2 min read
As the days grow warmer, our hair color preferences surely follow, and this season it’s all about soft and luminous blonde. Enter “buttercream blonde,” an intensely flattering shade that blends creamy vanilla and golden tones to create a luminous finish without veering too brassy.
Early adopters include Dakota Johnson, Victoria Beckham, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who have embraced brighter, glossier lengths in recent weeks. Johnson’s take offers a subtle, sunlit lift to her signature brunette; meanwhile, Victoria Beckham’s new summer color delivers a polished, golden take on the trend. What does all of this prove? That a soft, light-enhancing color trend works beautifully across the board.
As Marcos Verissimo, owner of The Six in Mayfair, explains, “buttercream blonde” strikes the ideal balance between golden and ash tones. “It creates a natural, enhancing effect that suits a wide range of skin tones.”
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It’s also the perfect way to update your existing blonde for the upcoming summer season, as Andreas Wild, creative stylist at John Frieda, explains below.
“Buttercream blonde is, at its core, a warmer, richer take on classic blonde,” he says. “Think of it as that perfect golden-hour glow, but for your hair; it’s about embracing buttery undertones that make blonde feel truly luminous.”
Remember to ask your stylist for a creamy blonde; it’s the “buttercream” quality that brings softness and depth to the color, lending a subtle golden radiance without tipping into yellow. “The effect is creamy, light-reflective, and multi-dimensional rather than a flat, one-note blonde.”
Balayage expert Gigi Di Rosa agrees, noting a broader seasonal shift this year: “As we go into spring and summer, people want brightness, but they don’t want to compromise the condition of their hair. This kind of blonde allows you to work with softness, layering tones and light instead of pushing the hair to its limits. It feels more modern, more effortless.”
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Maintenance is also an important factor when considering going blonde, as you must consider regrowth, condition, and how to upkeep your color between appointments.
“Fortunately, this is definitely a softer blonde to maintain. You’re not chasing an ultra-clean, icy finish, so you don’t get a harsh regrowth line and the tone fades much more gracefully. That doesn’t mean it’s “low effort,” but it is lower-maintenance. You can stretch appointments and focus more on glossing and refining the tone rather than constant full lightening.”
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If you prefer a warmer blond color, be sure to ask for threads of buttery pieces to be woven between cooler blond tones. This will warm up the shade and keep it looking creamy.
“We’re not just painting on a single warm shade; we’re creating a beautiful interplay of tones,” says Wild. “The cooler blondes provide that lovely contrast and dimension, while the warmer pieces infuse that “buttercream” quality.”
The result is a shade that works across a range of styles. Whether worn undone like Dakota Johnson, sleek and polished, or styled into soft waves, it enhances natural texture while complementing a wide spectrum of skin tones. What could be more suited to brighter, warmer days?