25 Best Shades Of Summery Blonde Hair To Try At Home

Summer is the season of sunlight and warmth, and that extends to great shades of blonde hair. For that reason, even among the strangest summer the world has seen, we're seeing more beautiful, rich, golden shades come back.

When we think about modern blondes, we often think of honey or champagne. Explains Shvonne Perkins, Manager of Training and Education at Madison Reed: 

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“We're now starting to move out of the fear zone about having gold tones in blonde hair because we equate that with orange, yellow, or brassy... When you think of how the sun naturally lightens up hair, it's always with a hint of warmth. You'll notice the sun doesn't lighten hair ashy.”

Perkins explains that hair trends are now taking a cue from nature and allowing some of that honey tone to stay in the hair, rather than obsessing over the ash/violet story. This is not only beautiful, but it's easier to maintain. 

“Most skin types benefit from having a slight amount of warmth around the face since golden tones offer more light reflectivity than ash tones do, which can illuminate the skin and lend a more dewy, youthful appearance,” she adds.

Summer is the perfect time to try out a more adventurous shade of blonde, like rose gold blonde and caramel blonde, as these look great alongside your sun-kissed skin. 

But achieving the perfect blonde can be a balancing act.

“I use toning glazes and glosses that keep that warmer hue, and then, every so often, I'll use a purple shampoo if I start to notice my hair going too yellow,” says Perkins, who encourages blondes to play around with tones using temporary or semi-permanent options. “Look up blondes from the 70s — that was an amazing decade for sun-kissed champagne blondes!”

Whether you're a lifetime blonde, or are looking to switch it up, here are the best summery shades of blonde hair to try at home.

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1. Warm Summer Blonde

For hair that is naturally dark brown or soft black, achieving a summery blonde at home is easy by carefully choosing the right color product.

“When using box colors such as Creme of Nature Exotic Shine Color with Argan Oil From Morocco, look for the color grid on the side or back of the packaging. This grid clearly shows you what color you can achieve based on the color of your hair,” says colorist and Revlon hair educator, Pat G. Williams.

Try: Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Hair Color Creme, 93 Light Golden Blonde

2. Rose Gold Blonde

Since blonde hair is typically even lighter during summer, it can take to rose gold color easier, and the rose gold shade can pop more.

“The rose color looks stunning in the sun, and even just some rose highlights can make a big difference for making your blonde hair look more unique,” suggests Laura Liu, Chief Marketing Officer and beauty expert at Amazing Beauty Hair.

Try: Garnier Olia Ammonia-Free Oil-Rich Permanent Hair Color, 8.22 Medium Rose Gold 

3. Caramel Blonde 

Caramel blonde is a sexy shade to have during summer because it plays off both light and dark shades, and can feel rich and luxurious.

Adds Liu, “Caramel blonde goes great with sun-kissed skin, and can be achieved at home by adding caramel highlights to blonde hair or blonde and caramel highlights to brown hair.”

Try: Schwarzkopf Keratin Permanent Hair Color Cream, 7.5 Caramel Blonde

4. Honey Blonde

If you like honey, it’s because honey blonde is a shade we’re going to see a lot of during this summer, in particular.

“This lush blonde hair color has a similar hue the honey found in a beehive. And it’s perfect for complimenting a variety of skin tones,” comments Gina Rivera, Colours by Gina creator.

Try: Creme of Nature Liquid Hair Color, Honey Blonde

5. Warm Blonde

With natural being all the rage, warm blonde locks with a dark root is something prevalent through the summer season.

“This is a terrific look for accentuating dark eyes and eyebrows. Very stunning with the right skin tone and eye color,” Rivera adds.

Try: Revlon Colorsilk Permanent Hair Dye with Keratin, 74 Warm Golden Blonde 

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6. Bleach Blonde

Bleach blonde has been around since Marilyn Monroe made it popular, and it’s not going anywhere this season either.

“The terrific thing about bleach blonde is that it’s no longer limited to those with a fair complexion. This season, we are seeing bleach blonde worn with all skin tones and it looks amazing,” comments Rivera. 

Try: Schwarzkopf Professional Blond Me Blonde Toning, in Ice

7. Silver-Blonde

Silver-blonde hair is another look that has really taken hold. Think of this as a very pale blonde that appears as a silver and ash tone.

“Unlike the pure white tone of platinum, silver-blondes have a cooler tone to them with some darker tones mixed in. This look is exciting because we’re seeing young clients embrace it just as much as older clients,” Rivera reveals.

Try: CHI Ionic Illuminate Color Silver-Blonde Conditioner

8. Sandy Blonde

This little pop of light blonde is the perfect low maintenance color for summer.

Says Cassandra Voss, Senior Stylist at Twig Salon, the key to this look is the lightness around the face and the few subtle lights through the top. Let your stylist know you're looking for a "less is more" effect: “I suggest asking for a mini highlight or mini balayage. Your stylist will be able to help you select the right tone to suit your natural hair color and skin tone.”

Try: Naturtint Permanent Hair Color, 9.31 Sandy Blonde

9. Buttercream Blonde

Summer is all about warmth and sunshine. It can also be a really hard time to maintain a lot of dimension in your hair due to sun exposure.

Adds Voss, “Embrace the summer by doing away with the low lights for a more dramatic, sunny blonde. You will want to make sure you get a full highlight and ask for a soft gold or buttercream blond.”

Try: Revlon Luxurious Colorsilk Buttercream, Ultra Light Sun Blonde

10. Kiss of Honey Blonde

This shade and placement is perfect for a brunette that wants to add brightness to their hair, without a ton of damage. It wears well through all summer activities, too.

“The added bonus is it's easy to color back to natural when the colder months set in — just in time for a richer hair color again,” Voss says. Voss also suggests asking your stylist for a Honey Brown Balayage.

Try: L’Oreal Paris Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color, Dark Iridescent Blonde 72

11. Champagne Blonde

What many people don’t realize is that most skin types benefit from having a slight amount of warmth around the face, since golden tones offer more light reflectively than ash tones, illuminating the skin.

“Champagne Blonde is a more natural, balanced, and multi-tonal shade of blonde that has golden tones and works to give you a dewy, youthful appearance. It’s a type of blonde color that a lot of women are striving for this season,” Perkins adds.

Try: L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Permanent Hair Color, 8.5A Champagne Blonde

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12. Vanilla Blonde

Sort of similar to the bleach blonde look, vanilla blonde is a little creamier and more subtle. It's perfect for the lady who wants an edge, but not too much of an edge. It also creates dimension.

Try: Color Mask Vanilla Reconstructive Treatment

13. Peach Blonde

Love rose gold but it’s a bit too much? Much like the subtle sweetness of a peach, peach blonde has subtle blush undertones. This can also be done with lowlights. Be sweet as a peach, but show that you're a whole lot of fun.

Try: BLONDME Instant Blush Blond Beautifier Spray

14. Chestnut Blonde

Deeper and great for a natural hair color that’s a bit darker, this is a very Beyoncé kind of blonde. Sort of a space between dark blonde and light brown, this is great for when you're trying to grow out a color and segue into a new one.

Try: Dark & Lovely Color, #380 Chestnut Blonde

15. Butter Blonde

It’s the color of Gwen Stefani or Madonna, so you know this shade of blonde has a lot of fun. This is great also for the natural blonde that just wants to brighten her look up a little.

Try: Garnier Olia Ammonia-Free Oil-Rich Permanent Hair Color, 9.3 Light Golden Blonde 

16. Silver-Yellow Blonde

Much like the metallic inspired silver-blonde, this is a bit warmer and more golden, but still shows icy fire. This would be a fun look for someone beginning to go gray who wants to embrace a new dimension rather than cover it up.

Try: Overtone Vibrant Silver Coloring Conditioner

17. Fire Blonde

This has mixes of red, orange, and blonde in it — and that needs a professional touch! You'll look like you're on fire, but without the danger of hair damage.

Try: Wella Koleston Perfect Permanent Hair Color

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18. Barbie Blonde

It’s like platinum, but it doesn't look bleached. You may as well go as close as you can to pretending this is your natural shade. So many of us wanted to be like a Barbie girl living in a Barbie world growing up, and this is finally our chance.

Try: L'Oréal Paris Feria Permanent Hair Color, 11.21 Ultra Pearl Blonde

19. Cream Soda Blonde

This is sort of a mix between ash blonde and golden blonde, because why choose a shade when you can just mix two fun ones? If you're stuck deciding between cooler and warmer blonde options, this one offers a sassy middle ground.

Try: Garnier Nutrisse Haircolor, 83 Cream Soda

20. Strawberry Blonde

This is a shade of blonde that is deeper than rose or peach, but lighter and less intense than copper. It's beautiful for anyone looking to perk up their blonde with a kiss of red this summer.

Try: L'Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying + Shine Permanent Hair Color, 9GR Light Golden Reddish Blonde

21. Icy Blonde

"Icy blonde can be for anyone, it just depends on the depth you can create with the highlights. If you're a warmer skin tone, you can add more light champagne highlights to bring out the warmth in the skin. If you're a cooler skin tone with blue eyes, add more shimmery gray highlights to accent the coolness of the eyes,” says colorist Guy Tang. 

Try: L'Oreal Paris Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Permanent Hair Color, 11.11 Icy Blonde

22. Cool Caramel or Toasted Blonde

This is a perfect transitional blonde from summer to fall.

Adds Tang, "A darker root will make your highlights pop in any sunlight. But as the nights get cooler, it still provides that warmth at the root to keep your summer skin glowing."

Try: Mydentity Guy Tang, NAKED #8 DEMI Permanent Blonde

23. Latte Blonde

Lattes aren't just for our coffee cups! Creamy and cool color looks amazing on this skin tone. So, go ahead and perk up for summer.

Try: Garnier Hair Color Nutrisse Nourishing Creme, 72 Dark Beige Blonde

24. Beachy Blonde

This color of blonde is very California, and is often seen via warm tones of blonde painted via highllights in varying shades. And, even better, you don't have to be a California girl to enjoy it.

Try: Revlon Total Color Permanent Hair Color, 81 Medium Ash Blonde

25. Blonde Extensions

Even if you don't dye your hair blonde, you can add in blonde via clip-in extensions or a pony, and add sunny dimension. These are great because, as extensions, they can always be put back in or removed. And there's nothing better than freedom of option.

https://rpzl.com/product/platinum-blond-60/

Try: RPZL 30" Platinum Blonde 60

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Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer who focuses on health, wellness, and relationships. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her.