Ice Cube Blonde Is The Coolest Winter Hair Color Trend Yet

A new season is always a welcome time to switch up your hair color, and this year celebrity hairstylists are seeing a huge surge in blonde hair color trends for winter. “People are gravitating to blonde hair because you tend to be paler during the winter,” says Laura Gibson, RUSK Hair Global Artistic Director. “Having a warm to neutral shade of blonde will help prevent your hair color from washing out your skin tone.”

And it’s not the traditional blonde colors that you know and love either, but ones with richer and warmer tones. “I believe people are tired of trying to achieve a white ashy blonde that is so dependent on a professional gloss or glaze,” says Lorena M. Valdes, colorist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. “Clients are looking to add something that fills the urge to spice things up.”

Susan Williams, StyleSeat hairstylist and colorist, agrees. “I am seeing bolder looks, like blonde balayage and teasy lights, becoming really popular right now,” the expert shares. “Both offer looks that add a pop of color and are attention-grabbing, but still offer a chance to look natural — just with an enhanced version.”

It’s safe to say the overall vibe for blondes this winter is a rich, lived-in color that doesn't require much maintenance — especially since cold temperatures will have hair covered in beanies and scarves for most of the season. “Blonde hair trends this winter have a seamless grow-out without having such a harsh line of demarcation so you can go a few months without getting it touched up,” Mane Addicts hairstylist Sienree Du tells TZR.

Ahead, discover the eight top blonde winter hair color trends to test out this season.

Honey Blonde

The warm tones of honey blonde make it an ideal color choice for winter, the time of year when outfits, activities, and beverages lean soft and cozy. Model Bella Hadid is an early adopter of the honey blonde trend, recently going lighter with the help of New York-based colorist Jenna Perry.

Old-Hollywood Blonde

With the Marilyn Monroe biopic, Blonde, released this year, the Old-Hollywood star’s iconic style and beauty looks have melted their way into current trends, including Aubrey Plaza’s new blonde hair. Not too cool and not too warm, the neutral blonde share is a great option for those who start with a dark base, like Plaza.

Bronde

According to celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham, “Bronde is a toned-down version of natural blond that can be achieved through lowlights to transform color a shade or two deeper.” For bronde, hair is typically darker at the roots and lighter at the ends. It is a great option for those interested in dipping their toes in blonde but worried about making a drastic change. “Bronde gives you a beautiful sun-kissed color without the commitment of coming into the salon too often,” Rubyna Kim, StyleSeat hairstylist and colorist, tells TZR. “Instead of the recommended 10- to 12-week color touch-up, you can extend it to every 12 to 14 weeks. Less maintenance means you can stretch the wait in-between appointments.”

Teasy Lights

Baby lights or teasy lights are minimal highlights that freshen up your color. “Teasy lights are a big trend this winter as they easily revamp the dreaded brassiness but also add dimension to the hair with the highlights — making hair seem more natural and lived in,” says Jessica Richards, founder of SHEN Beauty. The tone can range from warm to more neutral — think whatever your hair would naturally lighten to in the sun. Her recommendation is the Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil to keep the hair nourished and the color vibrant.

Golden Hour

Celebrity colorist and dpHUE co-founder, Justin Anderson, has been seeing clients step away from the icy platinum bleach blonde and go for a more low maintenance blonde by adding in warmer and golden tones. “Adding more golden tones takes away that ashy dull tone and gives off a nice golden glow,” he says. “Not to mention, less bright blonde requires less consistent visits to the salon.”

Platinum Rose

“Bright blonde and golden blondes can add this to their regular gloss and get a hint of blush/rose with pink/purple reflections on the super blonde pieces,” says Valdes. You’ll need to maintain your blonde hair by shampooing regularly with a toning shampoo for a lighter shade like this. Cunningham recommends Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo to tone and neutralize any brassiness while repairing with their patented bond building technology for much needed moisture. Just keep in mind that pink will wash out eventually, so be sure to schedule time for touch-ups with your colorist.

Mushroom Blonde

An update to the traditional bronde, mushroom blonde is still trending this winter. The color is a rich bronde (blonde-brunette) and silver hybrid. It’s a great transitional color to ease into the softness of a brown blonde. “After coloring, give it 48 hours before washing your hair to give it a chance to hold as much color,” Valdes tells TZR for how to maintain this subtle blonde. “Use a color safe and locking shampoo to maintain the shine color. Feel free to touch up every 8 to 12 weeks.”

Ice Cube Blonde

Ice cube blonde, a heavy mix of brassy blonde and golden blonde is, “a great shade for winter and perfect if you wear your hair in a ponytail or updo, as most of the blonde is concentrated on the hairline,” shares Cunningham. “The color itself has been done in previous seasons, but the concentration on the hairline and face framing layers is fresh for 2022.” For maintenance, Williams recommends a leave-in conditioner immediately after towel drying your hair and before your brush, to help prevent stretching and hair breakage.

Ready to try one of these blonde winter hair color trends? The experts recommend the below products to keep your shade looking brilliant all season long.

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