We used to call bronde “dirty blonde” back in the day, but a look this lovely definitely deserves a more respectful name. A portmanteau of brown and blonde, the hair color works for every season and just about everyone. Sure, that sounds like a lofty promise, but with the wide variety of ways to wear it — balayage highlights, ombré, shadow roots — we’re sure there’s a bronde hair look for you.
Nataly Maldonado, a colorist at Booster Cat salon in Lake Worth, Florida, says bronde is perfect for “when you want a lot of brightness throughout your hair, but you don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard to be a blonde.” It can lean more brunette or more blonde, she adds — whatever you happen to prefer.
Bronde is also a beautifully practical option for transitioning into either lighter or darker color — a hair-color hack celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Megan Thee Stallion, and Margot Robbie have all known for years. Models and influencers alike have all been showing off multi-tonal variations of bronde — some warm, some cool — and proving it’s even an awesome option for covering gray hair. “The rootiness of bronde is what makes it perfect for low-maintenance people, those who want to give highlighting a break for integrity purposes, or previously highlighted blondes who have been wanting to go darker but can’t commit to their base color,” Maldonado says.
Read on to see how expert colorists and clients — including celebrities, models, and more — are embracing different takes on bronde hair color.