Zendaya's Honey-Blond Hair Is The Perfect Springtime Shade

From her "Dune: Part Two" premiere style to the looks leading up to the much-anticipated April 26 release of the romantic sports film "Challengers," Zendaya is on a red carpet roll. Case in point: The former brunette was seen rocking a stunning honey-blond hue at the Australian premiere of "Challengers" on March 26. In the film, she plays tennis star Tashi, who gets caught in a messy love triangle. 

It's no shock that Zendaya wows with her new soft, golden hair color, as the beauty can pull off just about any look. We may be used to her signature brown mane — and the switch-up is quite the change — but she wears the golden-caramel tone beautifully. The renewal also seems only natural for the transition into springtime, and donning lighter locks ushers in the season in a totally refreshing way. Plus, her honey-blond hair is the same hue worn by Tashi, and we all know Zendaya isn't one to shy away from exuding the essence of her characters during film tours. Who could forget her futuristic "Dune: Part Two" premiere look?

While Zendaya's honey-blond hair may have had you doing a double take, this actually isn't her first venture into sporting lighter locks. Some will remember when she sported a young David Bowie-style blond mullet at the 2016 Grammys, as well as her lighter bob in 2022. So, if you're ready to usher in the warmth of spring with some fair hair also, look no further than honey-blond for a gleaming gold change.

While going lighter for spring is nothing new, not all shades of blond are formulated the same and the key components of honey-blond are its brown and red undertones, as well as a blended, natural look. Unlike other shades of blond, like linen blond which holds cool undertones, honey-blond is as warm as its name. "This shade of blond emulates the colors of a wheat field on a cool summer day when the wind picks up and it glistens in the sun," Jenna Perry, celebrity colorist and owner of Jenna Perry Hair Studio in NYC, told InStyle. "It's more blended/diffused with less dimension, and it looks expensive while remaining effortless. It gives you that fresh out-of-the-salon look while remaining naturally whisked."

The effortlessness of this color is what makes it an ideal springtime shade — although, a low-maintenance color is obviously a win year-round. But, spring awakens us from our cozy winter routine and schedules are bound to fill up more quickly with park dates and patio meetups, so less upkeep in maintaining that warm, freshly-done shine? A huge plus.

If you're ready to echo spring with some honey-blond locks, ask your stylist for an iteration of the trend that'll best complement your natural hair color — particularly if effortless maintenance is on your list of must-haves. If you have lighter locks already, then transitioning to an all-over honey-blond look should be fairly straightforward. However, if you have darker roots, your stylist might suggest incorporating the honey-blond hue through balayage. This won't cause as much damage to your hair as an all-over blond color would and the upkeep will be far simpler, yet you'll still capture those warm honey-blond tones in just the right way.

It's also possible that your honey-blond hues might veer into brassy territory. But don't fret. If that looks to be the case, ask your stylist for a purple shampoo recommendation to balance out the unwanted orange. "There is a huge difference between unintentional and intentional warmth. Unintentional is unwanted brass and more of an orange tone, and intentional warmth has just the right gold," Laguna Beach-based colorist, Ashley Wahler, told Byrdie. Maintaining honey-blond hair might require more time than what's required of brown locks, but to welcome in the energy of spring with such sincerity, the effort might be worth it.