Blond is this season's 'it' hair color, Long Island stylists say — and not just for Barbie
Jennifer Jenkins of Baldwin gets her hair colored and cut by owner Stephanie Jones at Studio Ten 31 in Baldwin on July 15. Credit: Morgan Campbell
Butter. Barbie. Beyoncé.
Those are the catchwords for what is arguably this season’s coveted hair color: blond.
Style watchers and Long Island hair colorists are claiming that the bulk of the new blonding inspiration comes from the buttery shades of Margot Robbie's Barbie and Beyoncé’s latest nod to lightened hair — a hue called crème brûlée. While the amount of blond-seekers remains on par for the summer, it's what they're asking for that's changed.
“Blonding in the summer is always a thing, and the trending blond always changes from year to year,” says Krista Bennett DeMaio, who runs the LI Beauty Scene blog delving into local trends. Last year's was a Kim Kardashian-inspired black root with bleached ends. This season, “one shade — more butter, golden, solid and warmer — is heavily influenced by Barbie.”
Jessica Cipriano, 26, of Holbrook, Jennifer Jenkins of Baldwin, Caleigh Doherty, 23, of Bohemia, and Brandon Maranzano of Rex Hair Artist show off their blond hair. Credit: Jessica Cipriano; Delaney Patterson; Dawn McCormick
Self-proclaimed “blond obsessed” stylist and blonding expert Delaney Patterson, who is playfully nicknamed “Barbie” by her co-workers at the Off 7th Hair Salon in Centereach where she works, says, "Margot Robbie is definitely an icon. So many of my clients are absolutely asking for 'Barbie' blond."
One of her clients, Caleigh Doherty, 23, of Bohemia, came to Patterson with what she calls, “brassy, yellowish blonde.” She says, “I’ve always wanted a brighter blonde and kept on seeing pictures on TikTok and Instagram,” describing her newest look as a “superbright, buttery, Barbie blond,” inspired by Robbie. “Sometimes people tell me I look like her, and I feel like a million bucks.”
And though Barbie is a scene stealer, “For women of color, it’s less about Barbie and more about the other B — Beyoncé,” adds DeMaio. “Her most recent blond is the perfect blend of pale, creamy, and golden tones that's slightly darker at the root. The effect is a sun-washed.”
Say hey to Bey: Beyoncé-inspired
Owner Stephanie Jones shows off her blond hair at Studio Ten 31 in Baldwin on July 15. Credit: Morgan Campbell
While there’s not much Barbie chatter at Studio Ten 31 in Baldwin, where owner Stephanie Jones’ client base is predominantly women of color, seasonal blonding is a trend.
What they’re asking for, according to Jones, is “Bey Blonde” as in Beyoncé’s new shade, “a summer, creamy blond with a golden hue,” says Beyoncé’s stylist, Rita Hazan. In June, Jones went Bey blonde for her own wedding and has taken several of her clients brighter and blonder this season.
“Summer is always time for new trends and new colors. It signifies sun and outdoors,” Jones says, adding that “blond is great on any skin tone.”
Recently, Dawn Brown-Gibbons, 46, of Baldwin, says Jones worked “a complete transformation” on her hair, chopping the shoulder-length hair into a super short ‘do with a longer front and coloring it a velvety blond. “I had my glasses off while she was working, and when I put them on, I was so in love with it,” she says.
Don’t forget Ryan Gosling's Ken
Brandon Maranzano of Rex Hair Artist shows off his dyed blond summer hair on July 12, in Garden City. Credit: Dawn McCormick
In at least one Long Island case, hair inspiration was garnered by Barbie’s beau, Ken, played by Ryan Gosling in the new movie.
Stylist Brandon Maranzano, owner of B. Rex Hair Artist, a salon suite in Garden City, was so taken with Gosling’s Ken hair that in early July, he went for it himself, dying his dark hair almost white.
“It’s such a perfect blonde for a man,” he says, marveling at the fact that, “it was Ryan Gosling’s own hair and that they were able to get it that light and blond.”
Maranzano’s move to blond was not only about appearances. He says he strives to set an example for his clients. “I like the versatility of changing with the trends and giving my clients motivation to step out their comfort zones.”
Plenty of them have. “I have women of all ages who are inspired by the movie and going bright blond.”
Time, money and the condition of your hair
Blonde isn’t always born in a day and according to local colorists, it doesn’t come cheap with prices ranging from $250 to $500-plus for a major color job.
Joe Francis, of Hair Dreams in St. James, who is known for his custom color work, says it can take up to three visits to achieve the prefect blonde. “For any color I would recommend a consultation,” he explains, and how the color takes depends a lot “on the integrity of the hair. If it’s not in good condition, I wouldn’t necessarily go blonde.”
Likewise, says stylist/colorist Delaney Patterson, of Off 7th Hair Salon in Centereach, “I care more about the integrity of your hair than getting to the desired color first shot. My motto is low and slow,” she says, referring to a using a lower developer in her lightening process and no heat. “It’s less abrasive to the hair, and could take more than one visit.”
Brandon Maranzano of B.Rex Hair Artist in Garden City, says folks with "virgin" hair (as in never-dyed) will sit for color from two to four hours, while dark hair that needs a color correction might take up to six hours or require a second visit.
One thing everybody agrees upon is that aftercare is critical to keeping your new ‘do healthy and fresh, especially after you’ve paid such a pretty penny for it.
“We like to keep it simple and suggest using sulfite-free and color-safe, blonding shampoos,” says Francis.
Though, “for women of color, damage is inevitable,” says Stephanie Jones of Studio Ten 31 in Baldwin. "You’re going to need to keep up with it and get regular trims.” Her client, Dawn Brown-Gibbons, 46, of Baldwin, who recently went almost platinum, says, “It’s a commitment. Color tends to shed hair, and I must commend Stephanie. She consults with me and I go there regularly to get washed and conditioned.”
Patterson recommends using professional products that are part of the color brand product line, keeping up with trims every six weeks, “even if it’s just to get the dead ends off,” and conditioning products.
As for the summer sun, she suggests using heat protectants. And, she says, if you’re going to be on vacation in the sun, “try to wear a hat half the time.”
