The New Rules of Blond Hair

Say goodbye to fussy maintenance and brassy tones. Here, experts share tips for the new era of blond.

here have been so many viral iterations of blond hair trends: “Fawn Blonde,” “Creamy Vanilla Blonde,” the warmer “Bronde,” and “Old Money Blonde.” While hair colors have been trending darker for the last few years, the pendulum swung back in 2026. Thanks to hit shows like Love Story and celebrity hair transformations, a new era of blond hair ideas is here.

“Trends tend to come in cycles, and a lot of the time they mirror what’s going on in popular culture as we’re seeing with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy,” says Emaly Baum, founder of the Beauty Supply New York salon. “Sometimes going darker is about keeping things low maintenance and cutting back on salon visits, and other times it’s more about leaning into those cozy, moody winter vibes or simply giving your hair a bit of a break. Going lighter, however, feels like a reset. Something brighter and fresher, especially as the weather warms up or when you just want a change that feels a little more fun and lifted.”

It’s no secret that Ryan Murphy’s Love Story, about Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, is reviving everything from ‘90s minimalist fashion to her iconic icy-blond hue. Still, this excitement around blond can’t just be chalked up to “the CBK effect.” Blond has returned to the zeitgeist, with stars like Margot Robbie, Blackpink’s Rosé, and Anya Taylor-Joy showcasing quintessential blond hues with an ease we haven’t seen since the ‘90s.

Ahead of the Baywatch revival, we’ve seen the new cast, including Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne, sporting the ’90s electric-blond hues à la Pamela Anderson. Plus, Google search insights reported that “lived-in blond” has seen a 20 percent increase in searches since the start of 2026.

“People are very inspired by the cool-girl blondes, and it’s back because it’s been rebranded from high-effort to effortless, harsh to soft, and flashy to quietly expensive,” says Julie Fortiz, a colorist at Jenna Perry Hair Studio. Historically, dyeing hair blond has been a high-maintenance process and often wreaks havoc on hair; it’s no wonder many blondes have gone darker in the last few years, especially as hair health and the skinification of hair have become priorities. Now, blond is more wearable than ever and doesn’t compromise hair in the same way dye jobs did in the ‘90s and early aughts.

“People went back to their natural color, and it really brought their hair back to health, so they are not worried about [new] damage since they took a long break from big transformations,” Fortiz explains.

If you’re skeptical that blond never really disappeared, you’re not wrong. “Blond is never going away,” Baum says. “True blond feels timeless yet fresh, which is why it’s seeing such a strong resurgence. It’s an undeniably addictive hair color.”

Ahead, experts break down the blond shades trending for 2026, how to maintain the tricky color, and the best products to keep it bright (while still focusing on your hair’s health).

Today’s Top Colors

Meri Kate O’Connor, a celebrity colorist at BENJAMIN Salon in Los Angeles, says that clients are looking to go “lighter and brighter, moving toward more of an all-over blond rather than the sun-kissed, lived-in balayage look.” She looks to Margot Robbie, Elsa Hosk, and Elle Fanning as inspiration for that bright blond. It’s less beachy than past iterations.

Fortiz says Jenna Perry Hair Salon has been seeing an influx of the light beige, pearly “champagne blond”—and there has been an eight percent increase in Google searches for the color in 2026. “It’s very reflective—never ashy,” she explains of the luminous, sparkly hue.

Then, Baum says her clients are asking for bright golden-blond colors with more natural-looking roots (further emphasizing the desire for a lower-maintenance blond hair color without going “bronde”). “I think blondes have been so focused on achieving cooler tones in the past, but lately it’s nice to see people leaning back into the warmth of their natural color,” she adds. “That bright, sparkly blond is really having a moment.”

The bottom line on blond: stylists are avoiding ashy, cool tones and focusing on brighter colors all over, rather than piecey balayage dye jobs.

Methodical Maintenance

Most stylists agree that full highlights two to three times a year is the magic number, with touch-ups every two to four months. However, this is all dependent on how much growth you’re comfortable with, Baum adds. Since health is now more important than ever, techniques like partial highlights and glosses can help maintain color without damaging hair. Experts even recommend at-home glosses but urge you to avoid at-home touch-ups or full dye jobs. “Never bleach your hair at home,” Baum warns. “We all know that one friend who tried and ended up with orange hair—don’t be that friend!”

By Katie Intner