I’ve always been a brunette but I love to play around with other hair colour trends. Over the last few months I’ve been going for a cool toned iced chocolate hair colour. But every summer time, I feel the itch to attempt balayage and go lighter again.
I’ve never been a fan of chunky highlights. Instead, I love my hair to have a natural sun-kissed look, with subtle woven blonde highlights that add brightness to my length. This time I went for raffia bronde and it could be my favourite summer hair colour yet.
What Is Raffia Bronde?
Much like the raffia basket bags that this hair colour trend is inspired by, raffia bronde sees intricately woven strands of blonde and brunette that give the hair a seamless, multi-dimensional aspect. This is a beautiful summer hair colour for brunettes and blondes equally. Blondes get depth and richness; brunettes get lightness and luminosity.
Hairstylist and hair trend forecaster Tom Smith has projected raffia blonde to be one of the top hair trends for 2025 and says this hair colour is a “subtly multi-tonal offering that has a woven texture and an intricate nature”.
You could call it rather a ‘expensive bronde’, with its excellent attention to detail,” says Smith. “This shade is smack dab in the middle of the colour spectrum and is perfect for those who like mid-contrast in their fashion and makeup choices. “Brightening it up or toning it down is easy to evolve throughout the year,” he explains.
What To Tell The Salon
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I went to Hershesons for a hair colour alteration. I booked in for a balayage and asked for extremely fine pieces of blonde to be inserted into my mid-lengths and around my face-framing layers. This isn’t a design that requires a strong money piece, but rather a few ribbons of blonde and caramel that mimic a naturally sun-kissed look (think two weeks in the South of France).
Then
How to Care for Raffia Bronde at Home
Fortunately, balayage is an excellent low-maintenance hair colour process to choose for if you don’t want regular care at the salon. The hand painted process makes it look very natural and it grows out with no visible root. But there are things you can do to maintain it salon-fresh for longer.
“Keep your hair strong and healthy when oscillating between different bronde levels by minimising heat use and using nourishing hair masks and good quality shampoos to keep the delicate nuances clear and toned,” adds Smith.
The appropriate shampoo will stop your hair colour being leeched in the shower – I strongly rate this one from Colour Wow.
This neutralising hair gloss can keep brassy tones away. The blue tones help cancel out red and orange tones that can sometimes show in coloured brunette and blonde hair.
When you have bleach on your strands, it’s crucial to look for healing treatments to aid prevent breakage. This leave-in hair mask from K18 makes my hair so lustrous and helps to restore broken hair on a molecular level.
The hair filter i installed in my shower has truly improved the look of my hair colour. It’s shinier, more brilliant and helps my hair colour stay fresher for longer.
If you want to play around with golden tones in your hair then this colour-depositing mask is perfect for checking it out without the commitment – it’ll wash off after a few shampoos.
