What is ’naturalised blonde’ and how is it created?
This innovative technique makes it look like you've never coloured your hair.
In contrast with bold cherry cola red or a super-short pixie cut, one hair trend this season is all about understated chic: naturalised blonde.
"I describe it like a child's hair", says Steven Kamara, senior colourist at Paul Edmonds London.
"It's blonde that's soft and easy to maintain, because you don't have to have it redone as much as you would a full-on, bright blonde."
Inspired by summer hair, it's a look that works all year round, he says: "The result is a bit like you've been in the Caribbean for six months and you've naturally got highlights from the sun."
Similar to the 'old money' golden blonde look that's been popular this year, naturalised blonde is even more subtle and can be tailored to suit your skin tone and hair type.
"It can be either warm or cool-toned," Steven says. "You could do it on a redhead, a brunette or a natural blonde, to make it look like they've never had their hair dyed."
While the look is created with carefully placed highlights or balayage, the overall effect is a wash of beautiful buttery blonde that's lighter at the ends just like natural blonde hair.
"You're not quite removing any form of dimension to the hair, but you are making the colour look quite even, but you're not getting multiple stripes," Steven explains.
"Our approach to colour at Paul Edmonds is always personalised, which is perfect for natural-looking blonde."
Wondering if the bespoke blonde look is for you? Here, Steven explains everything you need to know about the naturalised blonde trend…
WHO CAN ACHIEVE THE NATURALISED BLONDE LOOK?
Any major colour change should start with a thorough consultation so your colourist can assess your hair and discuss the desired result.
"We always look at the base colour first," Steven says. "Somebody who's got quite dark hair, such as brown or light brown, their undertone is going to be quite red, so a lot of clients want to go for a blonde that is cool, not warm or brassy."
Your colourist may want to do a strand test, applying a small amount of dye or lightener on a hidden piece of hair to show the end result and identify your undertones.
"You've also got to think about the condition and maintenance," Steven says.
"A client may need to come back in to have their hair retoned every six weeks if it's going to fade quite quickly and with darker hair they'll get regrowth at the roots."
COLOUR TECHNIQUES TO CREATE NATURALISED BLONDE
Our colourists have several different options when it comes to creating naturalised blonde hair, depending on the client's base colour.
"The bespoke approach is how we achieve a natural look," Steven says.
"We have multiple different pre-lighteners that can achieve six or seven levels of lift for very dark hair, or if a client's got more of a dark golden blonde base we can use a tint, which is better than bleach for maintaining the hair condition."
Depending on the base colour and dye used, your colourist will use balayage - meaning freehand placement of the colour - 'babylight' or 'air touch' highlights to create the naturalised look.
"Air touch is a form of a highlight that will give you a very seamless, soft look with a very natural transition from roots to ends," Steven explains.
"If your hair was naturally lifted in the sun your ends would always be a bit lighter and you'd have a soft blonde through the top. With air touch you're not getting a heavy transition."
HOW TO MAINTAIN NATURALISED BLONDE COLOUR
Prolonging your naturalised blonde starts at your colour appointment.
"I always recommend a bonding treatment to repair broken bonds in the hair, keep it strong and in good condition, and stop the colour from fading," Steven says.
"We have Olaplex and Innoluxe at the salon which can be mixed in with the colour. Then I get my clients to come back in every six weeks for a gloss or toner treatment to refresh the colour."
As for home haircare, he says: "A colour-protecting shampoo like Shu Uemura Silk Bloom or Colour Lustre is a must. And Davines has coloured conditioners - that's a good way to maintain the shine and the tone."
Here are Steven's top picks for maintaining naturalised blonde hair:
Softly does it
The subtlest way to do fair hair, naturalised blonde is about soft and muted tones carefully placed for a seamless finish.
Requiring a bespoke approach chosen according to your base colour and undertones, the naturalised look is timeless and elegant, and with the right upkeep you can maintain that salon-fresh feeling for longer.
Discover which shade of naturalised blonde is best for you. Book a colour consultation at Paul Edmonds London.
