Thanks to famous faces such as Blake Lively and Nicola Coughlan flying the flag for strawberry blonde hair, this berry-inspired hue has been steadily rising in popularity. While some are naturally blessed with this hair colour, requests for the shade have also been increasing within the salon. With this in mind, here’s everything you need to know about strawberry blonde hair – from the pressure points to watch out for to the celebrities to look to for #colourinspo…
What is Strawberry Blonde Hair?
Charlie Illi from Brooks & Brooks London explains: “As the name suggests, strawberry blonde hair contains a small amount of red pigment making it a warm, rich, golden blonde.”
Tom Smith, evo international creative colour director, also notes: “Strawberry blonde is the place where a warm blonde just tips over into copper territory. Typically sitting around a level 8 or 9, it contains golden and copper and rosy tones which make it intensely warm and appearing as a soft copper.”
Thanks to its multi-dimensional tone, strawberry blonde is renowned for its versatility, with Dan Spiller, JOICO Colour Ambassador EMEA, sharing: “It’s easy to customise this shade to the wearer, suiting both warm and cool complexions.”
What are the Pressure Points When Creating a Strawberry Blonde Colour?
As with any colour transformation, the pressure points can vary depending on the base of the hair you’re starting with. Louis Byrne, Editorial Artist for L’Oréal Professionnel, expands: “If you’re pre-lightning dark hair you need to lift the hair light enough to tone to a true strawberry, otherwise it can look too heavy and muddy.” Meanwhile, Siobhan Haug, Schwarzkopf Professional Ambassador, discusses the importance of a clean base, explaining: “If working on pre-lightened hair, I would always pre-tone first to create a clean base to work on and to create longevity of tone. I would also work to the maximum development time as it is a soft shade and will fade fast without strong depth and tone.”
The Best Colour Placement for Strawberry Blonde Hair
There are so many options when it comes to creating a strawberry blonde transformation – especially if you’re looking to create a bespoke look that adheres to your clients’ specific needs. For example, Charlie says: “If you want a bright vibrant result, you can create a clean canvas and tone completely into the strawberry tone.” However, strawberry blonde doesn’t have to be achieved through global colour, with Siobhan explaining: “Working key areas when toning, like the temples, face frame and the hair that naturally falls over the shoulders can be a good introduction.”
Meanwhile, Tom breaks down his go-to steps to mastering this look, sharing: “On deeper bases, adding brighter dimension that sits around a level 9 can give an overall strawberry blonde effect with added contrast and design to it. It can also be achieved with the demi stage of a lightening appointment. I like to use the evo hue-verse demi shades in 9.47 (copper violet) or 9.43 (copper gold) on top of a balayage or highlighting technique with a modern placement to give a textural strawberry blonde. If shadow rooting, opt for a warm base such as 8.03 (warm natural).”
Maintaining Strawberry Blonde Hair
It’s no secret that red tones fade quickly, which is why educating your clients about the best maintenance techniques is crucial when it comes to strawberry blonde hair. Like any coloured hair, strawberry blonde will require good at-home haircare to keep it looking its best. Aside from colour safe shampoos and conditioners, there are lots of additional treatments you can recommend to clients. “I’d recommend Schwarzkopf Professional Chroma ID,” says Inanch Emir, co-founder of Inanch in London. “This can be mixed bespoke to the client to keep their hair looking fresh until their next colour appointment.”
Tracey Smith, ASP Ambassador, sings the praises of ASP Glaze Shot, which can be retailed in your slaon. “These colour conditioning shots are so nourishing for the hair and the shine is immense.”
Strawberry Blonde Hair Inspiration
It’s not uncommon for clients to come into the salon and express uncertainty surrounding their hair goals. While many clients try to use terminology they have heard on social media, using reference photos can be a great way to ensure you have interpreted your client’s vision correctly.
