One of Hollywood’s favorite blondes recently went to the dark side. Sydney Sweeney swapped her golden strands for what her stylist Jacob Schwartz dubbed “dark suede blonde.” Schwartz says the rich, luxe tones of dimensional suede fabric inspired the color. “If you look at a suede bag or a suede shoe, it has that texture and dimension. It’s not dramatic, it’s quiet, but it’s there,” he says. The dynamic shade has had a hold on us and our readers ever since Sweeney debuted it, so we asked some experts how to get the look.
Featured experts
- Min Kim is a celebrity colorist and L’Oréal Professionnel Artist
- Rae Ann Cotto is a colorist at NYC THE TEAM Hair Salon
How would you describe the dark suede blonde hair color?
“Dark suede blonde is a sophisticated, multi-dimensional shade that sits between a deep blonde and a soft brunette,” says celebrity colorist and L’Oréal Professionnel Artist Min Kim. “It blends cooler, neutral tones with subtle warmth, creating a velvety, almost smokey finish reminiscent of suede fabric.”
Colorist at NYC THE TEAM Hair Salon Rae Ann Cotto describes the color a living somewhere between bronde and teddy bear brown. “It’s a slightly darker blonde with a longer root but still has some bright ends, so you keep that bright dimension feel.”
While blonde is usually hard to maintain, this shade makes it easy. “This color is perfect for those who want a low-maintenance, natural-looking dark blonde that feels effortlessly chic and timeless,” says Kim.
What to ask for in the salon
“When visiting the salon, clients should ask for a rich, dimensional blonde with a neutral-to-cool tone,” says Kim. “It’s important to mention blending lowlights and highlights to create that soft, velvety effect,” she notes.
To get Sweeney’s look Schwartz added highlighting around the face with Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Vario Blond Super Plus. Then, he added lowlights with Igora Vibrance to boost the depth.
Kim recommends L’Oréal Professionnel’s Majirel Cool Inforced shades, “which deliver long-lasting, neutral tones with added depth and richness.” She notes that your stylist might also want to use a glossy toner to add a luminous finish and ensure the tones blend seamlessly.
Just as important as explaining what you want is sharing what you absolutely don’t want, says Cotto. “Go over the kind of dark you don’t want to have, how light you don’t want to be, and the ratio of light to dark you want to have, so they can tailor it exactly to you based on your skin tone and current hair.”
