heidiilliams's blog

It’s on the nose, but it’s true: Debbie Harry will always be the ultimate blondie. And it’s not because of her punk band’s moniker. It’s because the singer, throughout some 40 years in the spotlight, has remained consistent, says Sally Hershberger colorist Sulekha Hilton, who is sought after by blondes across L.A. “People don’t keep the same look like they used to. It changes like the wind.”

“Who wouldn’t say she’s influential? Of course she was,” says Hilton of the icon who turned 70 on July 1. “I used to want to look like her when I was little. She’s gorgeous, she’s hot and she’s always had the blonde thing. Sometimes it was more root and it was dark underneath for a second, but whereas Madonna’s look has changed drastically over the years, Debbie’s been consistent. You could say any musical performer who’s blonde has been influenced by her.”

Perhaps the celebrity who was most influenced by the Blondie singer’s “bleach and tone” platinum hair, says Hilton, is Gwen Stefani, who she calls the “new Debbie Harry. She, like Debbie Harry, has had her staple look for the whole time I’ve been aware of her. It’s very in at the moment and it’s a powerful look.”

As for keeping that strong look perfect in the summertime, Hilton recommends purple shampoo—her favorite is Rene Furterer Silver Reflex Shampoo, which cancels out the yellow that occurs from pollution and minerals in water. Additionally, the colorist advises protecting platinum strands before getting in a chlorinated pool by first wetting them with clean water and then adding a hair oil or even olive oil to seal them off.

Finally, Hilton says keeping blonde locks as pristine as Harry’s requires regular salon visits along with treatments and at-home masks. Her go-to: a salon treatment called Olaplex that “everyone is going crazy over.” If there’s anything to learn from the 70-year-old icon it’s that treating your hair right is important. Says Hilton, “You wear your hair every day so you should make it look the healthiest you can while being the color that represents who you are as a person.” In Harry’s case, “throughout all these years, she’s always looked cool.”