The ’90s—era of heroin chic, the Spice Girls, and the supers—has long been a rich source of aesthetic inspiration, whether it’s the brown lip liner that almost everyone on Instagram is currently wearing, or All Saints-esque cargo trousers. It’s where the roots of this summer’s most sought-after hair color can be found—specifically on the flaxen head of the late grunge icon Kurt Cobain.
“Cobain blonde” is the color London’s cool set is opting for right now—and it’s the perfect transitional shade to see you through the rest of summer and into fall. “It is characterized by a rooted look,” says Zoe Irwin, color and trend ambassador at Matrix. “But instead of highlights, it features large slices of golden blonde throughout the hair.”
A palette of warmer blonde shades creates dimension and gives the illusion of body and movement, so is a particularly good trend to try if you have thinner hair. If you like the lived-in grunge aesthetic that Cobain championed, you can wear it just so. But, as Sienna Miller proves below, you can also wear it perfectly polished for an event—it is super versatile.
According to Irwin, Cobain blonde is the new beachy blonde balayage, a switch that has been driven by Gen Z-ers, who tend to seek out warmer, all-over blondes over subtler sun-kissed tips. That’s not to say it’s a trend that’s just suited to a younger audience, though. “Cobain blonde is edgier and cooler and works on all ages and aesthetics—you just have to look at old pictures of Drew Barrymore, Courtney Love, and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy for inspiration,” says Irwin. “They all look so stylish and effortless.”
To create the look, Irwin says it’s all about marrying a “teased root with various levels of lightening to add contour”. She then applies a professional hair gloss—Matrix’s honey Tonal Control is her product of choice—on top, to infuse color with a warm vanilla hue, while imparting a mirror-like shine.
Great for all hair textures and styles, Cobain blonde is the low-maintenance, minimal-commitment way to do hair color—it’s no wonder London’s finest are doing it right now.
