In case you haven't heard it from your blondie bestie before, blonde hair is a lifestyle choice. Correction—faux blonde hair, rather. I’m one of those women who had buttery strawberry blonde hair as a kid that turned dishwater blonde in my teens, and while I’d love (in theory) to rock my natural color to save me a few trips to the salon, I just can’t picture myself without my artfully-placed highlights. And I’ve tried every shade under the sun—red, dark brunette, a brief dalliance with pink tips in high school. But a neutral, camel coat blonde with a hint of dark roots and brighter strands around my face is my happy place. My colorist, Colleen Flaherty at Spoke & Weal, understands the assignment every time I sit in her chair, especially when I want to tweak the color just a teeny tiny bit. I never walk out with anything less than flawless blonde hair. And after a cumulative 30+ years as a blonde, I've figured out a the best blonde hair products to maintain the shade.
The blonde life is decidedly high-maintenance, especially if you, like me, have natural reddish undertones that would happily turn your tone warm and brassy in just a few washes. Plus, everything from heat styling to the excess sun exposure in the summer can impact the delicate blonde color and tweak that pricey color you just got a few weeks ago. That means I’ve had to find a color care regimen to maintain my preferred shade between appointments (even if I’m just visiting for a professional hair gloss). Ahead, discover the five types of products I use to keep my signature blonde color looking like I left the salon hours earlier, with 11 vetted recommendation in all.
