The 15 Best Blonde Hair Dyes of 2023

Best Overall

Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme Extra-Light Natural Blonde 100 (Chamomile)

4.7

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Whether you want to conceal tell-tale dark roots, blend in some grays, or score an entirely new color, this can do it all (without the bleach). It comes in 45 shades, including a nice mix of 14 blonde options, and is also packed with moisturizing ingredients like avocado, olive, and shea oils, as well as a separate ampoule of grapeseed oil and an ultra-hydrating conditioner to use immediately post-coloring. Soft, shiny, blonde hair, here you come.

Price at time of publish: $8

Active Ingredients: Avocado, olive, and shea oils | Type: Permanent | Shades: 14 (blonde) | Size: 1 kit | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Budget

Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color Permanent Hair Color

4.9

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At-home hair color is affordable by definition (certainly more so than a trip to the salon), but ringing in at less than $5 per box, this takes the cake. Of the 41 shades, 13 are varieties of blonde, not to mention that a lot of the lighter brown shades could easily read as dark blonde, too. The non-drip gel is also very easy to use without any drips and is ammonia-free as well.

Price at time of publish: $17

Active Ingredients: Keratin, silk amino acids | Type: Permanent | Shades: 7 (blondes) | Size: 1 kit | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Drugstore

L'Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color 9A Light Ash Blonde

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Even though this product has been around since 1973, it remains an at-home hair color staple, particularly for blondes. There are, wait for it, 18 different blonde tones to choose from, ranging from pale platinum to strawberry blonde to even a trendy lilac blonde. It also comes with a conditioner meets shine serum hybrid that imparts mirror-like shine from root to tip. Plus, the color is fade-resistant, so it stays the same for up to eight weeks.

Price at time of publish: $10

Active Ingredients: Golden camelina oil, vitamin E | Type: Permanent | Shades: 18 (blonde) | Size: 0.35 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Kit

Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit

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With four blonde shades to choose from, there’s something to fit every preference here, no matter whether you want a light and icy blonde, a medium beige blonde, or a rich caramel blonde. Each of the shades is multi-tonal and dimensional (read: appears completely natural) and is ammonia- and PPD-free. We also appreciate that the kit comes with everything you need to safely dye your hair at-home, and that the brand has a money-back guarantee; if for some reason you don’t love your color, they’ll refund you completely.

Price at time of publish: $30

Active Ingredients: Argan oil, keratin, and ginseng root extract | Type: Permanent | Shades: 4 (blonde) | Size: 1.7 oz. (Radiant Cream Color), 2.5 oz. (Conditioning Color Activator), 0.7 oz. (Barrier Cream), 0.5 oz. (Color Protecting Shampoo), 0.5 oz. (Color Protecting Conditioner) | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Permanent Color

IGK Permanent Hair Color

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Colorist-developed and professional-grade, this is one of the most high-performing at-home options we’ve seen. It’s also specially formulated to ensure your hair stays in the best shape possible; it’s clinically proven to leave hair 15 times shinier, reduce breakage by 40%, and improve softness and smoothness by 88%. Yes, please to all of the above. And as far as blondes go, there are seven shades to choose from—not a ton but all extremely natural-looking and with a variety of undertones.

Price at time of publish: $28

Active Ingredients: Squalane, orchid extract, bamboo extract | Type: Permanent | Shades: 7 (blondes) | Size: 0.07 fl. oz. (Protect 1 Color Block Barrier Gel), 1.7 fl. oz. (Color 2 Rich Cream Pigment), 2.5 fl. oz. (Activate 3 Nourishing Color Developer), 0.23 fl. oz. (Treat 4 Post Color Treatment Mask), 0.07 fl. oz. (Erase 5 Stain-Removing Cleanser) | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Semi-Permanent Color

Clairol Natural Instincts

4.9

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If you’re not exactly sure which shade of blonde you’re going for or just don’t like to commit to a color, a semi-permanent color option is the way to go. Unlike permanent color, these formulas fade out gradually every time you shampoo. Our go-to in this category lasts up to 28 washes and works in just 10 minutes. Not to mention that it’s also made with 80% naturally-derived ingredients, including good-for-your hair coconut oil and aloe vera.

Price at time of publish: $22

Active Ingredients: Coconut oil, aloe vera | Type: Demi-permanent | Shades: 8 (blonde) | Size: 1 kit | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Highlights & Root Touch-Ups

dpHUE Hair Lightening Blonding Brush

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Highlights are a very tricky technique to master (read: you probably should leave it up to the pros), but you can easily score a similar effect with this mistake-proof solution. Lemon juice plus hydrogen peroxide in the formula work to slightly lighten your hair, while the brush tip makes it easy to apply on targeted spots to create that highlight effect. (It’s also infused with purple pigments to counteract brassiness and keep your blonde bright.) Work it onto either damp or dry hair; it’s heat-activated, so you can either hit it with a blow-dryer or let it do its thing naturally once you go out in the sun. Just FYI, this is meant for those who are already blonde, so don’t try it if you’re a brunette.

Price at time of publish: $28

Active Ingredients: Lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.65 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Damaged Hair

Schwarzkopf Simply Color Hair Color 9.0 Light Blonde

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If years of coloring have taken a toll on your hair, it’s more important than ever to make sure that every time you do color, it’s with a gentle, nourishing product. Enter this newbie. It earns big points for being ammonia-, alcohol-, and silicone-free; it also doesn’t contain PPD, a common ingredient in many permanent hair color formulas that can cause some seriously problematic allergic reactions. What it does contain is a plethora of good-for-your hair ingredients, like mega-moisturizing argan oil.

Price at time of publish: $11

Active Ingredients: Botanical oat milk, soy protein, argan oil | Type: Permanent | Shades: 5 (blonde) | Size: 2 fl. oz. (Tube Color Cream), 2 fl. oz. (Applicator Bottle with Developer Lotion), 1.7 fl. oz. (Tube Nourishing Conditioner) | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Easy Application

Hally Color Cloud Atomic Blonde

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The airy, mousse-like texture of this newbie makes DIY-ing a total breeze (not to mention completely mess-free). It’s the first ammonia-free foam hair color out there and is also free of PPD and resorcinol, two other often-used chemicals. Instead, it's loaded with good-for-you hair ingredients such as aloe and chamomile. The whole mission of the brand is to keep things easy, which is why the collection of shades is also streamlined. So while this is the only blonde color, it works well on a variety of base tones, given that it’s a demi-permanent color that will gradually fade with time. We also love that the brand gives back 1% of profits to mental health organizations that provide resources to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth.

Price at time of publish: $25

Active Ingredients: Chamomile, lavender, ginseng, aloe | Type: Demi-permanent | Shades: 2 (blonde) | Size: 1 kit | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Lightening Shampoo

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo

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Both DIY hair color beginners and those just looking for a super subtle change will appreciate this lightening shampoo. It works gradually, brightening and lightening your base color to make it look naturally sun-kissed each time you suds up. Credit citrus and chamomile extracts; the formula is free of both ammonia and peroxide, making it very gentle. Plus, it works on all shades of natural, color-treated, and highlighted blonde.

Price at time of publish: $10

Active Ingredients: Natural Lightening Complex | Shades: 1 | Size: 8.3 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Maintenance Shampoo

Matrix Unbreak My Blonde Shampoo

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The new sudser is geared not only toward all shades of blonde but also any shade of lightened hair in general. Why? Simply put, lightening your hair, whether at home or the salon, takes a toll on your hair. This one boasts technology that restores your hair’s natural pH (which is altered when you lighten it) and helps to reinforce the protein bonds that are damaged during the lightening process. It leaves your hair stronger and healthier-looking, which in turn is just going to make your blonde hue look that much better.

Price at time of publish: $22

Active Ingredients: Citric acid | Shades: 1 | Size: 10.1 oz. or 33.8 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Conditioner

Biolage ColorBalm Color Depositing Conditioner

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Great for medium to light blonde base tones, be they natural or colored, this multitasker is the easiest way to both punch up your color and give your hair a little TLC. Per the color part of things, it imparts a temporary dye that gradually washes out; it’s subtle yet enough to add back vibrancy and refresh the tone. Leave it on for anywhere from five to 10 minutes, depending on how intense of an effect you want. And per the conditioning part of things, it’s super nourishing and hydrating, almost more akin to a mask than a conditioner. In short, it’s the best addition to your weekly or bi-weekly color upkeep strategy.

Price at time of publish: $35

Active Ingredients: N/A | Type: Temporary | Shades: 1 (blonde) | Size: 8.5 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Shade Range

Wella ColorCharm Permanent Liquid Color

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Not all blonde shades are created equal, which is why we appreciate the wide variety of blonde tones to choose from in this line. We’re talking over 30, ranging from icy cool to warm caramel to buttery strawberry blonde and everything in between. No matter which one you choose, the permanent color is a great long-lasting option and also has the added benefit of offering 100% gray coverage, too.

Price at time of publish: $8

Active Ingredients: N/A | Type: Permanent | Shades: 35 (blonde) | Size: 1.42 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Custom Color

eSalon Custom Hair Color Set

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Like we said, going blonde can be tricky, and finding the best shade for you can make all the difference. Enter the beauty of this personalized option, which combines in-salon expertise with the ease of at-home coloring. You create a profile, answering questions about both your existing color and where you want to end up. A pro colorist then blends up a shade (and formula; they offer both permanent and demi-permanent color) made especially for you, which takes into account not only your color but also things such as texture and length. You even get personalized instructions. Given how tough blonde can be to DIY, it’s a great way to ensure you end up with the best blonde hue for you.

Price at time of publish: $33 for single order

Active Ingredients: N/A | Type: Permanent, demi-permanent | Shades: Custom | Size: 1.9 fl. oz. (color) and 2.5 fl. oz. (developer) | Cruelty-Free: Yes