Dishwater blonde is a dirty, mousy shade of blonde with soft brown hues in it. From warm to cool tones, this shade can be modified to match your style, skin complexion, and eye color.
Understanding your skin tone is crucial. Here are some tips from hair color specialist Stephanie Zurita of Carlsbad, CA.
“Look at your skin with silver and gold against it. Does one compliment while the other contrasts? If both suits you well, you’re likely neutral,” says Zurita. You can check the veins inside your wrist. If they’re purple or blue, you have a cool tone; green means you have a warm tone; and if blue-green, you’re neutral. As for the skin, pink or rosy is cool, golden or yellow is warm, and if both, you’re neutral. “The idea of knowing your skin tone and eye color is to channel that effortless dark blonde. This would naturally pick up some highlights from the sun,” Zurita states.
Lifestyle, budget, and maintenance—these things need to be discussed with your stylist.
While this color can be low-maintenance, it still requires some care. Use salon-grade products to ensure the health, integrity, and longevity of the blonde. Zurita’s favorite is Kevin Murphy’s Everlasting Color. “It keeps hair in its ideal ph range to keep color and hair fiber looking its best between salon visits,” she notes.
Feelin’ inspired to change your hair color? Check out these photos of gorgeous dishwater blonde shades to show to your stylist.
#1: Natural-Looking Glossy Dirty Blonde
In fall, toning down hair color becomes a popular trend! For an overall darker look, try dimming down blonde hair and adding some lowlights it’s a perfect choice. It’s great to finish with soft curls and add a serum to increase shine.
#2: Dimensional Brown with Subtle Blonde Highlights
The dishwater blonde color is a perfect blend of light and dark shades, offering the best of both worlds. This is perfect if you want a natural look but still want a hint of light in your hair color.
#3: Dishwater Blonde with Root Melt
Often, people describe dishwater blonde as a dull blonde. But with the proper use of the root melt technique, it can turn into a brilliant and low-maintenance blonde. We’ve noticed an increase in low-maintenance colors and haircuts. Root melt is yet another method for a simple grow-out. Often, stylists use a demi-permanent hair color for root melts. This color blend softens the transition from natural root color to highlights. This process enables a smooth color transition and makes the grow-out period easier and longer-lasting.
#4: Brown Roots with Dirty Golden Blonde
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance hairstyle, consider a root melt. This combines brown roots and a dirty golden blonde. Golden blonde provides instant shine and reflectivity. When paired with brown roots, it creates a soft contrast. It’s a great choice if you want lighter hair but don’t want the harsh grow-out.
#5: Beige Blonde with Lowlights
A beige blonde is a flattering color. Pairing this color with a few lowlights can create subtle contrast and amplify the richness of your blonde tone. If your hair seems lifeless, it’s important to note it might lack depth. The best way to create depth is to create contrast. Lowlights are a wonderful tool for creating contrast. For anyone with dishwater blonde hair, placing a lowlight next to a highlight can make bright tones appear lighter.
#6: Face-Framing Dishwater Highlights
Bring brightness to your face with face-framing, dishwater-toned highlights. The new dirty blonde is dishwater blonde, offering brightness without becoming too light. This tone offers a soft and subtle contrast with your natural hair, making the growth process soft and seamless. To stop your hair from turning too light or brassy, maintain a schedule of using your toner every 4-6 weeks. Regular use of your toners not only maintains your hair’s look but also seals the hair cuticle for shine and moisture.
#7: High-Contrast Dishwater Blonde Balayage
A high-contrast, dishwater blonde balayage is a far cry from subtle looks. While some people prefer a blended look, others want one that pops and catches the eye. High-contrast hair is sure to grab attention. If your hair is light, ask your stylist to darken your base. They could also add lowlights for contrast against the bright blonde highlights. Add hair extensions in light and dark shades for additional contrast in your hair’s length.
#8: Brown Hair with Dishwater-Toned Subtle Highlights
Forget dirty blonde, try out dishwater-toned subtle highlights on brown or dark blonde hair. Ask for highlights that are 2 shades lighter than your natural hair color, giving the appearance of a natural look. This style grows beautifully while creating more dimension and variation within the hair. Opt for a balayage technique if you desire to maintain some of your natural hair color at the root area. This approach creates a seamless blend from your natural hair color to the lightened portions. To maintain the tone of your hair, consult with your stylist about scheduling toner maintenance appointments every 4-6 weeks.
#9: Dark-Rooted Toasted Blonde
The hair extensions have been beautifully applied! Hair extensions, such as keratin bonds or micro-bonded ones, result in fuller and longer hair. As these hair extensions use real hair, it’s generally easy to match color. You can deposit color into the extensions to ensure perfect blending.
#10: Soft Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair
Soft blonde highlights are a great option for light brown hair looking for a low contrast, subtle, sun-kissed look. Going lighter does not always mean going platinum – some clients are just looking for a subtle enhancement of their natural hair color. For clients, I always advise choosing a color 2-3 shades lighter than their natural hair. This complements their skin and their hair’s original tone. The subtle tones create beautiful dimensions in the hair while also bringing light and brightness to the face. Discuss toner maintenance with your stylist to keep your hair color vibrant and avoid a brassy tone.
#11: Dishwater Blonde Ombre on Light Brown Hair
Ombré blonde highlights on light brown hair look great on all hair types. With my years of experience, brightening up your ends is the best way to freshen up your hair color. Don’t forget to ask your stylist for color-safe products that will help keep the integrity of your hair.
#12: Lived-In Brunette with Dirty Blonde Tones
A mixed brunette and dirty blonde color needs less upkeep and gives your hair a shiny look. Subtle blonde color is a great choice if you wish to maintain lighter hair tips but also want a hair color more suited to fall or winter.
#13: Dirty Blonde with Root Shadow
Add a root shadow to your dirty blonde hair for added depth and dimension. As we see, dark blonde hair looks best, with a rich brunette color at the root. This achieves a smooth blend from root to end.
#14: Dishwater Blonde Reverse Balayage
The dishwater blonde reverse balayage technique is a great way to add light tones all throughout the hair but still, keep it looking real. Dark dishwater blonde colors work well for those who prefer warm tones or natural-looking hair colors.
#15: Dark Ash Blonde Lob
Dirty dishwater blonde is now seen as a stylish hair color. Consider the appeal of this dark ash blonde, short-length hairstyle. The unique color tones of the dark ash blonde pair well with the short-cut hair, creating a fashionable and sophisticated style.
#16: Dirty Brown to Blonde Balayage Ombre
The dishwater blonde trend can be rocked another way – by using a dirty brown to blonde balayage ombre. The balayage ombre hue balances bright and subtle matte shades well for a harmonious hair color.
#17: Brunette Hair with Dirty Blonde Money Piece
A money piece in dirty blonde makes espresso hair look amazing! Choosing a deeper shade of blonde near your face will help your money piece mix well with your total hair color.
#18: Dishwater Light Blonde Hair
Dishwater light blonde hair is the color of the season! With soft, natural hues on the rise, this tone is the perfect choice for anyone looking to transform their blonde without going too dark.
#19: Almond Vanilla Bronde
Blondes are loving the latest tone, almond vanilla bronde! The hue can be easily achieved on blonde hair with a deep toner and root melt.
#20: Natural Bronde Balayage
A bronde balayage is great to transition out of bright, bleach blondes. A natural dishwater blonde hair color makes for a low-maintenance balayage. A healthy alternative to living in a blonde realm.
#21: Light Dishwater Blonde
A light dishwater blonde with a little more brightness has a yellowish pigment to keep the reflection vivid. A perfect take on ashy tones while still allowing some reflection. Ask for a dishwater blonde hair color with a bit of contrast.
#22: Multi-Tonal Dimensional Blonde Hair
Get natural-looking locks with multi-tonal dimensional blonde hair. A natural-looking ashy shade of blonde will compliment your cool skin tone and is low-maintenance when done correctly. When it comes to ashy blonde tones they appear a little darker and more muted than bright blonde hues. Curl your locks and you will see all the swirling multi-dimensional blonde hues.
#23: Dishwater Blonde Highlights
Dishwater blonde highlights with super bright pops around your face are gorgeous! A beautiful way to add lightness in strategic areas, while still allowing your natural brunette base to shine through. Dishwater blonde hair with highlights is a great tone for olive complexions.
#24: Dishwater Silver Blonde
A dishwater silver blonde is a great way to transition to your natural gray. Ask your stylist to go lighter blonde, and tone silver or ash to help camouflage your natural tones. It makes the grow-out seem a little easier and softer.
#25: Mushroom Blonde Hair
A mushroom blonde is a gorgeous trend that’s perfect for hair that’s resistant to lift. A dishwater blonde color can add coolness to any screaming warm blonde. Avoid blue tones, ask for taupe or beige to keep the reflect.
#26: Dishwater Beach Blonde
A beachy blonde hair color is very underrated and commonly under-appreciated. Getting highlights weaved throughout your hair will give you the best natural-looking beach hair. Make sure your stylist puts them into very small sectioned foils that will blend with your natural color. Natural dishwater hair color just became your new favorite hairstyle and color to try out.
#27: Multi-Dimensional Creamy Blonde
Getting highlights doesn’t have to be a major life change! While the upkeep can be difficult, a multi-dimensional, creamy blonde can be maintained a little easier. If you have lighter brown hair, a dirty, dishwater hair color will suit you best when it comes to maintenance.
#28: Warm Mousy Blonde Hair
Warm blonde hair is usually a mixture of ash and gold toner. Two shades you wouldn’t think of combining together right off the top of your head, but it creates a stunning dimensional, shiny color. The color wheel is very important to factor in when figuring out what hair dye will work best with other hair dyes.
#29: Golden Dishwater Blonde
Blonde with golden hues is a beautiful in-between of warmth and cool tones. A low-contrast dishwater color is soft, yet adds enough dimension to create a seamless blend. One of the most requested colors because the grow-out is so soft and easy!
#30: Lived-In Platinum Blonde Color Melt
A blonde color melt is a low-maintenance, high-quality blonde. If your looking for less time at the salon this color technique is the best. Platinum colors go best with cooler skin tones.
#31: Ash Brown Hair with Dishwater Blonde Tips
An ash brown with dishwater blonde tips is a gorgeous high-contrast ombré. If you want to seem a little brighter I suggest going a little more lavender with the hue instead of silver. This adds brightness without the warmth.
#32: Low-Maintenance Dirty Blonde
A low-maintenance dirty blonde is best achieved by adding in highlights that are just a few shades lighter than your natural hair color. Let your stylist know you want to keep your highlights from touching your scalp, so they won’t create a line of demarcation as your hair grows out. Tone with a light, warm color to recreate this dirty blonde hair color.
#33: Sandy Ash Blonde with Dark Roots
Sandy, ash blonde with dark roots is subtle enough for a change but not life-altering. In order to keep up the cool-toned, ashy coloring, invest in a high-quality purple shampoo to use bi-weekly. Doing so will neutralize the yellow helping maintain your color. Dirty, dishwater blonde hair color is beautiful year-round.
#34: Dishwater Blonde Lowlights with Shadow Roots
While most highlights require a certain amount of maintenance, not all of us can keep up, but we love the hair color ideas! To fix this dilemma, ask for subtle babylights, dishwater blonde lowlights, and a shadow root that matches your natural color. By doing this, you will achieve the easiest maintenance possible while also having a new, fresh, gorgeous hairstyle.
#35: Faded Dark Blonde Hair
Faded blonde hair can be achieved by asking for ashy tones, or cooler shades. Stay away from light, or bright shades of blonde if you prefer a darker dishwater blonde. This is perfect if you are looking for a soft blend without high contrast.
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