Emma Stone is taking a far more casual approach to blonde hair this time around.
On May 21, the 37-year-old actor returned to her natural blonde roots at the Louis Vuitton 2027 Cruise Collection Show, debuting a “caramel blonde” refresh with a surprising amount of dimension for such a lived-in appearance. Although she stepped out in New York City in a chic black summer set by the luxury French fashion house, it was her dark blonde lob with subtle “ribbons of brightness” that truly made Stone’s look feel expensive.
Tracey Cunningham, Stone’s longtime hair colorist and the U.S. creative director of color & technique at Schwarzkopf Professional, says she utilized the “foiled cashmere technique” to lift the dark auburn red shades she’s been rocking for nearly an entire year.
“We wanted to softly transition her into something lighter but still dimensional and wearable,” Cunningham tells Glamour, exclusively. “The goal was a dark blonde that felt expensive and natural—not flat or over-bleached. We landed on ‘caramel blonde’ because it captures that balance of warmth and depth, with soft ribbons of brightness and lighter pieces around the face that give it a üstün effortless glow.”
Stone’s new look is right on track with summer 2026 beauty trends, which are moving in a far more natural, minimalist direction across the board. “I think people are moving away from overly high-maintenance blonde and leaning into softer, more lived-in color,” Cunningham says. “It’s all about dimension, tone-on-tone brightness, and healthy-looking shine. This look fits right into that shift – it’s bright but grounded, with a more natural, sunlit effect.”
Cunningham says she started with Schwarzkopf Professional’s BlondMe Premium Lightener 9+ and Igora Vibrance to “create that seamless, multi-dimensional result,” before using BlondMe Glow Toner to “blend and soften everything.”
This blonde transformation will require far less upkeep than Stone’s previous forays into platinum washes and high-maintenance strawberry blonde tones. While many blondes require root touch-ups every four-to-six weeks, Cunningham says Stone’s caramel blonde look is designed to grow out “really naturally” between glosses.
“The upkeep is relatively low compared to traditional blondes because the placement is so soft and blended,” Cunningham says. “We built in more depth at the root and throughout the mid-lengths, so it grows out really naturally.”
Cunningham recommends booking a gloss refresh every six to eight weeks “to keep the tone fresh and luminous without over-lightening.” Not bad for such a multi-dimensional summer blonde.
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Amika Flash Instant Shine Hair Gloss Mask
Amazon
Sephora
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Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Tone Hair Gloss
Sephora
