This cool-toned hue is ashy blonde at its best.
By
- Wendy Rose Gould
August 06, 2024
Mushroom brown hair gets plenty of attention (and for good reason), but if you crave a lighter hue, mushroom blonde is hard to beat. Unlike warmer blonde hues such as caramelor toffee, this versatile shade boasts a blend of cool blonde and ash brown ribbons for a distinctly earthy effect. Think bronde—but without any hint of warmth.
If you’re wondering how to get a mushroom blonde hair color for yourself—or are unsure whether the ultra cool-toned hue is right for you—keep reading. Ahead, we’re sharing everything you need to know about mushroom blonde hair, including how to DIY the trendy look at home.
What Is Mushroom Blonde Hair?
Mushroom blonde is a creamy, cool-toned shade of blonde that sits right at the cusp between blonde and brunette. True to its name, this hair color trend draws its inspiration from the varied, ashy shades of a mushroom—which tend to be lighter on top—and the darker tones found on the gills located on their undersides.
Who should try mushroom blonde hair?
Generally speaking, hair colors with cool undertones—like mushroom blonde or even mushroom brown—tend to pair best with cool skin undertones. If you’re unsure what your undertones are, take a peek at the color of the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they appear blue or purplish, you likely have cool undertones. A greenish cast, meanwhile, indicates warmer undertones. (If you can’t determine whether your veins are more blue or green, chances are good you have neutral skin—which means virtually any hair color will flatter your complexion).
With all of that being said, it’s important to remember that there are no rules where beauty is concerned, and you should feel free to rock any hair color you want. Mushroom blonde is a great pick for blondeswho want to darken their tresses without committing to an all-over dye job, as well as brunetteswho want to go lighter without a dramatic color change. And if you’re worried about the cool-toned color clashing with your skin, rest assured there are plenty of ways to customize mushroom hair so it flatters your complexion.
How To Get Mushroom Blonde Hair
While you can certainly book an appointment with a colorist to perfect your mushroom blonde hair color, it’s not necessary—and adopting a DIY approach can save you both time and money. To achieve the look, you’ll need a box of hair dye in your preferred hue. We love the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes in Natural Blondefor a classic mushroom blonde look. The cool-toned hue is the perfect mid-toned blonde for those seeking a shade that’s neither too light or too dark.
If you prefer something a touch deeper, try the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes in Natural Dark Blonde. Those who’d rather go lighter, meanwhile, may want to opt for the Natural Light Blondeshade, which is a pale blonde with subtle cool undertones.
Those starting with a darker base color may need to lighten their hair first to achieve the cool blonde hue. For that, we recommend the L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach, which lifts up to eight levels. Be sure to follow the instructions on the box to ensure the most seamless end result.
8 Mushroom Blonde Hair Color Ideas
As we mentioned, there are several ways to customize mushroom blonde hair—from lighter takes on the hue to deeper, moodier mushroom bronde colors. Find a few of our favorite takes on the look below.
Classic mushroom blonde hair
With a cool, almost silvery undertone and a color that skews neither too light nor too dark, classic mushroom blonde hair is among the most versatile ways to wear the ashy hue. If you want more dimension, consider asking your stylist to add a few lighter highlights at the front for a face-framing effect.
Light mushroom blonde hair
Blondes seeking a cooler-toned take on their existing hue may want to consider opting for light mushroom blonde hair. This beachy shade features a sandy blonde base with ashy pearl babylights woven throughout for a natural sun-kissed effect sans unwanted warmth.
Dark mushroom blonde
While mushroom blonde hair is already on the darker side (traditionally), adding mushroom brown lowlights throughout can help create additional depth. If you’re hitting the salon, ask your stylist to keep the lowlights between one and two shades darker than your base color for subtle dimension without a ton of obvious contrast.
Mushroom blonde balayage
If you want to experiment with mushroom blonde hair but don’t want to commit to monthly root touch-ups, consider opting for balayage. This technique involves hand-painting highlights onto the hair, starting a few inches down from the root, for a lived-in effect. The resulting color is chic, effortless, and requires less maintenance than an all-over mushroom blonde hair color.
Mushroom blonde babylights
Babylights are among the best techniques for brightening your mane without significantly altering your base color. And we love how pale ash blonde highlights add dimension to a deeper mushroom blonde base color. Keep in mind that babylights are meant to be subtle, so you’ll want to opt for a highlight color only a shade or two lighter than your base. If you want a more noticeable contrast, consider opting for traditional highlights instead.
Silver mushroom blonde
If you’ve started to spot grays around your roots but don’t want to commit to covering them up every four weeks, silver mushroom blonde may be the perfect color for you. This ultra-cool, icy blonde hue bridges the gap between blonde and gray—and makes transitioning to gray haira (stylish) breeze.
Platinum mushroom blonde
Platinum hair is bold, bright, and ediger than your classic ash blonde hue. But the ultra-light hue can feel like a serious commitment. If you want to ease yourself into the striking white blondeshade, consider giving mushroom platinum a try. It boasts the same cool factor as true platinum hair but with more dimension for a softer feel.
Champagne mushroom blonde
If you have a warmer undertone and are looking for a mushroom blonde shade that’ll complement your complexion, we suggest giving champagne mushroom blonde serious consideration. The dusky shade boasts an ultra-subtle hint of warmth and pairs beautifully with fair and deep skin tones alike.
How To Care for a Mushroom Blonde Hair Color
Whether you’ve gone the professional or DIY route, you’ll want to maintain your mushroom blonde hair color for as long as possible. Ahead, you’ll find four tips that’ll help you do just that.
1. Use a shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair
Color-treated hair requires special care to look (and feel) its best. To help preserveyour cool blonde hue, we suggest swapping out your existing shampoo and conditioner for a sulfate-free duo, such as the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acidand L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid. Once weekly (or as needed), add in the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment. The color-safe system helps strengthen color-treated hair from the inside out, minimizing breakage for smooth, healthy-looking strands.
2. Combat brassiness with a purple shampoo
Lightened hair can turn brassy (read: yellowish) over time—which is the last thing you want when you’re sporting a cool-toned mushroom blonde hair color. To help keep unwanted warmth at bay, add a purple shampoo, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Brass Toning Purple Shampoo, to your routine. The moisturizing formula helps correct unwanted yellow and orange tones in highlighted blonde, bleached, and silver hair to help promote a brighter, cooler color.
After you’ve washed with the purple shampoo, follow up with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Brass Toning Purple Conditioner. Depending on how often you wash your hair, aim to use this duo every few shampoos or roughly once a week.
3. Maintain vibrant color with a glossing treatment
Fight fading mushroom blonde color with an in-shower glossing treatment like the L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Cool Blonde. In as little as five minutes, the nourishing formula deep conditions, neutralizes brassiness, and provides a fresh hint of color for shiny, healthy-looking hair. If you want to add shine and enhance your color but don’t need to neutralize brassiness, opt for the Cleargloss instead.
4. Protect your strands from heat styling
If you find that your hair color is fading faster than you’d like, your styling routine may be to blame. Frequent use of hot tools (such as curling irons, flat irons, and blow dryers) can affect how well your hair color holds up. Aim to limit your use of hot tools when possible, and if you must heat style your strands, be sure to use a heat protectantto help protect against damage. We love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Blow Dry Primer for 48 HR Frizz Control, which smooths hair and enhances shine, as well as the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Slayer Leave In, which helps hydrate and tame frizz. (Both help protect against temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit).
As an alternative, try to let your strands air dry—even if it’s just once a week—to cut down on the heat you apply to your hair. Those with wavy and curly hair can use a curl-enhancing leave-in conditioner, like the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Non-Stop Dreamy Curls Leave-in Conditionerto help bring out their natural waves.
Next Up:Hair Toner 101: Everything You Should Know About Toning Your Hair
