stew (we’re picking up a theme…) are bringing back icy white as a BIG blonde trend for summer 2019. But if you want to avoid getting a buzz cut, you need to do it right so as to limit the damage caused to hair.
There are tons of different shades and colour combinations you can pick from when it comes to achieving your dream ice white blonde – from pearly sheens to crystal creams – the choice is yours. The list of shades is endless (a slight exaggeration, but honestly there are LOADS) so we won’t be naming every white blonde hue from this colour category – but it’s definitely something your stylist will be able to help you pick out.
Speaking of which, your stylist will also want to know how blonde you want to go and whether you’re willing to change your hairstyle to accommodate. As we all know by now, bleach damages hair so you’ll need to consider that a good chunk of your time in the salon chair will also be taken up by needing to cut a decent amount off to keep it looking healthy and strong. Our stylists will also use Smart Bond and nourishing hair treatments during your appointment to ensure your hair is protected and makes the most of your new hue. They also advised that how ‘blonde’ your hair looks after it’s been bleached depends on what you’ve had done to your hair previously. Hair colour that’s been rendered almost as far back as three years can still have a lasting effect on your hair today – so just be wary! But if you do decide to be bold and #ChooseColour this summer, an Ice White blonde is certainly the way to go.
Yellow Blonde
Yellow blonde is back! And no, we’re not talking about the mustard yellow trend that took over our feeds at the start of the year, we’re talking about the type of yellow blonde hair you used to brush on your Barbie doll. A bit like Kylie’s redux by celeb hair stylist Chris Appleton – her golden yellow blonde hair is THE yellow blonde we’re talking about.
We bet this has got you thinking ‘why have I been battling yellow tones in my blonde hair all this time only for it to now be a trend?!’ – but we’ll have to stop you right there. There’s a big difference between brassy tones on hair that should in fact be cooler toned, and yellow blonde hair that has purposely been created to expose a rich, creamy and golden hue. BIG difference in fact. So, don’t be fooled into thinking you can simply stop using your silver shampoo and all will be well.
In fact, you’ll need to book yourself an appointment and let a stylist show you the type of yellow blondes that will suit your skin tone as well as accommodate the current condition and colour of your hair. There’s a lot of cosmetology related factors to take in to consideration here – which is why we always say: trust the experts!
Our stylists reckon that this new, golden shade of yellow with beautifully warm tones is the ‘new platinum’. If you’re naturally a dark blonde, it’s not always about going for the seemingly ‘unattainable’ ice white blonde hue – which can be so time-consuming to achieve – sometimes it’s all about tweaking your existing hue to get the best colour that suits you down to a T. Plus, you’ll end up spending *much* less time in the salon chair so this shade gets a big fat 10 from us.
Cream Soda
If it’s not named after something deliciously mouth-watering, is it even a hair trend? We’ve seen, tried and tested, the coffee-infused hair shades (not literally of course) circa S/18 with the likes of Ice Latte Blondes and Caramel Vanilla Brondes… so why not something a little more geared towards our brunette beauties? Enter in: Cream Soda.
This oh-so-sweet sounding shade is somewhere in between blonde and brunette – but it’s not quite your typical bronde shade. Ohh no. This rendition has got a beigey-brown look with beautiful golden tones to it – and, might we add, the perfect way to take existing pre-lightened hair a touch lighter (and warmer). It’s also a FAB way to give our bronde babes the op to give their hair more of a sun-kissed feeling.
The brainchild of LA-based stylist Sunnie Brook, Cream Soda is the perrrfect shade for lightening up areas around your face too, using clever face-framing highlights that instantly add a brightening effect. It’s the ‘lit from within’ look that our mundane Monday morning selves never quite manage to perfect. (But now you can).
Mushroom Blonde
Ok, this is another in between sort of shade, but this time you get to mix up being a bronde with grey. Yes, we’ve all thought about asking our stylist for that grey or silver shade we keep saving to our Pinterest board – you know the one we’re talking about…
But we always chicken out last minute for fear of it making us look old, odd and just, well a little off-key to the usual golden blonde classic that we’re used to.
Sound familiar? If the thought of introducing a slice of grey to your hair’s colour palette is still intriguing and niggling away at you, then fear not, as we reckon we’ve found the perfect blend that’ll give you best of both worlds: Mushroom Blonde. Yes, it’s a real thing! It’s the perfect way to introduce a little grey hue to your existing colour without making you feel like your hair is too cray-cray. To be more specific, Mushroom Blonde is a beautiful, ash-toned, not-quite-brown-not-quite-blonde shade that works best on brunettes and natural blondes. Our stylists dub it the shade that’s right there between light brown and dark brown, and the perfect shade for anyone who’s a little indecisive about how to lighten their hair this summer. Consider it the Bronde’s cooler and sexier younger sister, that’s bang on trend for S/19.
Toasted Coconut
If you’re after something that’s a little more out-there, then say the words ‘Toasted Coconut’, to your stylist at your next appointment. This gorgeous shade covers-all-bases when it comes to blonde tones and is made to suit your ever-changing hair colour choices.
This colour palette combines the look of grungy, grown out roots with seamlessly blended creamy blonde lengths, topped off with icy white tips for a totally badass balayage – guaranteed to make an appearance on your Instagram feed.
Thanks to its incredibly rich, dark root shade it’s seriously low-maintenance too – but you still get to enjoy all the excitement that goes with the concoction of lighter, creamier blondes that follow. It’s actually very similar to the Smoked Marshmallow hair trend we covered at the start of the year, but with Toasted Coconut, we feel it’s a little lighter and brighter, making it more of an ideal choice for the summer months.
Champagne Pop
As well as sounding like the ultimate #summergardenpartygoals – this luminous shade of blonde is similar to its big sister shade, Cream Soda, but with a much cooler undertone. Think of your favourite shimmering, dusty highlighter which isn’t quite gold or silver, but has an undeniably glowy and radiant feel. This shade really is as luxurious as it sounds – it works by mixing warmer hues, that you would usually denote to champagne colours, with smudges of ash and platinum tones. Our stylists advise that the best way to make the most of this shade is to apply it to hair that is already a pale blonde, as it’ll add a much more au naturel and multi-tonal feel, which we are all here for this season. Besides, it’s the damage-limitation option if you don’t fancy bleaching your strands beyond repair.
Semi-Permanent Pastels
Princessy rainbow pastels are still in pole position for #summerhairgoals this season – why? Because they look so damn good, that’s why! Make like the celebs and play around with your existing blonde shade by adding a semi-permanent colour to create your favourite pastel shade, or if you can’t choose, opt for them all and create your very own, bespoke, rainbow hued hair.
Our salons offer all the pastel shades you’ll ever need to know, including Wella’s Colour Fresh Create (which we’ve talked about in our Summer Healthy Hair Guide) and the fabulous Opalessence range.
If you’re after a colour that is exceptionally expressive, vivid, yet soft in tone, opt for a shade from Wella’s Colour Fresh Create range at your next Regis appointment. It’s a fun way to add a zing of colour to pre-lightened hair that fades true to tone after around 20 washes. It’s a perfect option for the summer months ahead and all those garden parties and bbqs you’ve got pencilled in the diary no doubt.
However, if sophistication and elegance is the name of your game, (oo-err), then Wella’s Opalessence colour family is the one for you. Each colour comes complete with a metallic, milky sheen and patented light reflecting technology – the height of sophistication for any hair colour enthusiast.
As long as your blonde isn’t too yellow looking and is as pale as your hair is able to handle, then you’ll be able to choose any pastel shade that takes your fancy.
Hollywood Balayage
Whoever thought that red-carpet styles are strictly for celebs has got it majorly wrong. The Hollywood Balayage is the perfect way to create a bespoke colour that compliments your natural or darker roots, with ribbons of light throughout the ends. Carefully placed highlights like this create a much more refined and polished look. So, if rainbow pastels and OTT ice white blondes has you eyerolling at the thought of changing your hair colour this summer, we’re sure you’ll be quite excited about this one. As we hashed out all the different types of balayages and colour combinations with our stylists, a recurring theme was the sun kissed just-been-on-the-beach look which was evidently a firm favourite with our stylists. If you’re a natural brunette, ask your stylist to include some face framing highlights with your balayage as it’ll brighten your face and add dimension to your hair making it look fuller and thicker bodied.
Our stylists also advised that leaving your natural hair exposed throughout a balayage isn’t a bad thing and, unlike what so many of us think, won’t leave us feeling as though we’ve not taken our hair light enough. The important thing to remember is, as long as your stylist adds lots of different tones and strategically placed highlights, it will look like your hair, but way better (and lighter and brighter of course). By the time your stylist is finished, your balayage will be worthy of a Hollywood star all on its own.
Still not sure exactly what a balayage is? We put together this handy little guide that explains everything you need to know about a balayage (and ombres for that matter).
Found the look?
If you’ve found your perfect blonde shade for summer – book in – and don’t forget to share your final look using the hashtag #ChooseColour and tagging us @regisuk!
