Best blonde hair dyes 2023: Tested on 300 women

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Make like Margot this summer...

There are some things we all just agree on. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling got all the gorgeous genes. The Barbie Dreamhouse is obscene, but wouldn’t it be fun to spend just one night there? This ‘Barbiecore’ business is a bit much, but hot pink heels just do amp up even the dullest of outfits.

However, there’s one question in the beauty space that’s a little more divisive — can you really achieve a quality Barbie blonde at home with nothing but a box dye?

If you’re a dedicated box dye blonde or have dabbled with a dubious line-up of semi-perms in your time — read: my accidental Harley Quinn era — you’re bound to have mixed opinions about amateur home-salon sessions. But, with Barbie blonde set to be the hottest hair colour trend of 2023, we decided it was time to set the record straight.

We enlisted the help of the Women’s Health Lab team and our panel of readers — who were both seasoned colourists and self-proclaimed newbs — to try out box dyes and anti-brass shampoos from some of the biggest brands in bleach.

For a quick list of the winning dyes and anti-brass shampoos, see below, or read on for more detail about how to achieve and maintain the Barbie look yourself. Note: if you’re after a more natural colour, this isn’t the hot list you’re looking for.

‘To be totally honest, if you know how to apply it well, you can achieve the right colour at home; it’s just a lot harder,’ explains celeb hair stylist Michael Douglas, speaking at the launch of Garnier’s new ‘GOOD’ permanent hair dye range — the brand’s low-plastic answer to the box dyeing process.

‘The actual dye is often not that different,’ Michael adds. ‘If you just want a block dye like Barbie (all one colour, rather than highlights or multi-toned), you don’t have to go to the salon as long as you’re confident you can give yourself the right coverage. When you pay for a salon, you’re paying for the professional service and the experience of being pampered in safe hands. And I guess the option to get it re-done if it doesn't meet your expectations!’*

*Or saying you're happy with it when you're not because of incessant people pleasing tendencies. Just me?

In short, yes, but you need to get the right dye, and you probably need a little help when it comes to checking for full coverage if you’re after the block dye look.

Jordanna Cobella, creative director at Cobella salons, suggests using a toner to achieve your desired shade if the dye has left you disappointed. She recommends recruiting the help of a housemate or partner to check the back of your hair, and making sure to massage the toner you're using into roots (using the sexy gloves provided, always) to ensure every last strand is lathered.

‘It’s also crucial to follow the instructions to a T if you are attempting an at-home dye job,’ she says. Although you may be in a rush to see just how much more fun blondes have (can vouch), she warns not to ignore the instructions.

‘If the box tells you to leave the root coverage on for 20 minutes before pulling the dye through the lengths, then listen,’ she advises. ‘It’s crucial to treat different areas of the hair according to their colour and proximity to your scalp. The closer hair is to the root, the warmer it is due to the heat from your head, so it develops quicker than the lengths.

‘If you have super dark roots but more golden strands and you’re looking to get the whole thing to a cool-toned Barbie blonde, have patience and treat each locale of your locks with the appropriate attention and time. True Barbie blonde still has a tiny golden tinge, so the trick is to not go too ashy with the toner, allowing the hair to shine buttery and bright.’

Barbie blonde is not just about the tone — hair also needs to look healthy and cared for to compare.

‘Heat protectors, bond-building treatments and purple shampoos are the perfect trio for topping up your tone and keeping hair soft and healthy,’ Jordanna explains. ‘I use Wella heat protectors on my clients as well as Wellaplex, which is only available in salons, but there are other alternatives that work in a similar way — it’s all about boosting keratin and protein in the hair to replenish bonds that are broken when bleaching. So, look for the best bond-building treatment for your hair type, as a good one can really bolster hair strength between salon visits.’

'I always suggest Wella Colour Fresh 0/6 or 10/81 for colour touch-ups at home to my clients,' Jordanna tells us.

‘After bleaching, you should avoid snaggy hair bands and brushing your hair with fine bristles when wet — use a wide-toothed comb or soft-fibre brush to avoid excess breakage,’ she adds.

Cutting down the frequency of hair wash day (sorry gym girlies, we know the struggle) and using cooler water when you shower will also help keep hair that little bit more Margot.

With the help of over 300 of our panel members, we put eight blonde box dyes and 11 anti-brass shampoos to the test over four weeks. We asked testers to assess the packaging design, ease of use, instructions, and performance of each anti-brass shampoo and dyeing kit.

At home, they assessed how easy the instructions were to follow for patch testing and bleaching and reported on key performance aspects, such as colour development and hair feel after dyeing.

In the WH lab, our experts carried out dry combing tests using the Dia-Stron machine to evaluate hair damage and breakage after bleaching. They conducted visual checks for grey coverage and performed wash and dry cycles to assess colour fade.

Panel members also submitted images of their hair before and after using the anti-brass shampoo so the lab could assess any improvements.

Note that our experts have taken all the above elements into consideration — not just the final colour — which is why the ‘best for Barbie blonde’ dye isn’t top of our list overall. The results are in...

Jordanna says you always need to lighten hair to a shade 10 blonde to truly lift it (her words) to Barbie-dom (our words), so we had high hopes for this dye.

Although it left a duller finish on greys than some of the other brands tested, it otherwise won a lot of praise from our panel, who gushed about the ‘multi-toned and vibrant’ colour, which didn't leave a hint of yellow.

So, the colour kept people happy, but what about any resulting breakage? Not this time. It scored almost full marks in the lab for lack of breakage and ease of combing, and left our testers with silky soft lengths. Hair felt ‘smooth and full of life’, and there were no complaints about any heavy ammonia smells or it being tricky to wash out, which most of the other dyes on test received.

Lifting brunette to blonde at home has never been simpler. As one of the only brands in our line-up that claims to be appropriate for brunettes (those with light brown hair, at least), we had to put it to the test in the WH Lab.

Almost all of our panellists agreed that it lifted their hair from either dark or dull to a bright blonde. This came joint first with Bleach London for colour lift in the lab tests but came out top with our panel for its ability to lift even the dullest of shades. So, if you’re braving a big change, it might be worth a try.

Note that it says no grey coverage on the box, but it wowed our expert testers on the grey lab tresses, so make of that what you will.

Seasoned box dyers may know this product well. It has sat self-assuredly in my stocking every year since I decided to Barbie-fy myself on a family holiday at 15 — albeit undoubtedly reformulated. It litters the bathroom cabinets in our family home like a box of tampons or a spare loo roll, so I was dying (!) to see how it fared.

It didn’t disappoint, coming third out of eight in our lab tests for accuracy of colour to box match, overall brightness and general Barbie-likeness (not a technical term). All this for the same price as four morning coffees in London. Gulp.

Arguably the sexiest of the at-home bleaching selection, this buzzy brand shone brightest (joint with Schwarzkopf) in the colour match to box lab tests. It trumped all competition for colour (scoring 5/5), but, be warned, this did come at a price. It caused the most damage of all the dyes in our lab test, making lengths a little dry despite claims on the website that it leaves hair 30% stronger.

However, it’s the only dye that’s marketed for all hair types, so if you’ve got naturally thick, textured or oily hair, this one could give you the best colour result. Note that you’ll need a few boxes if your hair’s long, which is made clear on the packaging. It also mentions preferably using this on virgin strands or if not, doing a patch test so you know your hair will fare well with the damage.

Our panel was divided about whether the instructions were easy to follow, and some found it fiddly to use, but if you’re a seasoned box dyer, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Ultimately, it could be the best option for curls or coils but should only be used if your hair’s resilient enough to take the potential damage. Oh, and Bleach also does a perfect pink if you’re looking to take Barbiecore (sorry) beyond just blonde.

If you’re more of a commitment-phobe and would rather stick to the salon for professional visits, or you’re well ahead and have doused your hair in bleach before, here are some options for maintaining your colour by simply swapping out a wash day product.

We tested a selection of brass-busting shampoos for blondes, brunettes and everything in between, but this one took the crown when it came to maintaining that cool Barbie shade. Panellists told us it took the brassiness and yellow look out of their hair from the first use and praised its ‘ability to brighten dulling highlights’. Almost everyone said it lifted their shade after the very first wash.

Our panel loved the smell and lathering texture, too, claiming that other purple shampoos they’ve used didn’t deliver on the clean feel they desired. It also got full marks for ease of use — no getting out of the shower and waiting twenty minutes or more to hop back in.

This one took a couple of washes to start working for most people, but when it did, it provided a natural-looking ashy tone and helped hair to look a little healthier, too.

Almost everyone said their locks looked better than before the trial period after continued use of the shampoo. Many said it felt thicker as well as more cool-toned, which is the ultimate combo for carrying off that non-brassy Barbie look. Again, it took home an A* for ease of use.

L’Oreal Paris needs little introduction, as its products line the shelves of everyone's local Boots. Well if the low price point makes you wonder about its efficacy, the results speak for themselves here – our panel was impressed with how it toned down the yellow tinge to their hair without staining the scalp or forehead.

Testers loved how this shampoo left hair looking brighter, reflecting the light more, with almost everyone saying their locks looked more vibrant after use. Most said lengths were softer and less tangled after the trial, too. Not bad for a budget buy.

Take note, though, as some testers with dry or flaky scalps felt it didn’t properly clean away debris like a normal shampoo would, so it may be best for once-a-week use.

If you’re still convinced that a box job would be a botch job if you’re the one in charge, then try the Amazon salon in Spitalfields for a more accessible professional job (they even use fancy technology screens to show you what you’d look like with your new ‘do), or Cobella, Larry King or Hershesons for a luxury blonde-boosting experience. These pros are the best in the biz at blonde-ifying their clientele. Ken could never.

Orla is our Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester and has extensive knowledge of skin and hair composition thanks to her bachelor's degree in cosmetic science. Orla uses her years of product testing experience, market research and technical lab skills to put a wide variety of products to the test. In the past year Orla has tested more than 147 beauty products, including all the latest innovations to launch within the market.

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