How To Care For White Blonde Hair As Pantone’s Colour Of The Year Sparks New Trend

Pantone recently announced ‘Cloud Dancer’ as the colour of the year, and experts say it might have just sparked the next biggest hair trend.

In the last day alone, Google searches for ‘white blonde hair’ have increased by +9% worldwide, suggesting people are already looking for inspiration on how to translate this aesthetic into their lives beyond interiors.

Annabelle Taura, beauty expert at Fresha, said, “It is rare to see a new colour trend appear in hair searches so quickly; however, ‘Cloud Dancer’ is said to signify a ‘desire for a fresh start’, which may explain the immediate uplift in searches. The shade is beautifully minimalist and echoes sophistication, which translates perfectly into the icy blonde tones I think we are going to see a lot of in 2026.

Across the board, it looks as though we are moving towards a softer, cleaner aesthetic in 2026, with this trickling down from interiors into the beauty industry. The uptick in white blond hair searches feels like a very natural evolution from platinum blonde tones that have been popular, just softer, more modern and more wearable.”

As this new hair trend sets in, Annabelle warns that it requires “thoughtful aftercare and maintenance. To support those looking to adopt this striking look, she has shared her top tips below on caring for icy blonde hair. 

/ Find a professional and be patient

“The first step in achieving and getting a well-done icy blonde is finding a professional hair colourist. Don’t just go to any hairdresser. Instead, look for someone who specialises in colouring. `If you can find someone who specialises in bleaching, even better. This is key to getting the colour you desire in a way that does not compromise your hair.If you find a colourist who promises to get you to a white blonde in one session, you have not found the right person. Reaching this level of lift requires patience. The first step is to lift the hair to a pale yellow, and then you’ll go through a round of toning to draw out the brassy tones. This is often done across multiple appointments to maintain the integrity of your hair, as bleaching and toning can be some of the harshest colouring techniques.”

/ Don’t overdo at-home colour maintenance 

“The process does not end in the salon chair. Maintaining your icy tones at home will be essential to keeping your hair looking fresh. The best way to do this is by investing in a good-quality purple shampoo, as this will neutralise any yellow tones and keep your hair looking crisp! Bleached hair is particularly porous, and overuse will lead to your hair holding on to too much of the shampoo colour, turning it a greyish purple shade. This is why it’s so important that you only use it once or twice a week at maximum.”

/ The right shampoos will keep your blondes looking bright

“Sulphates can further dry out already compromised hair, so you must avoid any shampoos that contain them. I’d also recommend reaching for colour-safe shampoos, those that are geared towards blondes, as these will help to keep hair bright and healthy.”

/ Weekly TLC is needed to maintain hair strength and avoid breakage

“Alongside the changes to the products you are using on your newly brightened hair, you’ll need to add an additional step to your weekly haircare routine. Bleaching to these levels will take a toll on your hair, weakening the bonds and making the strands much more porous. Weekly deep conditioning and bond repair treatments will help to add moisture back in and strengthen your hair. This will help reduce things such as breakage, which is particularly common in lightened hair when it’s not cared for correctly or done with care.”

/ It’s not just heat styling you need to protect it from

“Super-lightened hair can be a labour of love, requiring more care than most other hair colours - although, in my opinion, it is completely worth the extra work! Heat is, of course, one to keep to a minimum where you can. Regularly styling with heat tools can further dry out your hair and cause breakage, so it is important that when you use hot tools, you use a good heat protection spray to limit damage.

Beyond heat styling, however, you will also need to protect your hair from things such as UV, chlorine and hard water. All of these can affect the strength and tone of your hair, so again, protection is imperative. UV sprays are available and work well to limit the damaging effects of sunlight on your hair. Swim caps are particularly useful at protecting your hair from the discolouration that is often caused by chlorine, too. Whilst they are not the most stylish accessory, they are far better than the alternative of having green hair.”

/ Book in trims every six to eight weeks

“Lastly, I would recommend booking regular trims with your hairdresser, just to take off the ends every six to eight weeks. This will remove any dry or split ends, helping to reduce hair breakage and keep your hair healthy and fresh.”