The world of hair colors is complex and confusing. Especially when it comes to blonde and brown hair, it gets even more confusing to determine which is which.
There is not much difference between a dark blond and a light brunette, so if your hair color got you questioning, is my hair brown or blonde? It’s completely fine.
Hair color varies depending on different factors, and there is a whole scientific explanation behind it.
But don’t worry, your personality and level of intelligence have nothing to do with your hair color.
The whole “blondes are fun, and brunettes are intelligent” is a myth! So, let us get down to business and find out what color your hair actually is!
What Determines Our Hair Color?
Like melanin, a pigment that gives color to our skin, Eumelanin is a particular type of pigment generally found in human hair follicles.
This pigment affects our hair color and makes it black, brown, or blonde. Usually, there are two types of Eumelanin known as black and brown Eumelanin.
The concentration level of this pigment decides how dark or light your hair is going to be. There’s another form of hair pigment known as pheomelanin.
This pigment gives yellowing and orange shade to your hair. The level of concentration of this pigment is high in people with ginger or red hair.
Understanding The Hair Color Wheel
The hair color wheel may vary depending on different hair color manufacturers. But the traditional wheel includes shades from 1 to 10.
Where 10 is the lightest shade of hair and 1 is the darkest. And everything in the middle consists of dark and golden brown and dark, pale, medium, and platinum blonde.
If your hair color falls between the shades 6 to 10, you have blonde hair. Blond hair generally resembles a golden or yellowish tint.
People with blonde hair have low brown Eumelanin and high pheomelanin. The darkest shade of blonde is a level 6, which is really close to brown hair but not brown. This shade is very similar to a mixture of yellow and black.
However, brunettes fall between the shades 2 to 5. The most common light golden-brown hair is known as level 5; it looks very close to blonde hair.
But the shade 5 hair color is the lightest form of brown hair which is a mix between brown and white. People with brown hair have a high level of Eumelanin and low pheomelanin.
If you are still confused about your hair color, you can figure it out by closely examining the base of your hair. Blonde hair tends to have more golden tones at the base, while brown hair has brown tones.
Facts About Blonde Hair
- There are 30 different shades of blonde hair, depending on the warm and cool spectrum.
- People with blonde hair can end up having brown hair as they age. Because the level of Eumelanin does not remain constant forever, it may become more concentrated as you age, changing your hair color in the process.
- Natural blonde hair is scarce; only 2% of the people on the planet are born with natural blonde color.
- People with blond hair tend to have more hair than people with natural brown hair.
- Blonde hair can hide your gray hair effortlessly because of its natural light shade.
Facts About Brown Hair
- Brown hair contains more pigments which create a natural protective barrier and reduces hair damage.
- More than 90% of the world population has brown hair
- Brown hair tends to be thick and coarse
- Brunette hair appears shinier than blonde hair
- There are uncountable shades of brown hair in the world
Which Hair Color Suits You Most?
Even though dark blonde and light brown are similar, these two colors can change your appearance significantly.
Hence, if you are thinking of dying your hair, it is crucial to determine which color suit you best depending on your skin tone, age, and hair length.
Skin Tone
If you have lighter pale skin, you should go for dark blonde hair color. The darkness of your hair adds color to your appearance, which will make you look more attractive.
However, if you have a slightly neutral to darker skin tone, you can choose the light brown shade.
The brown color goes perfectly with darker skin shade and brings out the prominent facial features. Moreover, it also helps to make your skin look more smooth and natural.
Age
The light brown color is perfect for women aging between 50 to 60 years old. This color tends to lighten your face and distract aging signs like wrinkles and dark spots.
Lighter shades tend to make facial wrinkles more visible and noticeable. Hence, if you want to hide your age, go for the light brown hair color.
On the other hand, dark blonde is ideal for young women between 30 and 40 years. The dark blonde color will make your facial features stand out by drawing attention to your eyes and face.
Hair Type and Length
The rule of thumb is long for blonde hair and short for brown hair. However, depending on your hair type, the shade may vary. If you have straight hair, you can go for either of the two colors.
But for girls with curly hair, light brown is the better choice. This color will make your curls shine in the sun creating golden highlights and making your whole look stand out.
Most people also suggest dark blonde for shorter hair because it gives the illusion of having long hair.
How To Dye Your Hair Brown
If you have blonde hair and want to color your hair, it is an effortless task and won’t take you too long.
Since blonde hair is naturally light, you don’t have to go through the process of deeply bleaching your hair. Any color you put will pop up nicely on your hair.
Start off by applying some cream or petroleum jelly around your hairline to prevent your skin from getting stained by the dye. Dyes are full of chemicals and are not really good for the skin, hence try to keep it off your face as much as possible.
Next, put on some plastic gloves and apply the color to your hair. For better results, section your hair into small parts and apply generously, covering every spot.
Properly sectioning the hair allows you to get in all the tricky places and apply hair color evenly everywhere.
Please keep it on your hair according to the time mentioned in the instructions. And lastly, rinse it off with one lukewarm water.
It would help if you always used the shampoo and conditioner that comes with the coloring kit to wash your hair. Your regular shampoo might be too harsh for the dye.
How To Dye Your Hair Blonde
Going from brunette to blonde is a bit more challenging task. Since brown hair is darker and doesn’t catch colors easily, you will have to bleach your hair properly.
Bleaching can be a bit intimidating to some people, but you will get the best results with the right products and techniques.
Firstly, put on some old clothes and gloves. Apply a good amount of petroleum jelly around your hairline.
Then section your hair and start applying bleach from the bottom part. It is crucial to do your roots at the end because if you start from your roots and go down, you might end up having lighter roots and darker ends which is not a good look.
Separate each section with a foil sheet after applying the bleach to prevent it from sticking elsewhere. After you finish applying, you need to keep checking your hair every 10 minutes to see if you have reached your desired color.
However, if you feel some burning sensation on your scalp, it is better to rinse it off immediately.
Also, it would be best if you remembered not to keep it too long on your hair. If you do not get the desired shade after washing your hair, you can repeat the process and wait for the results.
Finally, grab some good-quality toner to prevent the yellowish tint from your hair. Keep it as long as it says in the instructions and wash it thoroughly. And voila, you have blonde hair now!
Final Words
In a nutshell, light brown and dark blonde is very close but not similar. So, it’s easy to get confused; however, we have explained everything you need to know about blonde and brunette hair in this article.
Hopefully, this article will help you to come to a conclusion and put an end to the “is my hair brown or blonde?” confusion. And if you want to change your hair color, we got that covered too!
