Blondes do have more fun – when you get the hair colour right. It’s the most covetable shade in hair colour history, comes in a wide range of hues, tones and depths (from hot Debbie Harris and Gwen Stefani white blonde to the creamy golden locks of Amanda Seyfried) and let’s face it – blonde hair just screams summer. As much as it is envied, blonde hair is also notoriously known as one of the hardest shades to maintain (if you’re not sporting a natural blonde colour, that is), but these never fail blonde hair rules from blonde-loving hair colour pros will keep your locks sunny, golden and irristibily perfect. Here are our top 10 blonde hair rules to live by.


BLONDE HAIR RULES

1. Protect, protect, protect!

“Sun, sand, water, all the things that make for an amazing summer can wreak havoc on your blonde tresses,” explains Luis Pacheco, Clairol Consulting Colourist. “The best offense is a good defence, so be prepared to defend your colour against the elements.”

CELEBRITY BEAUTY GALLERY: Iconic blondes

2. Use the right hair care system

“Blonde hair is very porous and the color can be affected dramatically from free radicals in the air and water. It’s important to use the right hair care to help prevent this,” says Sean Godard, International Performing Artist for Redken. Godard suggests using Redken’s Blonde Glam hair care solutions to “maintain the clarity of the blonde by gently cleansing and brightening the strands.”

3. Avoid damage

Unfortunately for all you non-natural blondes, the hue doesn’t come easy and involves more processing which equals damaged hair. To help maintain that glossy, sunny shade, you may need to pare back on your heat styling, says Pacheco. “Embrace the opportunity that summer brings to let your hair hang naturally without fussing with it too much. Find your hair unruly in the morning? Try braiding it at night for luscious waves in the morning, sans styling!”

SUMMER 2013: Blonde hair trends

4. Glossing treatments are your BFF

Blonde hair can go from satin shine to flat and dull in no time (especially when you add in elements like weather, heat styling and more). “In between highlighting or color services come in to the salon for a glossing treatment which will add shine and condition to the hair and also correct any fading, brassy tones etc. that has happened in the color,” advises Godard.

Hair tips: How to FIX SPLIT ENDS

4 more blonde hair rules to swear by on the next page …
0-0-blonde-hair-rules-to-live-by.jpg
5. The pool is NOT your BFF

It happens every summer to blondes. A dip in the pool equals dull, brassy and even greenish tinted hair. “Whenever you go swimming in a pool it’s very important to wash your hair right away using a clarifying shampoo,” instructs Godard. “It’s the copper minerals in the chlorine water that cause the hair to go greenish. So throw into your swim bag a shampoo and take care to wash your hair it before the chlorine dries.”

SLIDE SHOW: Our favourite blonde celebs

6. Be prepared (for the dreaded roots)

“Roots can be your enemy, but everything you need to fight back is readily available at a drugstore near you,” suggests Pacheco. “Always have a box of in your shade at the ready (Clairol Root Touch-Up allows you to just colour your roots). You never know when you just might need that little extra boost to extend the life of your blonde
in between colouring.”

The top BLONDE HAIR CARE PRODUCTS

7. Stay natural

Even honey coloured blondes ache to go a touch lighter now and then, but for less effort, time commitment and damage, staying as true to your natural shade is always for the best. “The closer you stay to your natural colour the less you’ll get visible re-growth which will thus extend the longevity of your colour,” advises Pacheco. “In addition, the closer you stay to your natural colour, the less processing your hair will need, so you’ll cause less damage to it. Finally, what you were born with is most likely already on par with your skin tone, meaning it was meant for you!”

8. Give you blonde hair some extra love

“Blonde hair is usually more fragile and dry, therefore it needs more love than brunette,” says Godard. To get those glossy strands back, Godard suggests using a shine oil like Redken’s Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine. “It can be used before blow-drying, after blow drying or even added to conditioning masks for an even deeper treatment. For even deeper conditioning and repair use Diamond Oil Deep Facets weekly after shampooing and leave on for 5-15 minutes. Blonde hair will be restored with added strength and brilliant shine.” We’re always up for that.

Read more:
7 ladylike hair looks

How to fix split ends: Expert hair tips
Beauty trend: The scrunchie comeback

Hair styles inspired by our favourite models