The arrival of warmer weather is synonymous with lighter locks; blondes go blonder, brunettes opt for highlights. When platinum is far too high maintenance and balayage is so last year, what should you ask for when your next salon appointment rolls around? You ask for the colour of the season, a shade that’s trending globally right now, you ask for bronde.
It’s not blonde, it’s not brunette…
Nor is it a typo. Bronde is a universally flattering hair colour that sits somewhere between, (you guessed it) blonde and brunette. It’s all about letting your natural base colour shine through (which makes it incredibly low-maintenance… winning!) For brunettes, you’ll subtly introduce lighter shades throughout your locks to enhance your features whilst adding texture to your tresses. For blondes going bronde, your colourist will look at deepening your roots and seamlessly blending different shades that are both slightly darker and slightly lighter than your natural colour throughout your hair. Super stylist (and colourist) Jaye Edwards AKA the man behind the Bingle (now Worthington) bob is an expert in all things trending in the world of hair, he defines bronde as “as a blonde with added depth or a brunette with soft lightness. Bronde is a hair colour with a beautiful variation of tone.”
Bronde is the perfect shade for summer
Jaye Edwards describes bronde as “what summer does to your hair”—making it the perfect shade for the season ahead as it’ll look incredibly natural. There’s no need to spend weeks in the sun and sea to achieve the perfect bronde shade, after just one salon appointment, your locks will be fresh, bright and full of life. Your base colour will still be the hero, which means regular appointments to touch up your regrowth won’t be necessary, so you can spend your summer holidays enjoying the sunshine, not in the salon chair for hours on end.
What should you ask your hairdresser for?
You want to steer clear of ombre or balayage, mention techniques to your colourist such as lived-in-colour, free hand highlights, baby-lights or low-lights. The key to a beautiful bronde shade is making your hair colour look incredibly natural and sun-kissed. Shades of brunette and blonde should be seamlessly blended together, there should never be any harsh contrasts, obvious highlights or ombre ends, you should ask for your mid-lengths to be brightened as well as your ends. Jaye Edwards suggests finding a photo and bringing it with you to your appointment, that way your colourist will be able to decipher the kind of bronde you’re lusting after.
There’s plenty of A-List bronde-spiration…
With over 100,000 images hashtagged “bronde” on Instagram, you definitely won’t be strapped for inspiration. Celebrities aplenty this season are trading in their signature shade for something in-between thanks to the bronde trend. For brunettes, look to the locks of Jennifer Lopez, Khloe Kardashian, Jessica Alba and Victoria’s Secret supermodel, Alessandra Ambrosio. Blonde bombshells can source a little bronde-spiration from Cara Delevingne, Blake Lively, Gisele Bundchen, and Olivia Palermo.
Invest in some hero products to protect and maintain your bronde
Bronde locks are all about looking like you’ve just returned from a holiday—sans dry ends or sun-induced brassiness. This means you’ll need to invest in some hero products to keep your bronde locks looking luxe yet never over-styled or fake, it’s a fine line.
- Shades of bronde don’t always need to be cool, sometimes the best bronde shades incorporate hues such as warm caramel, which means a stock-standard purple shampoo made for blonde hair will only ruin your perfect bronde shade. Try a toning shampoo and conditioner such as SACHAJUAN Silver Shampoo and Conditioner which neutralises yellow tones while protecting your hair and increasing shine. Alternatively, JOICO Color Balance Blue Shampoo & Conditioner has been formulated specifically for lightened brunette locks, it’ll banish brassiness and protect your colour from fading.
- Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3 is the perfect at-home treatment to reverse the damage that comes with chemically treating your hair.
- Protect your hair from environmental damage with a nourishing oil such as KEVIN.MURPHY YOUNG.AGAIN, a weightless, protective leave-in hair oil that’s like an anti-aging cream for your locks.
- Enhance your multi-dimensional bronde colour by adding some sexy texture to your tresses. Try R+Co ROCKAWAY Salt Spray, a texturising spray that adds volume and movement to your hair while protecting it from free radical damage.
Image credit: Jessie Obialor at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia 2015
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