The Bronde Effect

Bronde, the bespoke color that balances between blonde and brunette, has taken over as the color of the season.

Just as there are different shades of blonde, brown and red, bronde comes in a variety of tones and can be worn to different effects.

 

"You can wear bronde simple and casual or wear it dressed up," says Johnny Ramirez (@JohnnyRamirez1 on Instagram), celebrity stylist and co-owner of Ramirez Tran Salon (@ramireztransalon) in Beverly Hills."

 

Bronde is all about incorporating lighter strands into natural, darker hair. If your client has a darker skin tone, Ramirez recommends going for warmer, golden tones, whereas paler complexions should go with cooler tones, such as ash.

 

"The goal is to create the perfect balance of brown and blonde without going too far in either direction," says Alexis Thurston (@alexisbutterflyloft) of Butterfly Loft Salon (@butterflyloftsalon) in Encino, California.

 

Janai Hartt follows Butterfly Loft Salon’s rule that “less is more” with subtle, sunkissed accents.

Thurston shared her five tips to achieving the perfect bronde:

 

1. To achieve the proper depth, the perfect bases for the bronde look are levels 5-7, in neutral, beige, ash and golden tones.

 

2. Less is more. Don’t balayage or highlight too much, otherwise the hair becomes too blonde.

 

3. Paint brightness, or more blonde, closer to the root around the face, but drop it down between the crown and the occipital bone throughout the back.

 

4. To help keep dimension, paint small pieces rather than big sections. You want depth, shadow and dimension because it will make the blonde pop.

 

5. It’s all about the blend. Thurston’s favorite tip is to use a dry, soft tint brush to help blend and erase the lightener as you paint.

 

Hartt demonstrates that they key to beautiful bronde is blending.

Janai Hartt (@harttofcolor), also of Butterfly Loft Salon, uses the “two-level rule” to ensure she gets the perfect blended bronde tone. The two-level rule requires using at least two separate formulas and jumping two levels up from the starting tone. For example, if a client starts at a level-four brown, be sure to incorporate a level six and level eight along with the blonde accents.

 

“Blonde accent tones should be your brightest points,” Hartt says. “These points should be strategically placed to attract the eye and enhance specific facial features. Concentrate bright points through the ends of the hair to achieve a seamless melt and natural effect.”