Is blonde hair good for Black skin?

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20 Best Blonde Hair Colors for Dark Skin Tones, According to the Pros

Take your inspiration from Beyoncé.

In 2020, we saw low maintenance hair shades reign supreme, with many gravitating towards colors they could easily reproduce at home with the help of drugstore dye. But as the new year approaches, which will hopefully bring with it more access to salons, blondes have been on the rise. After all, one of 2021's Pantone Colors of the Year is the lemony "Illuminating." To find the prettiest blonde shade for darker skin tones, look to your skin's undertone, says Dallas-based curly hair and color specialist, Quia Querisma. “This plays by the same rules as makeup. Skin with warm yellow or golden undertones go perfectly with shades like honey blonde, beige blonde, or golden blonde. Skin with cooler pink or red undertones look great with platinum, ash, or pearl blondes. And any shade will complement neutral skin tones.” But Querisma's number one piece of advice? Bring a photo to your stylist so they can match your preferred shade. “What my guest might think of as caramel, for instance, could be completely different than what I think caramel is." And remember, to keep your blonde brilliant, you'll want to use the right shampoos.

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Level 10 Blonde

“When I think of the best blonde hair colors for dark skin tones, the first thing that comes to mind is 1992 Mary J. Blige. In the 90s, everyone wanted her shade,” says Querisma. Now, her pale, pearl blonde highlights are just as trendy as they were twenty years ago.

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Light Beige Blonde

Lil Kim’s unforgettable video for “Crush on You” showed that brown skin was beautiful with absolutely any hair color. Throughout the years, Kimberly Denise Jones has served us blondes of all hues, sometimes with lighter highlights around the face which can help your features pop. “One of the safer ways to play with light blonde like this, is with a wig. If you have a human hair wig, your stylist can color it instead of your own hair so you don't risk damage,” recommends Querisma.

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Edgy Golden Blonde

Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins has been serving her signature asymmetrical blonde looks since the 90s when TLC took over the charts. For blonde short cuts that show off the roots, opt for a melt that’s close to your natural color, says Querisma, who adds that short blonde hair on natural textures requires special care. “Blonde hair like this is a commitment. If you want it to look as good as it did when you first got it done, you need to lighten and blend it every 4 to 8 weeks and limit your heat use to avoid damage. Querisma also suggests that you deep condition your hair every week, and use a satin pillowcase, which minimizes friction.

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Warm Golden Blonde With a Root Shadow

It’s hard to think of a more iconic blonde beauty than Beyoncé. Since her days with Destiny’s Child, she's rocked honeyed hues, and thereby inspired so many of us to try the shades ourselves. “Here, Bey’s roots are darker than her ends. Known as root shadow, this trend allows for a more gradual—and therefore flattering—growing out period, says Querisma.

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Bronde

Here, Oprah's warm, coppery highlights are subtle enough to be considered more of a “bronde,” a flattering fusion of brown and blonde. If you’re contemplating lightening your hair, but aren’t ready to take the full plunge, this is a safe, classic way to try something new.

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Bombshell Blonde

She rose to fame via Orange is the New Black, but Laverne Cox is a true blonde bombshell on the red carpet. Here, she rocks voluminous, honeyed, soft blonde waves with subtle “root melt"—meaning her hair is darker at the roots, giving a deeper, luxurious, layered look.

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Ash Blonde

Gospel superstar Tamela Mann switches styles frequently, but some of her most renowned musical moments have featured her extra pale, cool-toned blonde. However, blonde this pale requires special products for maintenance. “When you lighten your hair and go up the yellow scale, the yellow can pop out more prominently as your toner fades over time. Purple shampoo helps neutralize the yellow by giving your hair a cooler tone to help prolong your blonde between salon visits,” explains Querisma.

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Clover Honey Blonde

A pale clover honey blonde, as seen on Ciara, gives incredible highlights, complementing the warmth of her dark skin tone. According to color and texture expert Alecia B, classic crown highlights are an easy way to go blonde without some of the challenges that hair color can bring. “Highlight placement in the crown gives the illusion of a full head of color, requiring half the maintenance and a graceful grow out.”

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Just Like Honey Blonde

We don’t want a lot for Christmas, but a timeless, flattering honey blonde like Mariah Carey’s might make the list. Mariah has ranged from super pale blonde to deeper tones of honey, but her shade is always warm, beachy, and has well-placed highlights, plus a gloss to keep it looking healthy and shiny.

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Platinum Blonde

Beauty YouTuber Jackie Aina is a big fan of this icy shade. “The contrast on darker skin tones is incredible, and I particularly love ashier or cooler toned platinum colors for those with olive or golden complexions," she says.

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Silver Blonde

Fashion and beauty writer Jamé Jackson goes by The Blonde Misfit and she takes her soubriquet seriously. “I live for a beautiful cool-toned blonde, which I’m sure many people are surprised by given the fact I have such warm, golden undertones. The more silver, the better in my opinion!” she says. However, when hair is bleached this pale, it’s essential to take great care of it. “I do steam treatments every few weeks and make sure to keep my scalp moisturized with a blend of oils like castor, jojoba and sweet almond oils,” she explains.

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Honey Blonde

“My favorite shade of blonde for myself is somewhere in the honey area," says writer and online host Danielle Young. She mostly leaves her haircare to the professionals but admits to easy hair assistance as well. “I am more often than not wearing blonde crochet hairstyles, so that maintains itself," she says.

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Blonde Highlights

If you’re hesitant about going full on blonde, consider trying just a few highlights to frame your face. Influencer and beauty brand ambassador Nyma Tang shows the powerful effect a subtle golden highlight can bring.

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Cropped Honey

Celebrity hairstylist and natural hair brush designer Felicia Leatherwood is always busy doing someone else’s hair, so she keeps hers cropped short and honey blonde. "I deep condition every week from 10 to 20 minutes. Once a month I do a protein treatment with a rice water rinse.” If you’re a blonde who spends time outdoors, listen to Leatherwood’s advice and protect your tresses from the elements. “The sun can be harsh and cause your hair to dry out quickly and split. My top tip is to use conditioners and shampoos that are specific to color treated hair,” she says.

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Beige Blonde

Influencer and clothing designer Gabi Gregg is pictured here with a soft, pale, buttery beige blonde. To achieve this tone on your natural hair, Querisma recommends visiting a professional stylist since it's a difficult shade to master at home.

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Honey Dipped Blonde

Influencer and co-creator of The Curvy Con, Chastity Valentine, a.k.a GarnerStyle, is known for her signature blonde tresses. “My preferred shade is honey blonde," she says, adding that she takes care of it by using Olaplex once a week.

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Cool Contrast Blonde

Celebrity stylist and master colorist Tippi Shorter prefers a layered blonde. “I like to stay on the warmer side of blonde with cooler pieces mixed in for contrast. My hair is range of blonde from level 6-9 all on top of a darker base," she says. To keep her hair from fading, she uses color-safe products with UV protection.

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Ombré Blonde Braids

Beautiful mommy and beauty blogger Lisa Jean-Francois shares the easiest, quickest way to experiment with blonde hair looks for dark skin—braids! Trying out a few blonde braids can add extra dazzle to your ‘do. “I prefer a blonde ombré, that way it starts dark like my natural hair color and lightens as you go,” Jean-Francois told OprahMag.com.

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