It used to be that “blonde” was a hair color. Not anymore. From dirty to platinum, sombre to sandy, there are as many ways to go blonde these days as there are hair products in our beauty closet (and that’s saying something). Celeb colorist, Giselle, is known for her own genre of blonde: her “baby butter blonde” hair coloring technique is all about recreating that perfect color you had as a sun-bathing six year old with fine highlights and lowlights. It’s both completely glamorous and totally low maintenance.

We asked Giselle to share a few keys for keeping your blonde locks going strong through summer sun and day-to-day wear. Some of these tips are classic principles, but use them as a reminder to brush up on your daily mane maintenence…

16 Tips for blondes from Elle Macpherson’s Colorist

1. Deep treat: Get regular deep treatments to prevent dryness.
2. Sun protection: Use UV protective sprays to protect your hair from UV rays that change the color.
3. Skip a wash: Use dry shampoos once in awhile to keep color vibrant longer.
4. Pre-soak: Soak hair with tap water before going into chlorinated pools so as not to absorb chemicals.
5. Cool it: Lay off blow drying or use a cooler setting for more protection.
6. Keep trim: Trim ends regularly.
7. Cover up: Wear a hat in the sun to prevent brassiness.
8. Prevent dryness: Shampoo every second or third day to prolong blonde life and prevent dryness.
9. Go glossy: Get glosses regularly to seal cuticle and prolong color life – I can’t stress this enough.
10. Matchy matchy: Ask your colorist for the perfect blonde hue that will compliment your natural skin tone/eye color – there are a myriad of blonde shades.
11. Buy right: Always use products for color-treated hair.
12. Get dirty: Don’t wash your hair before your color appointment – the oils will protect your hair.
13. Less is more: Start with highlights that frame the face before making the choice to go all blonde.
14. Stay light: When touching up highlights, ask your colorist to just touch up the regrowth to avoid over-processing your hair.
15. Color correct: If you need lowlights (darker blonde pieces), for less damage, make sure a non-peroxide color is being used.
16. Rule of thumb: Never go more than one to two shades lighter than your natural color.