Bleached Platinum Blonde: yea, nay, or just why

How many blondes does it take to start a trend?

Written by Janet Hu

Bleach-blonde hair is yet another decades-old trend that’s making a comeback. Like acid-washing, but for your head. This time around, the color is starker, icier.

This cold, clean look makes an eminent impression but beware: if you can’t bear the thought of being referred to as even a little “extra,” don’t go for platinum blonde hair. This look has never been appropriate for formal or conservative settings, and that’s the point. It looks unnatural, artificial and altered, in a crisp way.

So is it for you? Well, just know that if you go platinum blonde, you’ll be called “that guy with the bleached hair” at least a few times–we’re sure of it. And while going white-blonde can make your hair appear thicker, the harsh bleach chemicals will cause your strands to become frailer and more breakable. That being said, a lot of fresh-looking dudes have tried this look. If you’re going to do it, here are some pointers to go by:

Find a professional colorist

Don’t try to DIY this, seriously. Ice blonde is a very specific color that takes hours and hours of work. It’s quite a process, and you should go to a professional. Either that or end up with brassy orange hair at best, and at worst, bald.

Don’t dye your eyebrows and facial hair

No one is going to think you were born with white hair unless you’re legitimately Albino. Frosted means what it sounds like: you’ve frosted the top of your head. There’s no need to match your eyebrows and stubble with your hair. In fact, it looks cooler with the blunt contrast intact.

Go for a shorter cut

How do you avoid having Justin Timberlake ramen hair? Try a buzzed cut. The modernized bleach look is more subtle and elegant than it was twenty years ago in part because of a trimmer cut.

Maintain it

Root touch-ups, intense conditioning masks, purple goop–are you ready for this commitment? It takes a lot to maintain your icy clean color, both timewise and financially. When your color fades after a month, or your dark roots emerge, please either fix it our just shave it and start over. Don’t sport that in-between, faded, unevenly colored mop on your head.

So what’s the verdict; would you go platinum blonde? Let us know below

Janet Hu - Editor of The GentleManual

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