Blonde hair on Black girls is magic, just look at Zendaya right now…

News alert: Blonde hair on Black girls is a bomb combo. Just look at Gen-Z icon Zendaya, right now. The young starlet has just been spotted on Instagram stories with a mid-length swooshy blow out of dreams, full of layers and body-ody-ody including those trendy curtain bangs which currently got hairTok (the hair corner of TikTok) in ropes, but what got us hooked is how effin good that blonde hue looks on her. Granted, Gen-Zendaya would likely and collectively agree that anything will look good on that woman, but there is a case to make on how blonde can make brown and dark complexions really pop.

Of course she is not the only example of Black excellence sporting this hue. Think, those extravagant milky blonde wigs used by the likes of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. Not forgetting the ankle-length braids sported by the Queen Bee herself, Beyonce Knowles, and even that ‘90s blonde flick by Lil Kim. You know the one. All of them have broken through the taboo of wearing blonde hair. A taboo created by society’s tendency to gatekeep certain hairstyles and colour.

I’m a Black woman, with dark skin and I'm fully converted to the blonde situation, but there was definitely a time when I was heavily put off from trying blonde hair. Perhaps it was the negative connotations associated with trying to pull off blonde – and the insinuation that we’re simply trying to conform to western beauty standards. I've seen Black women on the firing line, with people accusing them of not being proud of their heritage, and the idea of exposing myself to criticism didn't seem very attractive. Admittedly I didn’t want to be seen as “a sell-out”. 

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The presumption that blonde hair is ill-suited for Black women often comes packed with nuanced misogynoir (misogyny directed towards Black women) and colourism. Yet why should women of colour have to defend themselves against their beauty choices? They too deserve to rock any hair hue they wish without prejudice or judgment. 

Let's remember blonde hair is not owned by any one demographic or race. In fact, natural blonde hair can be found within Black communities. For instance, in Melanesia, a subregion of Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, blonde hair and dark skin is indigenous. 

And while I can’t speak for every Black woman on the planet, more often than not, Black girls wearing blonde hair is usually less of a political statement, and more because it looks TF good. We’re likely not trying to assimilate any specific beauty standard or to give the illusion of racial ambiguity. We just want to switch it up because, well, variety is the spice of life.

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Tips on how to wear blonde:

If you're interested in making the switch yourself and not sure where to start, here are the expert tips to consider. Some experts advise that if you intend to dye your natural hair, build up your blonde slowly to preserve its condition. 

Dylan Brittain, Artistic Director at Rainbow Room International also says “glimmers of different shades throughout the hair create a more natural appearance, whilst also providing the hair with dimension and depth”. He also adds: “By using a combination of highlighting and lowlighting techniques, this not only gives the hair incredible shine, but also a softer finish than that of the platinum blonde hair trend," explains Dylan.

For less commitment, you can obviously experiment with wigs. We love a dark root gradient for a natural look or you can go all out every once in a while — that blonde root to tip with highlights like GLAMOUR's May cover star Saweetie.

And for extra inspo we serve you this hefty repertoire of beautiful Black women proving you can work blonde hair and when you do, it will be magical…

For more from Glamour UK Beauty & Entertainment Assistant Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona