Golden Blonde Hair: Best Shades, Celebs and How to Get It

Every time I sit down in my colorist’s chair, I say the same thing. “Warm, but not orange.” She nods, because she’s heard it about a thousand times, and what I really mean is golden blonde.

It’s that blonde that looks like you spent a month somewhere with a pool, even if you’ve been under fluorescent office lights since spring. It’s softer than platinum, easier to grow out, and it makes your skin look like you’ve had a good night’s sleep. No wonder half of Hollywood keeps coming back to it.

If you’re thinking about going golden, here’s what I’ve learned about picking the right shade, which celebrities to screenshot, and how to keep it from turning brassy two weeks later.

What Is Golden Blonde Hair?

Golden blonde is basically blonde with the warmth turned up. It has yellow and gold undertones, so in the light it looks a bit like butter or honey on toast. It’s warmer than ash or platinum, but nowhere near as red as strawberry.

The best part is how shiny it looks. Gold reflects light really well, so even when your hair hasn’t been washed in three days, the color still looks healthy. (Ask me how I know.)

Golden vs. Honey vs. Strawberry Blonde

People use these words like they mean the same thing, and colorists quietly lose their minds.

Golden is the brightest of the three, pure sunshine. Honey blonde is a little deeper and richer, with some amber or soft brown running through it. And strawberry blonde has an actual hint of red or copper in it, which gives it that rosy, peachy look. If that’s the one you’re curious about, we’ve got a whole guide to strawberry blonde hair.

Platinum sits right at the other end of the scale. Cool, icy, almost silver.

Golden Blonde Shades to Try

Golden blonde comes in a lot of strengths, and where you land on that scale changes the whole vibe.

Light golden blonde is the beachy one. Bright and sunny, and gorgeous on fair skin in summer, though it does need a bit more upkeep.

Dark golden blonde is the one most people end up asking for, me included. It’s deeper and richer, sitting right on the line where blonde starts turning into light brown. If you’ve got darker hair and don’t want to bleach every strand, this is a really easy, natural-looking option.

Lili Reinhart’s hair is a perfect example. Her roots stay a soft golden-brown, then the color brightens into warm, buttery lengths, and with loose, side-swept waves it looks effortlessly sun-kissed.

Honey golden is a mix of the two warm shades, so you get more depth and dimension. It’s a good pick if you want to look glowy without going too bright.

Then there’s golden balayage, which is my personal favorite for low-maintenance hair. Your colorist paints golden pieces through the lengths and leaves the roots darker, so when it grows out, there’s no harsh line. You can stretch it to three or four months between appointments without anyone noticing.

And if you really don’t want to commit, ask for golden bronde. It’s somewhere between brown and blonde with golden highlights through it, and it’s about as easy as hair color gets.

Celebrities With Golden Blonde Hair

Honestly, the red carpet is a golden blonde mood board. These are the ones I’d save to your phone before your next appointment.

Blake Lively

Blake’s long golden waves might be the most screenshotted blonde in salon history. Her color is warm but never brassy, with lots of soft, slightly darker pieces mixed in, so it looks like it grew out of her head that way.

Gigi Hadid

Gigi’s version is very California. A little darker at the root, golden through the ends, and always looking like she just got back from the beach.

Margot Robbie

Margot tends to float between golden and honey depending on the role, usually with a soft shadow at the root. It works with everything, from a sleek bob to big old-Hollywood waves.

Jennifer Aniston

Jen has basically had the same warm, highlighted golden blonde for about thirty years, and nobody has ever gotten tired of it. If that isn’t proof this color doesn’t date, I don’t know what is.

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina's buttery golden blonde, often worn with full curtain bangs and big bouncy volume, has a fun '60s feel. It's hard to look at without wanting bangs.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé has worn honey and golden blonde for years, and it looks unbelievable against her skin. She’s a great reference if you want to see how golden tones can be warmed up or deepened to suit darker complexions.

Kristen Bell

Kristen’s golden balayage is a great one to show your colorist if you’re coming from darker hair. Her roots stay a soft golden-brown, then the color melts into warm honey pieces through the lengths, so it never looks like a harsh line. With loose waves, it’s very easy and very pretty.

If you want even more ideas, have a scroll through our list of famous blonde actresses.

Does Golden Blonde Suit You?

Pretty much everyone can wear some version of it, which is one of the reasons I love it.

If your skin has warm, peachy or olive undertones, golden blonde is going to look amazing on you. You can go as light or as deep as you like.

If you’re fair with pink undertones, you can still do it, you just want a slightly softer, beige-ier golden. Otherwise it can make your cheeks look a bit flushed in photos.

On medium and deeper skin, darker golden and honey shades are stunning, especially with a slightly deeper root so it blends naturally.

Eye color plays a small part, too. Brown, hazel and green eyes really light up next to golden tones.

How to Get Golden Blonde Hair

If your hair is dark brown or black, please go to a salon. Lifting dark hair to a clean, even golden shade is genuinely hard, and box bleach at home is usually how people end up with orange roots and yellow ends. I’ve been there, and it was not cute.

Take pictures with you. My idea of “golden” and your colorist’s idea of “golden” might be totally different, so showing them the exact Blake or Gigi photo you love saves a lot of confusion.

Talk about placement, too. All-over color is the biggest change, while balayage or fine babylights look more natural and grow out much more gently. And ask for a gloss at the end. It’s what makes golden look rich and shiny instead of flat and yellow.

If you’re already a light brown or dark blonde, you can warm your color up at home with a golden toner, gloss or color-depositing conditioner. They don’t lighten, they just add tone, so they’re pretty safe. Still, do a strand test first.

Golden blonde also looks best with a bit of movement, because that’s when all the warm tones catch the light. Long layers and soft waves are perfect, and a layered bob really shows off golden ends.

How to Keep Golden Blonde From Going Brassy

Golden and brassy are cousins, and they love to swap places when you’re not looking. Golden is warm and glowy. Brassy is orange and harsh. A few habits make all the difference.

Switch to a sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo. It’s gentler and helps your color last longer between salon trips.

Don’t overdo the purple shampoo. I know everyone swears by it, but it’s really made for cooling down icy blondes. Use it too often and it’ll dull your gold. Once every week or two is plenty, and if your hair is going more orange than yellow, a blue shampoo works better.

Get a gloss every six to eight weeks. It’s quick, it’s usually cheaper than a full color, and it brings the shine and tone right back.

And protect your hair from the sun and your hot tools. Heat protectant before styling, a UV spray or a hat on sunny days. The sun is sneaky, and it’s one of the fastest ways golden turns brassy.

If you ever fancy going darker for the colder months, a rich dark auburn hair color is a really cozy next step.

Final Thoughts

Golden blonde is one of those colors that just makes people look good. It’s warm without being red, bright without being harsh, and it grows out more gracefully than most blondes.

Save a few photos, find a colorist you trust and tell them what you want. Just maybe don’t say “warm, but not orange” quite as many times as I do.