How To Get The Perfect Butter Blonde Hair Color

You’re probably familiar with the saying that butter makes everything better. It’s one we believe to be true, especially when it comes to hair colors, such as a classic butter blonde hair color. This creamy hue is everything you might want from hair color—it’s dimensional, well-blended, and easily flatters a wide range of skin tones and undertones.

If you’re hoping to learn how to make butter blonde hair work for you, you’re in the right place. Ahead, we’re sharing what buttery blonde hair is, how to get the look, and tips on upgrading your haircare routine to keep your blonde brilliant and bright.

What Color Is Butter Blonde?

Butter blonde—sometimes referred to as buttercream blonde—is a light to medium shade of blonde with a distinctly rich, creamy finish. Typically, the color features a neutral blonde base with champagne and wheat-toned highlights woven throughout for dimension and warmth. The shade is similar in many ways to honey blonde (another one of our favorite blonde hair colors), but tends to be lighter in tone, with a more understated warmth.

Who Does Butter Blonde Hair Suit Best?

Butter blonde is generally described as a warm hair color, and as such, flatters warm complexions well. However, since it’s on the softer side, it’s easy to tailor butter blonde to complement cooler skin, too. Those who lean cool, for example, may opt for a variation with sandy blonde and soft ash blonde highlights woven throughout for balance. If you have warm skin, on the other hand, you may opt for a shade with more distinct golden hues to complement your skin’s natural warmth. Butter blonde can also be made lighter or darker, depending on the base color you choose. Lighter variations of the shade pair perfectly with fair skin, while mid-toned blondes are a flattering choice for those with medium to deep skin tones.

How To Achieve a Butter Blonde Hair Color

There are two ways to achieve a buttery blonde hair color: In the salon or at home. The former approach is ideal for those looking for a truly custom color, anyone interested in a professional technique like babylights or balayage, and those with highly damaged hair, as the coloring process almost always requires the use of bleach (which can be notoriously harsh on your hair).

If your hair is in good condition, you’re comfortable bleaching your own strands, and you’ve found a butter blonde hair dye you like, then you can tackle your transformation at home. Ahead, we’re sharing how it’s done—plus details on some of our favorite products to use for the job.

Step 1: Bleach your hair

As mentioned, most butter blonde transformations require bleaching your hair. That’s because butter blonde is a relatively light shade, and achieving the brightness and dimension characteristic of this creamy hue requires starting with super-light strands. To lighten your strands at home, you’ll need a box of the L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach. The powerful formula is capable of lightening your hair up to eight levels in a single session, making it suitable for anyone looking to go light. Follow the directions included with the kit to lighten your hair to the appropriate level, then proceed to step two.

Step 2: Tone your strands

Any time you lighten your hair, you run the risk of developing brassy tones in your hair. If you find that post-bleaching, your strands appear more yellow (or orange) than blonde, you’ll need to tone your hair to neutralize that unwanted warmth. For long-lasting results, we suggest using the L’Oréal Paris Féria Power Toner, which diminishes warmth in as little as five minutes (with results lasting up to three weeks). The conditioning formula also helps reinforce color-treated strands, leaving the hair soft and shiny.

Step 3: Apply your butter blonde hair dye

After bleaching and toning your hair, give your strands a break for at least a few days—overprocessing your hair can lead to damage and breakage. Once you’re ready to color your hair, pick up an at-home hair color kit in your desired color. For a classic butter blonde hair color that flatters warm and cool skin tones, we love the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Universal Nudes Ammonia-Free Permanent Hair Color in Natural Light Blonde. The unique formula blends ashy blonde and golden tones with iridescent pigments to create a rich, luminous color that reflects the light beautifully. Plus, it’s ammonia-free, gentle on the hair and scalp, and contains a pro-keratin complex to help protect hair as it colors. Again, you’ll want to follow the instructions included with the kit to ensure the best possible end result.

Maintenance Tips for Butter Blonde Hair

Your haircare routine and habits play a significant role in determining how long your butter blonde stays bright, shiny, and vibrant. Ahead, we’ll share some of our top tips for maintaining your new hue.

1. Use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Any time you dye your hair—be it a warm buttery blonde or a cool blue-black—you’ll want to update your routine with products designed to help preserve your new hue. Specifically, we recommend swapping out your usual shampoo and conditioner for a duo designed for color-treated hair.

For blondes, we love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner. The duo, made for damaged, color-treated hair, gently cleanses and nourishes the hair while helping to strengthen brittle strands from the inside out. You can use them alone, or pair them with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment, for added reparative benefits.

2. Keep brass at bay

There’s a fine line between buttery and brassy. To keep your blonde from taking on an orange or yellow tint over time, we recommend adding a purple shampoo to your weekly routine. The violet pigments in these formulas help neutralize warm tones, leaving your hair looking bright, vibrant, and brass-free. Try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Purple Shampoo, which helps banish unwanted warm tones in just one wash. After lathering up, replenish your mane with the coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Purple Conditioner for nourished, healthy-looking strands. One note: Over-toning your hair can make your butter blonde color take on a more ashy cast, so we recommend using this duo no more than twice per week to keep your butter blonde looking its best.

3. Skip the steamy showers

Hot showers may feel amazing, but they do your hair zero favors. High temperatures can dry out your strands, making your hair dry, dull, and prone to breakage. This is especially important to keep in mind if you’re facing bleach damage. To minimize further damage to your mane, turn down the temperature—it might not feel as relaxing, but your tresses will thank you for it.

4. Style with care

In a similar vein, hot tools (like your trusty blow dryer or flat iron) can wreak havoc on your strands. While steering clear of heat styling entirely may not be feasible, it’s a good idea to keep it to a minimum to help protect your strands from unnecessary damage. If you do need to heat style your hair, prep your strands well with a heat protectant suitable for color-treated hair. We recommend the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture 21-in-1 Leave In Conditioner—it hydrates, detangles, tames frizz, and enhances shine, all while protecting your from temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Touch up your roots regularly

Blonde hair is notoriously finicky to grow out, since any root regrowth tends to be pretty obvious. To keep your hair looking salon-fresh, you’ll typically want to pencil in time for a root touch-up every four to six weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows. If you need to space out your appointments—or your roots start showing through before your scheduled touch-up time—you can tide yourself over with a temporary root concealer. The L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up in Light to Medium Blonde is perfect for last-minute coverage, and it’ll last until your next shower. If you want longer-lasting results and have about 10 minutes to spare, try the L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Permanent 10 Minute Root Coloring Kit in Medium Blonde instead.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Going Blonde

If you’re new to blonde hair colors, achieving the right shade—without frying your hair—can feel tricky. Here are a few common mistakes to keep in mind as you embark on your butter blonde journey.

• Over-bleaching your hair: While you likely need to lighten your hair to achieve your desired butter blonde hair color, a careful approach is key. Using a harsh formula, letting the bleach sit in your hair longer than directed, and bleaching your hair multiple times in quick succession can all lead to serious damage and breakage. If you’re not comfortable lightening your hair yourself, it may be a good idea to leave the bleaching to the pros.
• Selecting the wrong shade: As mentioned, butter blonde typically skews warm. This makes it an incredibly flattering pick for those with warm (or neutral) skin, but a bit trickier for those with cool skin. If you’re on the cooler side, opt for a neutral blonde to get the look without washing out your features. (Pro tip: Many at-home hair color kits will have a W, N, or C on the package to denote whether the color reads warm, neutral, or cool).
• Skipping professional advice: If your hairstylist tells you that achieving butter blonde hair in one coloring session is unrealistic, don’t ignore their advice. They’re trained to know how your hair will respond to chemical processing and will always recommend a slow-and-steady approach over one that risks damaging your hair beyond repair. When your colorist gives you advice, listen to them.

Next Up: Purple Shampoo Explained: Benefits, Tips, and How Often To Use It

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris