22 Dirty Blonde Hair Color Ideas for Spicing Up Your Look

If you’re a blonde at heart but not by nature, the maintenance that comes with going blonde may hold you back from indulging in the color. While it’s true that many shades of blonde require a lot of work to maintain, dirty blonde hair stands as an exception to the rule. This deeper shade of blonde, which sits on the cusp of light brown and sunny blonde, makes for the perfect transitional shade for brunettes looking to go lighter. Plus, with the right tools, dirty blonde hair can easily be achieved at home—even if you’re starting with a darker base color.

If you’re thinking of embracing a dirty blonde color, keep reading. Ahead, we’re sharing 22 gorgeous dirty blonde hair ideas to consider, plus tips on how to keep your lighter new hue looking its best. 

What Color Is Dirty Blonde Hair?

Given its deeper tone, it’d be easy to assume that dirty blonde and light brown hair are the same thing, but that’s not quite the case. In reality, dirty blonde hair is a darker shade of blonde with a blend of wheat blonde, ash blonde, and light brown tones woven throughout. Unlike bright blonde shades, like icy blonde and platinum, it’s less yellow or white and more tan, which makes it much easier to maintain if you have a darker base color. 

Thanks to its mix of blonde and brown hues, dirty blonde hair is incredibly versatile. You can make it cooler or warmer, depending on your preferences and skin tone, or play around with highlights and lowlights for added richness and dimension. 

How Rare Is Dirty Blonde Hair?

According to the World Population Review, only about two percent of the global population is naturally blonde. However, blonde is a very popular hair color—most people simply use dye to achieve their chosen shade. Brighter blonde shades like ashy blonde and beige blonde are more popular choices than dirty blonde, so you can consider a dirty blonde color to be a bit more unique.

22 Dirty Blonde Hair Ideas

If dirty blonde is your next hue, here are 22 ways to give the color your own take.

1. Dirty bronde hair with blonde highlights

Dirty bronde is dirty blonde hair with a bigger emphasis on the brunette tones. Add some extra lift to your mane by rocking blonde highlights on dirty blonde hair. These bright blonde highlights are a favorite of ours because they add a sun-kissed effect to a dirty bronde head of hair.

2. Ashy dirty blonde

If you prefer to keep things on the cooler side, consider rocking an ashy dirty blonde mane. You can easily get the look at home with the help of a cool-toned dirty blonde hair dye like the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Medium Ash Blonde. Follow the directions inside the box and a seamless mane makeover is soon to be yours.

3. Dishwater blonde

This trendy hue boasts an unfortunate name, but it’s well worth trying if you’re looking for a chic dark blonde hair color. The main difference between dishwater blonde vs. dirty blonde is tone—the former tends to be slightly cooler and brighter, with a super-seamless blend of dark and light ashy blonde tones. If you’re looking for a customized dirty blonde hair color, dishwater blonde hair is a great option to consider—we just recommend booking an appointment with a professional colorist to nail the look. 

4. Dark ash dirty blonde

If you prefer to keep your hair color darker and cool-toned, give a dark dirty blonde hair color a try. Without the warm tones, this moody hue closely resembles a mushroom bronde hair color. Get the look with an at-home hair color kit, like L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Dark Ash Blonde.

5. Dirty blonde hair with highlights

There’s no better way to illuminate a dirty blonde base than with bright, beige-blonde highlights. Doing so adds noticeable brightness without requiring much (if any) additional effort to maintain. You can DIY dirty blonde hair with blonde highlights at home, but if you’re not confident in your highlighting skills, consider scheduling an appointment with a professional colorist.

6. Dirty blonde babylights

Babylights are tiny, ultra-fine highlights that help subtly brighten your hair color. You can get babylights in any color, but dirty blonde babylights are one of our favorite ways to softly illuminate a darker brunette base. We suggest heading to the salon for babylights as their precise foil application is best left to the professionals. 

7. Golden dirty blonde

Dark golden blonde is the perfect in-between for those who want to go a touch warmer—but not necessarily lighter—than the classic ashy dirty blonde. It’s also just as easy to DIY. To recreate the dimensional, lived-in color, pick up a box of the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Shine Permanent Hair Color in Golden Blonde.

8. Dirty blonde with lowlights

Opting for lowlights—in other words, darker blonde or brown highlights—is a great way to weave some dimension throughout your dirty blonde hair color for added interest. Because lowlights require precise placement and a cohesive color match, we recommend that you head to the salon to get the look.

9. Rooted dirty blonde

We love the look of blonde hair with dark roots—specifically, rooted dirty blonde hair. This blonde color option will let you keep your natural roots, which means you won’t have to worry about any harsh lines as your hair grows out. 

10. Dirty blonde highlights

Not sure if you’re ready to commit to a head full of dirty blonde? Ease into this blonde-meets-brown hue with dirty blonde highlights. We love the look of this dirty blonde hair color idea when paired with a brunette mane, as the wheat tones of the dirty blonde highlights add the perfect amount of subtle definition to give you a dimensional mane.

For DIY dirty blonde ribbons of color, pick up L’Oréal Paris Frost & Design in Caramel. The highlighting cap allows you to choose the exact hairs you want to highlight for a completely customized look.

11. Honey dirty blonde

Fine-tune your dirty blonde hair color with gorgeous honey tones. This hue features an inviting mix of light golden blonde and rich brown strands for a soft, summery hue that complements warmer undertones beautifully.

12. Dirty blonde ombré

Dirty blonde ombré hair is just what you’re likely imagining—dark roots that gradually transition into brighter blonde ends. The color incorporates the hues of a signature dirty blonde color but uses them to create a gorgeous gradient effect. Plus, ombré is always a great option for those with a darker base who want a lighter color without having to commit to regular root touch-ups.

13. Dirty bronde

If you’re not quite sure whether or not blonde is right for you, dip your toes in with dirty bronde. The soft, ashy hue skews a hair deeper (pun intended) than the classic dirty blonde, featuring an ashy brown base with soft, light brown highlights woven throughout for brightness. Use the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Créme Permanent Triple Care Hair Color in Light Ash Brown to get a similar look at home.

14. Reverse ombré

Natural blondes interested in going darker may want to consider experimenting with a reverse ombré. This two-toned hue features a seamless gradient of color with lighter roots that gradually transition to a darker dirty blonde hair color at the ends. 

15. Dirty platinum blonde

If you’re a fan of platinum hair but not the maintenance that comes with it, we have good news for you: Dirty platinum blonde hair lets you get the best of both worlds. The icy hue features a brunette shadow root softly blended into a bright white blonde hue at the mid-lengths and ends. You’ll get the striking white blonde color you love—but with far less upkeep required than the classic iteration of the shade. 

16. Dark dirty blonde

Another way to avoid veering too far from your dark roots is to try a dark dirty blonde hair color. To DIY this flattering blonde-brown hue, pick up the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Crème Permanent Triple Care Hair Color in Dark Blonde. This hair color kit provides 100 percent gray coverage and includes a keratin complex that keeps the hair healthy as it dyes it. 

17. High contrast dirty blonde

While we love the look of blonde highlights on dirty blonde hair, sometimes a little contrast is just what you need—or in this case, a lot of contrast. When done right, a high-contrast dirty blonde hair color is seriously stunning. This hair color features black hair with dirty blonde balayage for a contrasted mane that commands attention. 

18. Strawberry dirty blonde

If you’re looking for a warmer spin on dirty blonde hair, consider adding subtle copper tones into the mix. This modern take on dirty blonde is seriously stunning and features a dimensional combo of brown, strawberry blonde, and golden hues. If you’ve ever been curious about what you’d look like as a redhead but don’t want to take the plunge, this hair color idea is a great way to test the waters.

19. Dirty blonde balayage

Dirty blonde hair with darker roots and ashy ribbons of brighter color scattered throughout is a gorgeous dimensional hue, especially on plush curls. Our top pick for DIY balayage—whether it be for curly hair or straight hair—is an at-home balayage kit, like the L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Balayage At-Home Highlighting Kit in Dark Blonde to Light Brown. 

20. Dirty blonde sombré

Sombré hair color is a softer take on ombré. It’s a great way to sport a lived-in version of a dirty blonde hue—just be sure to keep the dirty blonde ends within two to three shades of your base color to keep maintenance to a minimum.

21. Dirty blonde money piece

If you want to add a statement touch to your dirty blonde mane, add a money piece. This term is used to refer to face-framing highlights that instantly draw the eye to your features. To brighten your look, try a chunky light dirty blonde money piece placed on either side of your part.

22. Dirty blonde Gemini hair color

The Gemini hair color trend is perfect for those who love to stand out. The look involves dyeing each half of your hair a different (and, usually, contrasting) color. If you’re already sporting an all-over dirty blonde hue, you can temporarily rock this fun trend by parting your hair in the middle and coating half of your head with one of the vibrant washable hair dyes from the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray collection.

How To Care for Color-Treated Dirty Blonde Hair

Regardless of what shade you dye your hair, it’s important to care for it properly, and that means you might have to make a few changes to your haircare routine. Here are four changes to add to your routine to keep your new dirty blonde hair color looking its best.

1. Use shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair

Anytime you dye your hair, it’s a good idea to swap out your existing shampoo and conditioner for a duo designed for color-treated hair. We love 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, especially for those with lightened hair. Use them alongside the L’Oréal Paris Everpure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment to help reinforce brittle hair bonds and strengthen your color-treated hair.

2. Preserve your color with a toning gloss

All hair colors, whether blonde or black, require some degree of upkeep. But if you’re to cut down on those salon visits (or at-home dye jobs), try adding a toning treatment to your regular routine. The L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss deeply conditions, enhances tone, boosts shine, and reduces brassiness in as little as 15 minutes. Plus, the tinted glosses add a fresh tint of color that lasts around 10 days for a bright, vibrant blonde. If your dirty blonde hair is on the lighter side, try the Cool Blonde gloss. For a darker variation of the shade, dry Smokey Bronde. 

3. Swap in a purple shampoo

Anytime you lighten your hair, there’s a risk of the color becoming brassy—in other words, overly warm—with time. Adding a purple shampoo to your regular routine can help keep your blonde cool and bright. Try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Purple Shampoo for Toning Blonde Bleached Hair, which contains violet pigments and helps neutralize unwanted brassy tones. After washing with purple shampoo, follow up with the corresponding L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Purple Conditioner for Toning Blonde Hair. Use the duo once a week or as needed to help keep your dirty blonde hair color looking fresh.

4. Air-dry your hair

Consider sporting heatless hairstyles when it’s an option. While hot tools can be useful for styling your mane, they can also lead to damage—and the risk of damaging your hair is higher if you frequently color your strands. 

If you do reach for your blow dryer, flat iron, or curling wand, be sure to prime your strands with a heat protectant, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Blow Dry Primer for 48 HR Frizz Control. This one smooths the hair, shields against temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and provides enhanced style memory to help your hairstyle last longer.

Next Up: What Is Reverse Balayage?

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris