11 Best Ways to Be a Blonde at 50+

Being a blonde at 50-plus is a magic trick. Instantly your skin looks brighter and your hair appears thicker, and you feel happier, sexier, more glowing — without a stitch of makeup. The big decision is whether to go blondish, a little blonder or just all-out blond. That'll depend on your wallet and how much time and effort you're willing to spend. It's not just about the color, either. It's important to blond up strategically and responsibly to avoid damaging hair that's probably thinner, drier and more fragile. Here are 11 brilliant blond options to choose from.

(Left to right) Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Williams and Jennifer Aniston

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Going bronde

A sun-kissed “bronde,” or blond-and-brown mix, lets you feel blondish while keeping your base color brown. Like a lot of newer blond options, bronde looks great on just about every skin tone, hair texture and style and is ideal for blending in grays. The blondish-brownish highlights and lowlights can be subtle or complex, depending on how many shades were used and the number of techniques involved. A colorist will use highlights — foils or painted-on balayage — or a combination of base color, highlights and darker lowlights. The less contrast involved, the more natural the effect.

(Left to right) Halle Berry, Hoda Kotb and Christine Baranski

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Adding chunky gold streaks

Another way to stay brunette but go blonder is to have a colorist add some bold golden streaks. These can be just around the face (they're called “money-piece highlights") or all over (especially if you wear your hair up or pulled back) to break up and brighten the brown base. It's a look that was popular in the 1990s but has come roaring back as an easy, effective way to add glamour without a lot of work. These warm spicy ribbons of color give mature hair a dynamic look and can be produced with a classic foil technique or balayage. Again, the more contrast seen between base and streaks, the bolder the effect.

(Left to right) Michelle Pfeiffer, Vivica A. Fox and Ellen Pompeo

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A blond melt

What started out as ombré color has evolved into a dark root (also known as a root shadow) that seamlessly transitions to blond without an obvious break between the two shades. During 2020 when salons were closed, two-tone hair emerged as a lasting trend. Becoming a blonde got root-ier than ever, and now the melt has become a low-maintenance look in itself. A colorist can soften the color break for a truly gradient flow — even if the colors are very different at roots and tips.