As someone who has been blonde their entire life, I can say with confidence that there have been many good and many bad trends surrounding the color. My platinum blonde phase resulted in me manually untagging about 500 social media posts to pretend it never happened. But my newest obsession, champagne blonde, is one I’ll feel confident rocking forever.
“This color is all the buzz right now,” celebrity hairstylist Bradley Leake tells Byrdie of the soft shade. “The [minimal] aesthetic has taken over, promoting light makeup, delicate jewelry, and all the neutrals we have in our closets. Champagne blonde pairs perfectly with this trend, adding a [simply stunning] finish to any look. It’s the kind of beauty that can’t hide.”
The best thing about champagne blonde? According to experts, it looks good on everyone. “To choose the perfect champagne blonde, you would look at skin tone,” notes NuBest Salon and Spa creative director Jamie Mazzei. “For someone with cooler skin, you would want your perfect champagne blonde to have cool or pastel pink undertones. For someone with a warmer skin tone, the perfect champagne blonde would have warmer or peach undertones.”
I asked the experts for advice on dabbling in champagne blonde hair. While blondes may have more fun (supposedly), I know from experience that the upkeep of most blonde hair is not a walk in the park and can be both expensive and time-consuming. And as the pros confirm, finding the perfect shade is only half the battle.
“When determining the perfect blonde, you have to look at a few things,” celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh explains. “The client’s skin tone and natural hair color can affect the ideal shade, but it’s also important to look at the client’s ability for upkeep. Keeping a light blonde can be time-consuming and expensive, so it’s best to make sure they know the commitment before they start the coloring process.”
How to Choose Your Champagne Blonde
The experts agree that choosing the perfect shade of champagne blonde is based on your skin’s undertones. A warmer skin tone will require a different shade than a cooler one. Pre-appointment consultations are helpful for both you and your colorist to achieve the perfect champagne blonde for you.
Once that’s taken care of, the fun of matching it with your makeup starts.
“Champagne blonde can go great with any tones,” Mazzei says. “The key here would be staying with cool tones for cool skin and warm tones for warmer skin. For example, a cool red lip for cooler skin and a warm red lip for warm skin. Neutrals are exactly that: neutral and go with all tones.”
How to Maintain Champagne Blonde Hair
Once you achieve your ideal champagne blonde, maintenance is definitely required. That being said, Mazzei shares that the champagne blonde tone is generally “easy” to maintain as long as you keep your color refreshed, typically using a blonde-dedicated shampoo and conditioner.
Read on for 20 champagne blonde hair looks that are expert-approved.