As much as I’d love to pretend that I’m *actually* Beyoncé, realistically, copying her latest hair color is about as close as I’m going to get to that fantasy. Anyone who treks to their local salon looking for a “Beyoncé blonde” look would agree—her signature hue really is the stuff of legends.
Beyoncé’s longtime color, which she has sported for most of her career, is a warm honey shade deemed “sun-washed blonde” by her colorist Rita Hazan. As of late, however, Beyoncé has had a slightly different take on her regular hue that Hazan calls “chantilly.” Naturally, I had to learn more about what this is and why it’s perfect for fall. If you want to freshen up your highlights in a unique way or just want to try something new altogether, keep scrolling. I asked Hazan for all the details on Bey’s latest look and how you can try it out for yourself.
Although we’ve come to associate Beyoncé with her classic golden blonde, Hazan envisioned something with a little more contrast for Bey now that fall is in full swing. Hazan has coined this new signature shade chantilly. What exactly is chantilly, you ask? “It’s a creamy blonde with a little warmth to it—[almost] buttercream-ish,” says Hazan. “The Renaissance Tour is over, and now, she needs more of a warm, neutral color, especially for fall.”
Although it isn’t anything dramatically different from Beyoncé’s usual look, I love the idea of a warm, buttery shade of blonde that isn’t just straight-up platinum. It looks so good on golden and olive skin tones. Beyoncé and I have a similar skin tone, and although I’ve never considered going blonde before (the upkeep!), seeing her with chantilly hair is making me reconsider. Most people go for a chestnut or deep brunette for fall, but this is a great way to experiment with something warmer without going super bold. Basically, it’s for the folks who may want to try something new without going full-on cowboy copper.
Hazan’s rule of thumb for this color is to go one to two shades darker than your current shade. This is a good rule to remember for every skin tone, but it will also depend on what your current color is and whether you get highlights or not. You can experiment with chantilly in different ways. If you really want to commit, you can go full Beyoncé mode and get her exact shade, or if you have dirty-blonde or light-brown hair, you could just go a few shades darker to give your hair a bit more dimension and contrast.
If you already get highlights or have blonde hair, she simply recommends darkening your look by a shade or two. Hazan also has a few tips on what to ask your colorist if you’d like to try this one out for yourself: “Ask for some contrast and dimensions with your highlights. You can add lowlights to create the contrast one to two shades darker. Keep the color tones buttery and golden.”
Below, take a look at our favorite colorcare products for upkeep.
