Anyone who loves beauty knows the most low-maintenance looks often require quite a bit of maintenance. No-makeup makeup actually takes me longer than slapping on a face of foundation, and effortlessly sun-kissed hair requires routine trips to the salon and daily maintenance to avoid fading and damage. I'm a brunette, but I spent most of my teens and 20s dyeing my hair a honey-blonde shade. I loved the look, but every summer, I regretted my choices. The chlorine turned my highlights a sickly green, salt water fried my hair, and the sun faded my hair color.
Despite all of that, I've been tempted to go blonde again—but this time, not without expert advice. I asked Jordan Payne, a New York City–based hairstylist and national artist for Kérastase, the step-by-step process he suggests blondes follow in the summer and beyond. And I enlisted our associate fashion director, Kristen Nichols, who has the most beautiful blonde hair I've ever seen, to put his tips to the test.
Expert-Recommended Blonde Routine
I braced myself for Payne's routine to be quite involved, but I was thrilled to learn he suggests only three products: Kérastase's Blond Absolu Bain Lumiere Shampoo ($46), Blond Absolu Cicaflash Conditioner ($50), and Blond Absolu Blonde Guard Hydrating Wonder Shield Leave-In Spray ($50). These products are specifically for natural or lightened blonde hair, providing up to two months of salon-like brightness and hydration between appointments. They're also formulated to fight dullness, dryness, and common summer hair aggressors such as UV rays, chlorine, salt water, and sweat.
"I recommend Kérastase because the brand approaches haircare through both luxury and performance," Payne tells me. "Every formula is backed by advanced research, thoughtful ingredients, and extensive testing to ensure clients actually see and feel results."
Payne suggests shampooing hair twice with the Blond Absolu Bain Lumiere Shampoo—the first rinse helps remove build-up, and the second helps the product's hydrating and strengthening benefits sink in. He then suggests following up with Blonde Absolu Cicaflash Conditioner for even more moisture and strength. His can't-miss step is the last one: Post-shower, spritz your hair with the Blond Absolu Blonde Guard Hydrating Wonder Shield Leave-In Spray. He suggests spraying it directly into your palm or on damp hair before heat styling, air drying, or going out into the sun.
"I tell my clients to think of Blonde Guard as the insurance to their hair color. It protects the hair from all of the summer aggressors we don't always think about when we're out having fun," he says. "The sun, salt water, chlorine, heat styling, and dehydration will change and fade the color of your blonde hair, but Blonde Guard acts as a shield against all of them and keeps the color looking salon fresh for up to two months."
Stylist-Approved Essentials
Nichols's Results
Equipped with Payne's tips, Nichols put Kérastase's Blond Absolu line to the test. Read on for her thoughts and results.
Tell us about your relationship with your hair.
I grew up as a natural blonde, and the color was accentuated in the summer when the sun in Arizona and California added natural highlights. My hair has evolved into a darker shade of blonde over time, but whenever I color my hair, I aim for the lighter shade my hair used to be. I'm very loyal to colorists Matt Rez in L.A. and Jenna Perry in NYC, and I protect my hair in between appointments so the color doesn't fade.
What's your normal haircare routine?
I'm as low-maintenance as possible when it comes to haircare, and I prioritize the health and longevity of the blonde color. My hair grows quickly, so I need to color it quarterly. Since this can cause damage and breakage, I only wash my hair one to two times per week and blow-dry it once a week, which helps maintain the condition and color of my hair. I also focus on high-quality haircare products, including the Kérastase Blond Absolu collection, to maintain my hair color and health.
After following Payne's routine, what are your initial thoughts?
After using the Kérastase Blond Absolu Blonde shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in shield spray, my hair felt clean but not stripped, hydrated but not greasy, and shiny but not brassy. The blonde color, which had been fading between color appointments, was enhanced and brighter, especially in the face-framing highlights.
Do you recommend these products to blondes looking to combat summer's harsh side effects?
Not only do Kérastase's Blond Absolu Blonde shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in shield spray help protect my color and enhance my highlights, but they also make my hair incredibly shiny, hydrated, smooth, and bouncy—all without flattening it out.
Thanks to Payne's tips and Nichols's boots-on-the-ground journalism, I'm ready to re-enter my blonde era this summer—this time without the brassiness, dryness, fading, and breakage.
