Blonde has been having quite the moment this year. Between the reignited obsession with Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s champagne-blonde thanks to FX’s Love Story and Miley Cyrus’s Hannah Montana–themed transformation for the Disney show’s 20th anniversary special, golden strands seem to be the mode du jour in 2026—especially as summer approaches. But the blonde hues we’re seeing on our favorite It girls these days are a bit more nuanced than you may realize. According to experts, gone are the days when overprocessing the hair with icy, cool-toned hues was in (and your hair health, unfortunately, was on its way out). Today, professionals are seeing a trend toward more lived-in iterations. Enter sunrise blonde.
(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage via Getty Images)
Celebrity hairstylist Cesar Deleon Ramirez shares that his clients are ditching over-styled “platinum hair” this summer in search of something warmer. “They’re looking for that ‘expensive,’ healthy-looking blonde,” he explains. “We’re talking softer, richer, more dimensional tones.” He paints a picture of sunlight peeking through golden strands and gentle washes of morning light rather than “fresh from the salon” color. “Ashy blondes had some major moments in the past; however, we’re leaning into the honey, buttery, champagne blondes in 2026,” he states. Prepare to ask all your friends if you should go blonde after this.
What Is Sunrise Blonde?
Think of how your hair looks in early morning light: the subtle radiance of the rising sun setting your strands aglow. It’s imperfect, it moves as you run your fingers through it, and it’s utterly dimensional—highlighting some layers and casting shadows across others. This result is a blended look courtesy of strategically placed highlights (and maybe even some lowlights, if you’re naturally quite blonde) to create that “sunlit” effect: a symphony of warm honey tones and buttery golds, with whispers of champagne blonde.
“Clients still want brightness, but with lower-maintenance grow-out and more shine overall,” celebrity hairstylist Glen Oropeza explains. Dimensional dye jobs like this one mask outgrowth beautifully between appointments, which is ideal for busy summer schedules with little time for routine salon visits. “There’s also a stronger focus on hair health, with clients prioritizing products and routines that protect their blonde from heat, UV exposure, and brassiness during the summer months,” he adds. A hair trend that not only looks fresh and timely but also puts health on the forefront? Sign us up.
How to Maintain Sunrise Blonde
I’m slowly but surely learning that blondes may actually have more fun, but what’s not fun is the salon upkeep, pricey dye jobs, and color threats summer poses at every turn. (Chlorine! Too much sun! Salt water! I could go on.) Thankfully, the pros have tips, tricks, and product recommendations that will keep your blonde looking its best throughout the summer.
Use Leave-In Conditioner
Summer is made for long beach hangs, poolside lounges, and dives into crystalline water. These activities all pose potential threats to your color-treated hair, but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge—you just have to adjust your strategy. “It is essential we protect that beautiful color from any UV damage, salt water, and chlorine,” says Ramirez. “The last thing we want is dry or green (yes, chlorine will turn your blonde green) hair.” His recommendation? Kérastase’s Blond Absolu Blonde Guard Hydrating Wonder Shield Leave-In Spray, a leave-in conditioner that protects the hair from seasonal consequences.
Kérastase
Blond Absolu Blonde Guard Hydrating Leave-In Conditioner Spray
“The key to maintaining a beautiful summer blonde is protecting both the tone and the condition of the hair,” says Oropeza. The stylist also recommends this leave-in conditioner, namely for its sun-shielding properties. Armored with hyaluronic acid for intense hydration and vitamins C and E for protective antioxidants, you can think of this serum-like spray conditioner as a sunscreen for your strands. “[It] defends against heat, UV exposure, and environmental stressors that can leave blonde hair feeling dry or dull,” he explains.
Placement Matters
From the first visit to all of the subsequent touch-ups, the stylists recommend asking for a “lived-in blonde” to encourage natural-looking outgrowth. “I suggest asking your stylist for dimensional placement, like blended babylights or soft root shadows, to create a brighter yet lower-maintenance blonde,” says Oropeza.
Keep It Hydrated
“Healthy, hydrated hair will always make blonde [hair] look more elevated and glossy,” Oropeza adds. To ensure that your strands are as quenched as possible, it’s important to use the right products inside and outside of the shower. In addition to the Blond Absolu Wonder Shield Leave-In Spray, consider adding a hydrating, blonde-boosting shampoo like Kérastase’s Blond Absolu Hydrating Illuminating Shampoo—a purple shampoo that strengthens, brightens, and hydrates—along with a complementary conditioner like Blond Absolu Hair Strengthening Conditioner.
Kérastase
Blond Absolu Hydrating Illuminating Shampoo
Kérastase
Blond Absolu Hair Strengthening Conditioner
Kérastase
Blond Absolu Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo
Sunrise Blonde Inspiration
Beyoncé’s signature color is practically always sunrise blonde, with her roots kept deeper and the length—this time, cropped shorter in a chic bob—lightened to a honey shade.
(Image credit: Davide Corona/GC Images via Getty Images)
Bella Hadid goes back to her natural blonde every once in a while, and the supermodel has re-embraced her golden locks with this lived-in blonde moment at Cannes. I saved this snap as soon as I saw it.
If Ciara’s blended blonde highlights don’t make you want to book an appointment before your next beach trip, I don’t know what will.
There’s something about a butter-blonde, sun-lightened hue with lived-in roots that looks so effortlessly cool.
Literally glowing.
This look—with the dimensional roots, face-framing gold streaks, and champagne babylights—is stamped onto my brain right now.
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