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Getty Images / Design by Michela Buttignol
We can always count on Hollywood A-listers and high-fashion models to show us the latest and greatest hair trends. From paparazzi shots to red carpets to runways, there's one hair color that's so pervasive, and it might just be one of the most popular of all time. You may have seen it on the likes of Beyoncé at the Met Gala, or perhaps the tousled, wet effect on Hailey Baldwin. And the hair color is…brown with blonde highlights, also known as bronde.
"Bronde is essentially a perfect balance of blonde and brunette, creating a great mixture of colors," explains master colorist Tiffanie Richards. MATRIX celebrity colorist George Papanikolas says the color works on just about anyone. "Since bronde falls right in the middle of the hair color spectrum, it tends to have a universally flattering result."
Meet the Expert
• Tiffanie Richards is a master colorist and blonde expert based at New York City's Nunzio Saviano Salon.
• George Papanikolas is a celebrity stylist and colorist for hair product brand MATRIX.
Keep scrolling to see 45 stunning bronde looks.
Fast Facts
Choosing a Shade: Include the most important tip from the article about how to choose a shade
Maintenance Level: Maintenance level can be high, depending on how blonde you go.
Goes Great With: Bronde is a great match for most, if not all looks.
Similar Shades: Bronze, Brown ombré
Price: Depending on how blonde you go and what type of highlights you get, you can expect to pay anywhere from $75-$350 dollars.
Chestnut to Golden Blonde
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John Sciulli / Stringer / Getty Images
Hailey Baldwin is a showstopper with this hair color. Her locks start a deep chestnut brown color at the roots, flowing out to golden blonde mid-length all the way to the ends.
Rather than dying hair darker and adding highlights, the look is best for those who already have brown hair. "Typically, the most flattering [color] would be adding blonde to your already brunette hair," says Richards.
A Bunch of Blonde
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If the question is, "Has Rihanna worn this hair color and looked good in it?" the answer is always "Yes, of course." Here she is rocking heavy blonde highlights on top of her natural dark roots.
Tawny Brown
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Cleo Wade's tawny-brown curls are highlighted with a touch of honey blonde around her face and at the ends of her hair. While bronde "can really work for any texture," says Papanikolas, "it usually looks the best with the hair has a bit of a wave, so that you can see the textures and swirls of colors."
Face-Framing Highlights
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Beyoncé's brown hair is accented with blonde highlights framing her face. Throw some loose waves into the mix, and this looks feels unfussy yet polished.
But leave a hue like this to the professionals. "I truly wouldn’t recommend attempting this or any look involving highlights at home," says Richards. "Something like this can go very wrong because brunette hair tends to pull very orange/yellow tones."
To maintain your highlights, try shampooing every other day. Hard water contains minerals that could change the hue over time.
Caramel Highlights
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Sofía Vergara's waterfall locks are highlighted throughout with a warm caramel-blonde. Her hair looks thick, healthy, and lustrous. "If you have enough of your natural brunette mixed in with the right shade of blonde, it's extremely flattering on anyone," notes Richards.
Brown to Golden Ombré
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Supermodel Doutzen Kroes looks absolutely sensational in this bronde shade. Her bouncy ponytail shifts from a brown to golden bronde ombré.
Dark Brown Roots With Golden Blonde Ombré
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This ombré look on Leona Lewis goes from dark brown to golden blonde. We love that the ash-blonde highlights are mirrored in her shimmery eye shadow.
Auburn With Highlights and Lowlights
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Kate Beckinsale's lovely shade of auburn comes courtesy of a blend of highlights and lowlights. Reach for Sachajuan Shine Serum ($36) to replicate that shine.
Bronzed Highlights
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Jamie Chung's bronzed bronde highlights frame her face and flow to the ends of her hair. We love the dramatic contrast of this look.
Undulating Brown-Blonde
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When she's not platinum blonde, Khloé Kardashian wears an undulating brown-blonde shade with long, loose waves. Try using the Beachwaver Pro ($199) for a similar effect.
Dark Roots With Ash-Blonde Highlights
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With dark brown roots and ash-blonde highlights, Ciara's balayage is perfection. Her long, loose waves have a beachy vibe that still feels elegant on the red carpet.
Cool-Toned Highlights
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Nikki Reed's cool-toned bronde balayage highlights are subtle and gorgeous all at once. We love how they match the exact color of her eyes.
Shock of Auburn Highlights
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Taraji P. Henson's warm auburn highlights and natural waves feel low maintenance in the best way possible. The asymmetrical style has avant-garde energy that's perfect for the red carpet or a nighttime event.
Sun-Kissed Ombré
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Alessandra Ambrosio's sun-kissed ombré locks look great when worn stick-straight, as seen in this red-carpet appearance.
Highlighted Ringlets
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Move over, Shirley Temple. Jaz Sinclair's playful curls demonstrate how blonde highlights can add dimension and shape to natural hair texture.
Multi-Dimensional Balayage
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Heidi Klum's balayage blonde highlights and long, soft layers give her hair so much dimension. The deep side part adds extra drama.
Ash Blonde With Brown Base
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Jennifer Lopez's blunt lob is so vibrant with ample ash-blonde highlights. To get smooth, sleek locks like J.Lo, try Moroccanoil Smoothing Lotion ($34).
Golden Bronde
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Drew Barrymore's relaxed, wavy texture and golden bronde highlights make her the original trendsetter for a boho, beachy vibe.
Two-Toned
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Beyoncé has almost always worn blonde and brown hair, which looks so good against her caramel complexion.
Beachy Blonde
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Giselle Bündchen's wavy, un-polished look is the gold standard for casual (yet chic) looks that translate from daytime to evening.
Golden Blonde-Meets-Brown
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Chrissy Teigen looks dreamy with her golden-blonde and brown highlights.
Dip-Dyed
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Vanessa Hudgens's raven hair is dip-dyed a dark bronde that complements her skin tone and deep brown eyes.
Toffee Highlights
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Jourdan Dunn is one of our favorite hair chameleons. The supermodel has experimented with several hair colors, but the gentle ombré on her chin-length bob has our hearts.
Caramel Bronde Highlights
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We love this wavy look on Shay Mitchell, expertly showcasing her caramel bronde highlights, which you can spot ever-so-subtly painted throughout the bottom-half of her locks.
Gold Bangs
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Halle Berry's honey-blonde highlights and shag offer a casual—but still chic—variation on the standard boho blonde.
Chestnut With Blonde Ombré
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Chestnut hair with honey blonde ombré highlights is Jessica Alba's signature look, and it's not hard to see why.
Face-Framing Golden Blonde
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Rapper Latto's natural curls feature a golden blonde ombré that adds a warm, glowing effect around her face.
Classic Sleek Blonde
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Rosie Huntington Whiteley is flawless with this sleek style that shows the symmetry of her blonde highlights.
Bronzey Blonde With Raven Base
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Serena Williams' long, spiraled locks are giving us goddess vibes. The gradience from her deep raven hue to a bronzey blonde complements her glowing skin.
Grown-Out Highlights
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Miley Cyrus' tight, sleek high-ponytail shows the dimension of her blonde highlights. This is a great look for those who need a touch-up, as it pulls roots away from the face.
Speaking of touch-ups, your natural shade will impact how often you need to visit the salon. "If you are naturally light brown, then getting the bronde touched up about every three months with highlights should be sufficient," says Papanikolas.
Peekaboo Blonde
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Bits of blonde peek out from under and through Niecy Nash's darker highlights, adding brightness without being obvious.
Earthy Blonde Highlights
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Elizabeth Olsen's light brown hair with subtle blonde highlights, paired with her green eyes, is the perfect balance of Earth tones.
Champagne Blonde
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Jennifer Hudson's sleek and straight hairstyle with strategically placed champagne highlights offers a more subtle example of this trend.
Deep Brown With Tanned Blonde Highlights
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Mandy Moore's golden ombré gives her a highly-coveted beachy look. If you're looking for the same weightless waves, add a spritz of Ouai Wave Spray ($26).
Sandy Highlights
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Laverne Cox's wavy updo is peppered with sandy blonde highlights, adding a warmth to her beautiful brunette locks.
Buttery Blonde
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We love Emilia Clarke as both a down-to-earth brunette (her natural hair hue) and a platinum-haired queen. Here, she's added some warm, bronde highlights throughout her short and shaggy locks.
Honey Blonde Ends
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Lizzo's brunette waves are highlighted from the mid-lengths down with a glowing honey color. It looks gorgeous, and that's a truth that doesn't hurt.
Glowing Bronze Highlights With Brunette Base
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Becky G's balayage adds a bronzed glow to her brunette locks, complementing her glowing skin and brown cat-eye.
Caramel Balayage
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If anyone can pull off a bowl-cut with caramel balayage, it's Zendaya. This tousled, layered look feels chic and a bit edgy, and we absolutely love it.
Coffee Base With Milky Highlights
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Ashley Tisdale's cool-toned ombré looks like when you add a splash of milk to black coffee and color transitions from hickory to almond.
Blonde Babylights
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We love the subtlety of America Ferrera's delicate blonde babylights framing her face. They help illuminate her face without being too obvious.
Butterscotch Blonde
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Jennifer Garner is a vision with subtle golden, butterscotch-blonde highlights in her and long face-framing layers. We love how her volume creates relaxed yet sculpted waves.
Deep Brunette with Balayage
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Rashida Jones is often rocking a deep brunette or chestnut hue, so these shiny balayage highlights are a delightful surprise.
Brunette-to-Honey-to-Ash Blonde
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Behati Prinsloo's ombré transitions from her brunette roots to honey bronde and ends in a light ash-blonde. The look feels totally cohesive.
Light Blonde Allover Highlights
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Tyra Banks is the queen of caramel highlights. Her long, golden ringlets are gorgeously contrasted with her smoky eyes.