24 Of The Coolest Icy Blonde Hair Ideas

While 2024 has given us so many new color trends, icy blonde hair has emerged as a surefire winner. Whether it’s all-over white blonde hair, dimensional balayage, or just a hint with a Dua Lipa-inspired money piece, the best thing about this shade is that there are so many ways to make it your own.

Icy blonde is a cool tone that makes it unrivaled in wow factor and an incredibly versatile color. If you’re looking for a big change to your look or just a pop of something new and noticeable, read on for our icy blonde hair inspo, plus tips on how to care for it.

What Color Is Icy Blonde Hair?

Icy blonde hair color is bright, ashy, and cool-toned. It has none of the warmth that a honey blonde or strawberry-blonde hair color has. Icy blonde is similar to platinum blonde in terms of brightness but with an emphasis on ash tones. It’s an exciting, edgy hair color with extreme brightness and cool tones that makes a statement on anyone.

What's The Difference Between Icy Blonde And Platinum?

Many people use the terms platinum and icy blonde interchangeably. While they’re both very light shades, they’re not the same. Platinum blonde is a bright blonde hue but it tends to have undertones of yellow and overall warmth throughout. Icy blonde hair is ashy and cool-toned, often appearing white or even silver in color. The two share similarities, but icy blonde is the ashier, brighter shade of the two.

How Do I Get My Hair Icy Blonde?

Icy blonde hair typically requires rounds of bleaching and patience, depending on the base color you begin with and whether your hair has been colored before. If you’re starting with a blonde base color, your journey to icy blonde strands is going to be easier than if you were starting off with a brunette base. But the ultimate aim is to remove all warmth, so all traces of your natural base color need to be stripped in order to achieve it. It’s safe to say that for most, going icy blonde will take a few salon trips or hair color sessions before you reach your goal. If you’re braving the process at home, you can try L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach.

Is Icy Blonde Hard To Maintain?

Icy blonde hair can be very difficult to maintain because it’s a very specific cool shade. It demands you put in the hard yards to combat the warmth and brassiness that comes as part of it. Purple shampoos and frequent toning sessions are about to become your best friend to maintain the shade you want. If you’re not purposefully going for a rooted look, it also requires monthly touch-ups to keep dark roots at bay.

24 Ways To Wear An Icy Blonde Hair Color

If icy blonde sounds like your next favorite shade, here are five gorgeous options you can try to make the look your own.

1. Silver blonde

If an extreme, cool-toned hair color is what you’re after, go all in with a full-head silver blonde shade. It has a beautiful balance of brightness and depth, and it’s incredibly flattering on a wide variety of skin tones. Try it out with L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Cool Blonde Fade-Defying Shine Hair Color in Ultra Ash Very Light Blonde.

2. White blonde

Without a doubt, the iciest shade you can sport is a white blonde hair color. Although it lacks pigmentation, it’s a bold head-turner. If you're starting with a dark base color, use the aforementioned Féria bleach kit to lighten your strands up to eight levels at home.

3. Icy silver purple

You can still sport an icy shade while playing with some out-of-the-box color. A pale, silver-purple hue is one of the best ways to do it. Offering a shimmery, bright finish with subtle color, it’s a great way to add some pop to your ashy base.

4. Smoked marshmallow

If you’re in search of a low-maintenance icy color, smoked marshmallow hair features dark brown roots that blend seamlessly into an icy blonde hue. This lived-in blonde hair color proves to be a solid pick for those who want ultra-light hair without the hassle of constant root touch-ups.

5. Icy platinum blonde highlights

Icy, white-blonde highlights are a gorgeous way to brighten your base color. Since this technique requires bleaching and proper placement of highlights, book an appointment with your colorist to achieve the look.

6. Bronde with platinum balayage

If you prefer a richer color that incorporates hints of an ultra-bright blonde, pair bronde hair with platinum balayage. The balayage technique will make the highlights appear natural and the platinum pieces will add brightness to the color while maintaining lots of dimension.

7. Ash blonde

This neutral blonde hue includes a mix of cool icy tones and classic platinum accents. You can customize this shade to suit your style, going as light or as dark as you, please. Give it a light shot with L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Lightest Ash Blonde.

8. Ash blonde hair with a platinum money piece

To add some dimension and subdued contrast to your hair, pair an ash blonde hair color with a platinum money piece. The ultra-bright, face-framing pieces will instantly illuminate your complexion without being a drastic departure from your base color.

9. Icy blonde money piece

Go for ultimate contrast and a very 90s nostalgia look by adding an icy blonde money piece to your dark (or alternatively, copper or red—hey Ginger Spice!) hair. This works when the contrast is turned way up with deep chocolate tones, inspired by Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia look, or with a more subtle ashy or caramel brown. Try it in your bathroom with L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Crème Permanent Triple Hair Care Color in Extra Light Ash Blonde.

10. Pearl blonde

Icy blonde and platinum shades have an intense brightness to them 一 but they don’t always need to be completely cool-toned. If you want to dip your toes into brightness while maintaining some warmth, give L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Extra Light Natural Blonde a go. It’s incredibly light and eye-catching with a slightly sunny tint to it.

11. Sandy platinum blonde

If you’re intrigued by the brightness of an icy hue but want something that leans neutral, this is the shade for you. It maintains its ultra-light integrity while holding onto a hint of sandy color. Try L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Lightest Ash Blonde for a sandy platinum color at your next DIY dye session.

12. Icy blonde babylights

Sometimes just a little goes a long way. Some icy blonde babylights can lift and brighten without making maintenance a main character in your lifestyle. Scattering some icy blonde babylights through your hair can also be a good way to test out the color—or can even just add dimension, if that’s what you’re looking for.

13. Icy blonde ombré

Why not try dipping your end lengths in and see if it works for you? Always a cool girl look, the ombré effect works really well with icy blonde ends, and you can play with contrast levels, depending on the depth and darkness of your base shade.

14. Platinum

Icy blonde isn’t the only white-blond player on the block. If you suspect a little warmth in your blonde might suit you better, give platinum blonde hair a road test. Ask a colorist to help you with a shade recommendation to find something ultra flattering.

15. Champagne

Champagne hair color is inspired by, you guessed it, the bubbly beverage of the same name. And like the drink, it has very subtle peach or golden pink undertones. A little warmer than icy blonde, champagne is achieved by toning with the aforementioned peach or pink to give it a glow that can be very flattering on warmer skin tones.

16. Rooted icy blonde

Let it grow! Or just design it this way from the very beginning. We’re talking about your roots, of course. For a lived-in look, why not let your icy blonde shade grow out with the intention of having visible darker roots? Or, have your icy blonde create thick highlights through your hair. This will also give you a lot more freedom when it’s time for touch-ups.

17. Ice blonde balayage

Having ice blonde balayage painted through your hair is a really versatile way to add this shade to your current look. It’s still a blended, elegant look but a little more noticeable. Lightening up could be just the way to change up your look if you prefer to nibble at a trend, rather than biting.

18. Pink ice blonde

Pink icy blonde, the ultimate rockstar vibe or cotton candy fantasy, comes in many guises. Pre-light to ice blonde and add a shade of pink over the top—you can choose anything from a pale rose to a shocking magenta. This can be an incredibly pretty or wildly impactful look that lets you choose your preferred level of pink love.

19. Copper and ice blonde

Combining copper and icy blonde can give you a perfect fire-and-ice edge to your look. It can also look entirely sophisticated, depending on whether the ice blonde is scattered throughout or spliced through in heavier sections. But the contrast of warm copper tones with the coolness of ice blonde hair is definitely one that draws attention.

20. Two-toned hair

The simultaneous excitement of a secret vibe and the wow effect is a forever win. Two-toned hair is a very cool way to show off your icy blonde. We like the surprise of having it underneath a darker color for the ultimate reveal. Or, layer the blonde on the top half of your head for a light-to-dark halo effect. If you’re creating it at home, L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Extra Light Ash Blonde is a good one to try.

21. Pure white

Here’s an option for those who truly love to stand out and do something different with their look. Pure white hair goes even one step further than icy blonde hair in that everything is stripped from your strands—and then toning, toning, toning until it reaches a pure white color. It’s a perfect option for those who want to celebrate their grays, not disguise them, and an edgy look for those without grays who just love the look. But a word of warning: this shade is almost impossible to reach if you have a previous color in your hair. Most professionals advise waiting until your hair has grown out and then trying with virgin hair.

22. Vanilla latte hair

Calling those who love a soft, dreamy hue that flatters almost universally: the vanilla latte trend is for you. It starts with a neutral beige-blonde base. Then, a range of shades are woven through the hair, moving up to icy blonde, with artfully placed highlights. It’s finished off with the lightest framing of the face for extra lift. The overall effect is a romantic and subtle way of rocking the icy blonde hair trend.

23. Icy blue blonde

As with the icy pink hair trend we mentioned earlier, icy blue blonde can range from a glacial pale blue tint to an aquamarine or cobalt with a kick—it all depends on what you’re looking for. Because you’re applying blue color over the top of icy blonde hair, you can go as vibrant as you like. If you’re really feeling adventurous, try a combination of paler and stronger blue tones for a truly unique look with L’Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Turquoise and Indigo.

24. Ice blonde colormelt

Ice blonde turns the dial up to captivating in a colormelt, with the tone cascading down your hair in a way that gives natural blonde a true envy-inducing lift. It starts with a slightly darker shade at the root and uses the balayage technique to place highlights in a pattern that suggests the icy blonde is melting downwards through your strands.

How To Maintain Platinum Or Icy Blonde Hair Color

Once you’ve achieved the icy blonde look you love, you’ll have to change up your hair care routine to keep it looking its best. Ahead are three tips to keep your bright color in prime condition.

1. Use color-safe shampoo and conditioner

To prevent your color fading, it’s extremely important to use hair care products that are formulated for color-treated hair. You’ll want products that are gentle on color while strengthening the hair and addressing damage that can often occur from bleaching. Start with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment and leave it on for five to ten minutes before rinsing. Then follow up with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid. In just one wash, this trio will visibly repair damaged strands and reduce breakage.

2. Incorporate purple shampoo into your routine

If you have an icy blonde hue, it’s a matter of when, not if, brassiness will become an issue. Once you notice unwanted yellow and orange tones in your strands, reach for L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Purple Shampoo for Toning Blonde Bleached Hair and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Purple Conditioner for Toning Blonde Hair to help neutralize between coloring sessions. Do yourself a favor and keep these products handy—one easy wash with purple shampoo can make a huge difference to your color.

3. Use a toning treatment or gloss

An at-home toning treatment, like L’Oréal Paris Féria Power Toner, Long Lasting Anti-Brass Toner, can help to banish unwanted warm tones while bringing out the cool tones in your color. It works in as little as five minutes and keeps brassy tones away for up to three weeks. Another great way to tone your hair color and keep it looking vivid is to use an at-home hair color gloss, like L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss in Cool Blonde. It works in as little as five minutes to enhance shine and boost the tone of your hair. Plus, it’s formulated with coconut oil to deeply condition your strands.

Next Up: How to Dye Dark Hair Without Bleach

Photo Courtesy of L’Oréal Paris