Beauty Hair Hair Color Blond Hair 10 Dark Blonde Hair Colors to Serve as Reference Material for Your Stylist Yes, lighter hair can be low-maintenance. By Erin Lukas Erin Lukas Instagram Twitter Erin is a Brooklyn-based beauty editor and has been with InStyle since 2016. She covers all facets of beauty for the site. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on November 15, 2022 @ 10:52AM Pin Share Tweet Email Whoever goes icy platinum or bright buttery blonde is in for a big reality check: while the shades are undoubtably cool and eye-catching, they're both extremely high-maintenance. Not only do you need to go to the salon every six weeks or so for root touchups, but you also need to be very gentle with your now delicate hair by treating it with bond-repair products, hydrating hair masks, and brass-busting purple shampoo. While the end result makes the extra effort is worth it, there are other shades of blonde to try if you're someone who's more low-maintenance. Enter: dark blonde hair. "The lower the contrast between the natural color and the dyed shade, the less maintenance it will be when the roots grow in," Tom Smith, celebrity hairstylist and International Colour Creative Director for evo hair, says of the hair color family. "A dark blonde shade has a natural, earthy undertone and can look soft and flattering against the skin tones of those with naturally darker hair." The 11 Best Hair Color Ideas for Blondes, According to Celebrity Stylists How to choose a dark blonde hair color The beauty of this color is that it can be adapted to your base, whether you're currently light blonde or dark brunette. "If you’re already blonde and wanting to add more depth, I recommend adding panels of dark blonde or cleverly placed lowlights to bring the overall depth of the hair down without losing the dimension and contrast, which makes blonde hair look ‘alive,'" Smith says. For brunettes, the colorist suggests "using the dark blonde shade as a balayage highlight so as to not change your entire base color - you can gradually build this up until you feel light enough." If you’re adding dark blonde tones into a lighter base, Smith says to start with "deeper panels underneath away from your natural parting to play with how you feel with more richness and depth." How to care for dark blonde hair While purple shampoo is often touted as a holy grail product for blonde, Natalie Sibert, Senior Stylist & Colorist at Mirror Mirror Salon in Austin, Texas, says dark blonde should avoid it – especially if you're a natural brunette. "Do not use the purple shampoo because it cancels out yellow. Instead, use a blue shampoo a couple of times a month because blue cancels out orange or brassiness," the colorist shares. You can also go back to your salon for toning. Ahead, 10 dark blonde hair shades as seen on celebrities to inspire your own take on the color. Peruse the looks, then save your favorite to show your stylist at the salon. 7 Hair Color Trends You're Going to See Everywhere This Winter The best dark blonde hair colors 01 of 10 Jennifer Aniston Steve Granitz/WireImage "Bronde is a great option for people who are wanting to go lighter because it’s a good halfway mark," Sibert says. "Instead of going from one extreme to the other and completely startling yourself, it's a great way to ease you into the world of blonde." The colorist identifies Jennifer Aniston's color as a prime example of bronde hair. 02 of 10 Honey Blonde Beyoncé could write the rulebook on honey blonde hair. The warm, rich shade has become her signature look in recent years, and here, her bouncy curls really show off the definition of her color. 03 of 10 Winter Gold Steve Granitz/FilmMagic While sun-kissed blonde channels the natural lightening of your hair that occurs from spending time outside in the summer, "winter gold" is the cool weather version of this look. "It fuses a neutral, earthy base (which suits natural brunettes) with a golden reflect (which often works well on lighter bases) to provide a soft and wearable shade for those with naturally lighter or darker hair," Smith says of the color trend. Let Kaia Gerber's golden dark blonde hair serve as reference material for your stylist. 04 of 10 Cookies and Cream Blonde Kevin Mazur/WireImage The contrast of Ciara's dark base and dark blonde highlights described in one word? Delicious. 05 of 10 Face-Framing Dark Blonde Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Fast Company For year-round sun-kissed hair, opt for face-framing dark blonde highlights like Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The warm tones brighten up the face and will really pop when your hair is styled in loose waves like Chopra Jonas's style. 06 of 10 Dark Blonde Tips If you're a brunette who doesn't want to go full-on blonde, try dip-dyeing the ends of your hair a warm honey shade for a subtle pop of color like Tia Mowry did on her natural curls. 07 of 10 Mushroom Blonde Emma McIntyre/Getty Images Mushrooms are unassuming inspiration for hair color, but Lily-Rose Depp's color is proof that the reference material translates into a gorgeous shade of blonde. The cool-toned dark blonde shade is a great alternative to warm ones like honey blonde. 08 of 10 Rooty Dark Blonde Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for ESSENCE For an edgy take on dark blonde, the extreme contrast of Laverne Cox's dark brunette roots and warm blonde ombré highlights is just the ticket. 09 of 10 Dark Blonde Braids Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images While Issa Rae has a chocolate brown hair, she added strands of honey blonde hair to her brands for a luxurious, eye-catching look. 10 of 10 Dark Blonde Lowlights Steve Granitz/FilmMagic If you're already blonde and want to go darker for the season, or you're simply up for a change, Sibert recommends lowlights. "This will give your hair a darker appearance and will make it easier for you in the spring when you want to go brighter again without having to do a full-on color correction," the colorist says.