You know that specific shade of "Gossip Girl" blonde? That warm, honey-soaked, slightly messy look that launched a thousand Pinterest boards? For years, we've basically collectively agreed that Blake Lively is the patron saint of natural blondes. But here is the thing: if you look at her roots during a long press tour or check out her childhood photos from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants era, the truth is a little more complicated.
Blake Lively real hair color isn't actually that bright, sunny gold we see on the red carpet. Honestly, she's more of a "bronde" or a very dark natural blonde.
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In the industry, colorists usually describe her starting point as a "level 7" or "level 8" blonde. To put that in normal person terms: it’s a mousy, sandy color that leans toward light brown when it hasn't seen the sun in a while.
The Rona O’Connor Magic
She has worked with the same colorist, Rona O’Connor, for nearly two decades. That kind of loyalty is unheard of in Hollywood. Rona is the one who took Blake's natural, somewhat flat blonde and turned it into the multi-dimensional "apricot" and "honey" masterpiece we know today.
Blake has actually said she doesn't color her hair that often. She’s big on the "lived-in" look. This is why you’ll almost always see her with at least an inch or two of darker roots. It’s not just a style choice; it’s her actual natural hair color peeking through. By keeping the roots natural, she avoids that harsh "skunk stripe" when her hair grows out, which lets her go months between salon visits.
It’s Not Always Blonde
Remember 2011? The Green Lantern premiere? She showed up with this deep, fiery copper red. People lost their minds. It looked so natural because of her skin’s golden undertones, but it was a total pivot.
More recently, for It Ends With Us, she went for a much deeper, more saturated red-brown. Even then, the "real" Blake was still under there. Her natural base is actually the perfect canvas for these changes because it’s neutral enough to take on warm pigments without turning muddy.
Why Her Hair Always Looks "Real"
A lot of it comes down to texture. Blake has famously said she hates "done" hair. She wants it to look like she just rolled out of bed—even if that bed was in a five-star hotel with a professional glam squad nearby.
- The Mayonnaise Trick: This sounds gross, but she swears by it. Her mom taught her to put oil or mayo on the bottom half of her hair before showering.
- The Shampoo Rule: She doesn't use conditioner. Seriously. She launched her own line, Blake Brown, based on the fact that she only uses hair masks and shampoo.
- Air Drying: Whenever she isn't working, she lets it air dry to preserve that natural wave.
The Bronde Transition
There was a period around 2015 where she posted a photo with the caption "Brondes have more fun." That was probably the closest we’ve ever seen to her actual, untouched hair color. It was a murky, sophisticated mix of brown and blonde.
If you're trying to copy the Blake Lively real hair color vibe, don't ask your stylist for "bleach blonde." You’ll end up looking too washed out. Instead, you want to ask for a "honey-base with golden apricot highlights" and—this is the key—tell them to leave your natural roots alone.
What You Can Actually Do
If you want that Blake-level health, stop over-washing. She’s gone on record saying she listens to her hair rather than following a schedule. Some weeks she washes it twice; sometimes she goes longer.
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The biggest takeaway from Blake's hair journey isn't that she’s a secret brunette. It's that she’s a "natural blonde" who knows exactly how to use professional highlights to make it look like she spends every day at the beach.
Stop aiming for a single, flat color. The reason her hair looks so "real" is the sheer amount of different shades—gold, strawberry, sandy brown—mixed together. If you want her look, embrace your darker roots and focus on "glow" rather than "lightness."
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Treat your hair like a fabric. If you're going to put it through a lot of heat or chemicals, you have to give that moisture back. That’s the real secret to the Lively mane.