Despite the fact that blonde is a very popular hair colour, Less than 2% of the world’s population actually has naturally blonde hair. Maybe that’s why the hair colour is so prized by many people as the very definition of sexy, flirtatious, and alluring. Whether it’s real or from a bottle, there’s no doubt that the right shade of blonde can be head turning.
In this post we’re celebrating everything you need to know about the pale hair colour. Here are some fun facts about blondes you never knew!
The Colour Has Been Craved Since Ancient Times
Ancient Romans loved blonde hair so much that Roman women tried to turn their hair flaxen with pigeon poop (ewww!) When the Romans infiltrated the area that is now modern-day Germany, they cut off the locks of blondes and had them turned into wigs. These wigs were usually worn by the richest and most fashionable women.
The ancient Greeks, on the other hand, were less than enamoured with blonde hair. In fact, women with blonde hair were considered to be prostitutes in ancient Greece. “No chaste woman ought to make her hair yellow” was a saying by the Greek dramatist Menander.
Jean Harlow Was Hollywood’s First Blonde Starlet
When we think of Hollywood’s famous blondes, usually Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield immediately come to mind. But Hollywood’s first reigning blonde star was actually 1930s sex symbol Jean Harlow. She was even nicknamed the “blonde bombshell”—perhaps the first time the saying had been coined.
Harlow actually helped create the blonde shade called platinum. Although she denied that her hair colour wasn’t real, she secretly coloured it with a curious and caustic mixture of Clorox bleach, ammonia, and Lux soap flakes.
Her shade was so coveted that Howard Hughes actually organised a contest for a beautician to recreate Harlow’s platinum shade. The winner would receive $10,000. No one was able to do so.
Harlow’s hair colour came with a price, however. The chemical concoction she applied weekly to her roots eventually damaged her hair and caused it to fall out. She had to resort to wearing wigs.
Sadly, Harlow died at only 26 years old in 1937 from a serious illness, but after her reign on the big screen Hollywood and moviegoers were forever in love with blondes.
(Natural) Blondes Have More Hair
Although many blondes appear to have hair that is on the fine side, the truth is a natural blonde head contains more strands of hair than other colours. Blondes have about 140,000 strands while other shades including red and brunette have around 108,000.
But even if you’re not a natural blonde and you dye your hair, you can still fake thickness with many hair products on the market today.
Science has also discovered that blonde hair grows faster. This is great news for blondes who get a bad haircut.
Real Blonde Hair Gets Darker with Age
No wonder true blondes are so rare; people who were blonde as children tend to develop darker hair by as early as age ten. This is because eumelanin, a type of melanin, rises as blonde people get older.
The amount of eumelanin will also determine just how blonde someone’s hair is. It can range anywhere from platinum to a dark golden blonde.
Blonde hair tends to have low levels of both eumelanin and phaeomelanin. Phaeomelanin is a melanin responsible for making strands look red.
It also takes a really teeny genetic mutation to create natural blonde hair. So if you’re among the small percentage of people who have legitimately blonde hair, you may want to try buying a lottery ticket because you are very lucky!
Want to Make More Money? Go Blonde
If you work in the service industry, then you may want to consider going lighter with your hair colour a study of over 400 waitresses found that the blonde servers received bigger tips compared to the other waitresses.
Another study done by a Queensland University of Technology researcher found that blondes make more money in the workplace. They earn 7% more than their dark haired and redheaded colleagues.
Unfair, perhaps? Not if you’re a blonde! It gets worse for dark haired beauties: wealthy men are more likely to choose a blonde for a wife.
Alfred Hitchcock Only Hired Blondes for His Leading Actresses
If you’re an Alfred Hitchcock fan, you’ve probably noticed that all of the actresses cast for his movies were blondes. This includes Grace Kelly (Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, and To Catch a Thief), Tippi Hedren (The Birds), Eve Marie Saint (North by Northwest) and Janet Leigh (Psycho.)
Many film experts agree that Hitchcock’s leading blonde ladies made iconic movie characters.
Taking Care of Your Blonde Tresses
Now that you know a few factoids about blonde hair, perhaps you’re thinking of going that route with a colour change. Just know that blonde hair can be delicate and requires some extra care.
For starters, you can prevent fading and colour changes by staying out of the sun and avoiding those pesky UV rays. A shampoo formulated for blonde hair will also help keep the colour bright and prevent it from turning brassy or yellow. Learn more about one particular no-yellow shampoo that will help protect your colour.
It’s also advisable to avoid shampooing just coloured blonde hair for two days. This will help prevent fading.