While this oft discussed topic is important in the beauty industry, does it mean a person of certain skin tone cannot try a shade of blonde, regardless how light or dark you go? This isn’t true! Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t go blonde even if it may look terrible on you? You are forgetting something here…there are HUNDREDS shades of blonde, ranging from platinum blonde to brownish-blonde color. You can find something suitable next to your skin tone. If you even feel like trying go lighter, go for it as long as you have the proper consultation from a hairdresser or hair color expert to ensure your hair can handle the chemical double processing because it will be damaging no matter how light you go. Go extra mile to care for your hair as much as you can. Highlights on a darkened base look more natural than all over color so it comes down to a preference and what looks good on you as well as your fashion style. Those with bold fashion sense may get away with platinum or light shades of blonde while the others who like down to earth or have minimal clothing preference may opt for natural looking highlights, regardless if you have long, medium or short hair styles.

Here I will discuss most common skin tones that you see in your daily life or in the media.


Shakira is one of the popular pop artists of our generation and is one of the most well known for going blonde from her natural black hair. She has maintained blonde hair for many years because it suits her. She has experimented from platinum blonde to darker shade of blonde as well as red and brown. Recently she has gone pale blonde again for some of her music videos. Her skin tone is a light olive but she may look good with warm or cool colors which means she can get away with cool, neutral and warm blondes. If you have a similar skin tone as hers, then you can experiment what looks good on you.

Mary J. Blige is also well known pop artists and for ever changing hair styles and colors. Although she has warm dark skin tone, she can get away with a warmer shade of blonde. For someone with her skin tone, it’s recommended that you go warm regardless of your level like honey blonde, golden blonde or even strawberry blonde! If paired up with cool blonde shades, it may wash out or clash the lovely dark skin tone but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Here’s another example of another hip artist below with similar skin tone as Mary’s.

Her name is Amerie, she’s a beautiful young woman that looks striking with her black hair, no argument there. But, of course, she had at least wanted to try being blonde for once! That’s why I used her as an example of someone with lovely dark warm skin tone going pale. According to this article here, she spotted some kids on an island with white blonde hair against super dark tanned skin. She was inspired by this sight, apparently. She went for it and as a result she’s a va va voom glamourous but it’s NOT for the faint of the heart.

There are other examples of olive skin tone, the majority of Asians have olive skin tones ranging from pale to dark. While not every one looks good or suited to blonde, here are a few examples below of Asians who got away with it.

She’s a bold Asian with darker olive skin tone but looks great with the blonde because it creates so much contrast between her skin and hair. Her fashion sense and personality also may be suited as a blonde. Her blonde shade is a delicious shade of neutral pale blonde, back to back highlights, similar to what I have right now. This neutral blonde shade has some ash base which will tone down some of the yellow undertones that are a result of lightening process.

She’s one of the super models named Ai Tominga, a mega tall model from Japan. While she was known for her super glossy black hair that’s her trademark, she even went blonde once for some fashion campaigns. She looked great and the contrast is striking. In this picture she went pure platinum, which is very difficult to achieve on very dark hair so don’t try this yourself without making informed decision and research or book an appointment with a salon.

In all, if you have a desire to go blonde, go for it! Don’t listen to naysayers who say you just simply can’t. Just choose a right shade blonde on you and then make it happen. But be very aware the whole process is quite damaging, especially if you have African American, super fine, or previously colored hair in any shade (which requires stripping out the color before you can even go blonde).

Video by Fenix Beauty @ YouTube

Going platinum means differently to some people. To me, going platinum blonde means your hair will have a hint of ‘gray’ but it’s not the same old lady gray you see on some old ladies’ hair. Think of pearlescent blonde that’s not quite yellow even if it’s the palest blonde out there. There is a difference between platinum and white blonde hair in case you don’t know. Platinum has more ash or violet base while white blonde has more of blue base. Violet and blue underlaying bases can make a difference when it comes to coloring your hair. If you think of Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, she’s platinum blonde. If you think of Britney Spears, she’s probably white blonde. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between platinum or white blonde but white blonde in spite of blue base will end up looking slightly yellow or warmer than platinum. So if you want to go either platinum or white blonde, check with your skin tone. Most ladies (or gents) with olive, sallow or fair skin with blue undertone will look better with platinum blonde while the rest of ladies with warm undertone, yellow or dark skin will look good with white blonde.

I don’t care what people think of the series ‘Sex and the City’ or the movies that came out but I think it’s one of the most entertaining TV shows because it’s not based on reality but pure fantasy. Who can live like those 4 ladies? Not that many unless you count yourself as one of the ‘Real Housewives of …’ who are actually living the lives as those 4 characters. Nevertheless, the reasons why I adore Sarah Jessica Parker is because: 1) her funky fashion albeit high end taste and 2) thick, wavy hair that’s sun kissed. See the picture insert. That’s her hair when she was in Tokyo, Japan, promoting the ‘Sex and the City 2′ movie. Sarah Jessica Parker is unabashedly a faux blonde because she has made her hair one of the biggest accessory that goes well with her fashion choices, no matter how odd or funky were they. She looks great in anything from dark to lightest blonde shades. She had tried them all! She’s truly ‘Sex and the City’ gal because she can flaunt it without overdoing it. She may have an army of hair dressers and stylists that make her hair looking great at all the times, but to keep those waves in good shape after being teased, curled and colored, I bet she had used a bunch of styling aids to keep her hair in good shape and looking healthy. What’s her secret? I bet curly haired ladies (and men) would love to know.

Finding the right salon can be a bit tricky. I’m sure many of you have bad experience with your past or current hairdresser. Not all hairdressers are created equal. It’s like finding the right marriage or business partner. This isn’t salon bashing post but I felt that I need to rant about my previous salon experiences. It’s one huge reason why I ended up doing it by myself. I do love the pampering aspect of the salon where experienced stylists and colorists catering to one’s needs. Alas, when it comes to Asian hair, no one is capable of handling it when it comes to color. Many would go insane trying to even manipulate Asian hair by the fact too many stylists say to leave it alone. Yes, I am one of those people who is sick and tired of the comments that Asian hair is enviable and beautiful, which I wouldn’t argue with, by the fact it is silky black, the pride of Asian people. While I have nothing against natural black hair, which in itself is beautiful, boredom sometimes claim some people and I just can’t stand one tone color. I do love those colors on Asian hair where there’s radical highlights or streaks like purple, blue, green or pink with black hair. They can be easily faked or dyed. Maybe it has to do with the other pasture is greener theory.

Read the rest of this entry »