Is Vintage Blond the New Platinum?
The itch for major hair changes is definitely hitting in Hollywood, and the girls are going blond. In the span of mere weeks, Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, and Lucy Hale all revealed brand-new bleach-blond dye jobs, shocking fans and smashing Instagram records along the way.
And while going blond for spring is nothing new—sun-kissed hair and warmer weather go hand in hand—the specific shades of blond indicate a major shift. No icy undertones here; instead, each woman went with a bright yet warm, buttery-blond shade. I wouldn't go so far as to call the shades natural-looking, as they are still bold, bright, and clearly bleached, but they're definitely closer to a toddler's blond than Elsa's.
For the past decade or so, going “maximum blond”—pushing your hair to the limits of bleach damage—was all about the platinum look. Think Kim Kardashian at Fashion Week, Lady Gaga for her entire Oscars stint, and of course, Miss Daenerys Targaryen herself. It's modern and edgy, and has the power to totally carry a look—even in sweats you seem cool and mysterious. It made sense that it became a favorite of both celebrities and It girls alike.
But with this new wave of warmer blonds popping up, it raises the question: Is this the end of platinum?
Crayton Eisenlohr, a colorist at New York's Mark Ryan Salon and the man behind Nicola Peltz's honey blond, thinks it could be. “I definitely think warm hair is back,” he says, and calls the shade Old Hollywood blond. “It’s more classic, and in the times we’re living, classy tends to fit better than trendy.”
Classic is a great word to describe this new wave of blond. In addition to the channeling the heyday of Hollywood, it also has a distinct ’90s or 2000s feel—think Drew Barrymore or Whitney Port on The Hills—perfect for fashion's current obsession with nostalgia.
Rachel Bodt, colorist and Matrix brand ambassador, says that many of her clients have been easing away from platinum in favor of vintage blond. “I’ve had a lot of clients walking in who want their blond to feel more sunny and buttery,” she says, “almost something more realistic from the sun and less in-salon hair color. It feels more organic and lived-in, and less done; more beach-vacation-meets-little-kids'-perfectly-sunny-blond highlights.” To nail the color, she says to ask for “something buttery, embracing the warmth—think sunny and bright.”
Nikki Lee, celebrity colorist and one half of the team that took Gomez blond, adds that warmer tones are a sign of hopefully brighter times to come. “Cool shades can be hard to pull off and tend to be more edgy,” she says. “Warming things up gives it a softer, more youthful look. Warmer tones also read brighter and shiner, while cool tones can fall flat and look dull. With the weight of the world everyone wants to look like sunshine!”
There's also the simple fact that in addition to changing tastes, warmer tones are generally lower-maintenance. “Warmth is also easier to pull off for the vast majority of people, both as far as flattering skin tone, salon maintenance, and hair integrity over time,” says Eisenlohr.
Despite the shade being less work than cool blond, you'll still rack up plenty of time and money at the salon, especially if you're not a natural blond. So if you're not as committed but still want to channel the same vibe, Eisenlohr says to try highlights instead of an allover “background color.”
Riawna Capri, a colorist who also worked on Gomez's hair, adds that while warmer shades are definitely trending, it's still important to have some cooler tones weaved in so it doesn't read as straight-up yellow.
“There should always be that perfect balance when working with warmer tones,” she says. “You definitely don’t want to go yellow; you want to be more golden. Even though warmer blonds are in, yellow blonds are not! Make sure you have that balance, like Selena’s color.”
Even if warmer tones are currently dominating, Capri adds that it doesn't mean it's exactly right for you—so no need to give up your platinum just yet. “Every color needs to be thought about with every client, and every human is different,” she says. “From skin tone, to eye color, to underlying tones, all those things need to connect and that's when colors look amazing.”
Bella Cacciatore is the beauty associate at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
