Hair Color Trend: Brown Butter Bronde
Softer than bright blonde and lighter than brunette, this shade delivers the glossy, dimensional color everyone is asking for right now.
courtesy of Samantha Pinto
If buttery blondes and expensive brunettes had a baby, it would be brown butter blonde. The trend is all about soft, dimensional color that blends brunette depth with blonde brightness, creating a rich, creamy effect that's warm without veering brassy.
“Brown butter bronde is an overall balanced neutral tone with an iridescent gold reflect,” says Samantha Pinto, hairstylist and owner of Ampersand Atelier Salon. “It has a warm feeling without actually being truly warm, making it flattering on a broad range of skin tones.”
Unlike brighter golden blondes or coppery brunettes, brown butter blonde has a more subtle glow. The shade combines neutral and golden tones with just enough violet to keep brassiness at bay, resulting in hair that looks glossy and expensive rather than overly warm.
Who Does Brown Butter Blonde Work For?
One reason the trend is gaining traction is its versatility. “I personally think anyone can have any hair they want—you might just have to adjust it a little between a few shades,” says Pinto. Because the color is so balanced, it can be customized to complement a wide range of skin tones and natural hair colors.
Those with naturally light brown or blonde hair can often achieve the look with a gloss and a few soft highlights, while darker brunettes may need more lightening and additional violet tones to maintain the creamy finish.
How to Get (And Keep) Brown Butter Blonde
Achieving the look depends largely on your starting color. Pinto says darker hair typically needs to be lifted lighter than you might expect before being toned. “You want to lighten past where you think you need to be so you're adding the colors you want to see rather than fighting orange tones,” she explains. Soft highlights add dimension, while a custom toner creates that signature creamy, golden-beige finish.
To maintain it, Pinto recommends coming in every four to six weeks for a toner refresh, but says home care is what makes the color last. Using a color-safe shampoo and hydrating conditioner will help maintain shine, while clarifying twice a month can prevent buildup and dullness.
See more of Pinto’s brown butter brondes below:
