Honey blonde hair is having a major moment, and it’s easy to see why. Bella Hadid, Beyoncé, Zendaya and Rihanna are just a few of the famous faces embracing this season’s sweetest alternative to ice. Not quite golden, not quite caramel, the shade occupies that sweet spot between the two, bringing warmth and dimension to blonde hair without tipping too yellow.
While cooler, brighter tones like Alpine blonde hair will always have their place, honey blonde offers a softer, more wearable way to lighten up. Think glossy ribbons of amber, gold and caramel woven through the hair, rather than one uniform shade. The result is a blonde that catches the light beautifully and feels naturally lived in.
“Warm blondes have golden, honey, caramel or buttery hues that create a soft, sun-kissed finish,” says Jason Collier, award-winning hairstylist, founder of Studio23 and key opinion leader for Jerome Russell Bblonde. By contrast, cool blondes feature ash, pearl or icy tones for a cleaner, brighter look. “Neither is better than the other – it simply depends on the look you’re trying to achieve and what complements your complexion best.”
It’s versatile, too. On brunettes, honey-toned balayage and highlights can add dimension without taking the whole head dramatically lighter, while existing blondes can dial up the warmth with a gloss or toner. And because honey blonde isn’t tied to one particular depth or technique, there are plenty of ways to make the shade your own.
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What is honey blonde hair?
Like teddy bear blonde and barn girl blonde, the shade sits within the warm blonde family. But rather than referring to one exact colour, it combines several golden tones. As Collier explains, honey blonde is all about dimension, with honey, caramel and buttery hues woven together for a soft, sun-kissed finish.
The beauty of honey blonde is that it can be dialled up or down depending on your starting colour and the result you’re after. On darker hair, strategically placed honey highlights can bring warmth and brightness without completely transforming your base, while lighter hair can introduce golden tones throughout.
Your starting shade will also determine how your colourist gets you there. “If you’re already blonde, a gloss or toner incorporating warm golden tones can be enough to shift the colour towards honey, whereas darker hair may need some strategically placed highlights or balayage first,” explains Collier. “The aim should be a blend of tones rather than trying to achieve one uniform shade, as this is what gives honey blonde its richness and movement.”
Why is honey blonde trending?
The blonde pendulum is swinging towards more natural-looking colour, with lived-in tones reigning supreme over icy-bright, heavily highlighted finishes. “Honey blonde is having a moment because it offers a softer, warmer alternative to the cooler blondes we’ve seen dominate in recent years,” says Collier. “It sits somewhere between golden blonde, caramel and beige, giving the hair a rich, dimensional finish that feels particularly flattering as we transition into autumn.”