The Best Blonde Hair Color Ideas for Every Skin Tone

It’s not scientifically proven that blondes have more fun, but
for as often as we see celebrity hair
trends surrounding this bright hue, we’re inclined to believe
there’s some truth to the old adage. Thankfully, genetic makeup
doesn’t have to stand in the way of living life on the blonde
side. There are countless shades anyone can achieve with the help
of a skilled colorist.

Determining the perfect blonde for everyone is no
one-size-fits-all formula, though. According to Michael Canalé,

Jennifer Aniston’s colorist and the owner of Canalé
Salon in Beverly Hills, it’s all about undertones. “First look
at the undertone of the skin. Then break it down from there,” he
says. “I check under the wrist, and if I see blue veins, they are a
cool-toned. Green veins mean they are warm-toned.” Seems simple
enough, but according to Riawna Capri, famed hairstylist and
co-founder of Nine
Zero One Salon and In
Common Beauty, a photo can communicate better than words. “I’m
very big into not telling your stylist what to do. Show them what
you like, and show them what you do not like,” she told us. “Don’t
just tell them words. Hairstylists are artists; visuals mean a lot
more.”

To help you nail down the perfect blonde for your skin tone, we
tapped the experts for their favorite methods and pulled some
examples you can take to your next salon visit. Ahead, find out
which shades are most suitable for deep, olive, and fair skin
tones, and don’t forget to shop our edit of the best
blonde-maintaining products, too.

Although blonde hair isn’t something commonly seen sprouting
naturally from the heads of melanin goddesses, this family of
hues still looks so gorgeous on those with deeper skin tones.
Brown and black skin fall in both the warmer and the cooler
sides of the spectrum, and as such, a number of blonde shades from
caramel to platinum can work well. It all depends on your
individual skin tone, which you can determine by the handy vein
check mentioned above.

As hairstylist Nikki Lee, Capri’s counterpart at Nine
Zero One Salon and In
Common Beauty, puts it, “You can be super versatile, but be
cautious so it doesn’t look unnatural.” But hey: You might be going
for a more, shall we say, out-of-this-world look, and that’s all
well and good. Canalé suggests trying on wigs in various blonde
hues to see which colors look best on you. Although, we aren’t
opposed to rocking a wig in place of hair dye, either!

Ashed-out tawny blonde, as seen on Laverne Cox.

Honey blonde, as seen on Ciara.

Warm, platinum blonde, as seen on Mindy Kaling.

The light-medium to true-medium skin tones in this range are
rich with depth to the complexion. Since the undertones will likely
be peachy, yellow, or golden, the blonde hue to go for here will
play up those shades. “Those with olive skin need warm, golden
tones to complement,” says Lee. Canalé points out that the goal
here will be to battle oxidation after the fact so that the color
doesn’t turn brassy. Also, he believes in a less-is-more approach
to achieving the blonde of your dreams. “Start off with less, and
slowly go lighter,” he says.

Cream blonde, as seen on Khloé Kardashian.

Golden blonde, as seen on Jennifer Lopez.

Subdued flaxen blonde, as seen on Jaime Chung.

The more fairly complected among us tend to have cooler
undertones in the skin, so blonde hair color with an ash base is
most complementary, according to Canalé. Those with fair skin that
has warm undertones should lean into cool highlights to complement
their skin. One thing to avoid is flat color. “Be careful to keep
enough depth so that you don’t get washed out,” cautions Lee.

Pale blonde, as seen on Brittany Snow.

Dark blonde, as seen on Miley Cyrus.

Cool platinum blonde, as seen on Lady Gaga.