Why We’re All Lusting Over Elsa Hair This Winter

It’s fair to say we never expected to find ourselves lusting over a CGI character’s looks, but here it is: we want Elsa’s hair.

Maybe it’s the freezing winter weather we’re currently experiencing, or perhaps it’s the platinum hair inspo flooding our feeds, but for whatever reason we can’t stop dreaming about the snow queen’s icy blonde tresses.

And it seems we’re not alone, with celebs such as Molly-Mae Hague, Khloe Kardashian and Billie Eilish all recently adopting the Frozen look.

Tyla spoke to Tyson Grant, owner and creative director at Forbici Knightsbridge, about the rise of the ‘iced blonde’ – and how to get the look.

“We’re seeing more and more customers asking for that ashy ice colour, with a big desire to remove any brassy tones from the hair,” he says. 

“This style is highly versatile and can suit all age categories. For younger women it's a throwback style to the early 90s, pairing your hair with your outfit; for older generations, the icy blonde gives a fresh colour that can blend and enhance the greys without the need to continue an all-over colour top up every month.”  

So where did the sudden popularity of iced blonde come from? Tyson notes that many of us have opted for a dramatic change-up post-pandemic, but also cites the likes of Rita Ora, Taylor Swift – and yes, even Phil Foden for bringing it to the mainstream.

“Khloe Kardashian has definitely played a huge part in this new desired look,” he adds, “pairing the style with beachy waves which then hit Instagram – causing a craze for iced blonde locks.”

What to ask for in the salon

“One of the first questions stylists are being asked at the salon is, ‘Please remove all red tones from my hair, I want that perfect ash colour and I want it to last’,” says Tyson. 

“The process for achieving that icy blonde look would be to go for a full head highlights or balayage with ash beige toners. 

“This can be particularly challenging if you're transitioning from a brunette to a blonde due to the build-up of colour being much harder to strip and remove red and orange tones. 

“If the hair is completely natural with no existing colour, then this is much easier for the stylist to achieve as lifting natural brunette or mousy brown tones is a much quicker process.”

How to keep your blonde hair healthy throughout winter

“One of the best ways to maintain your icy blonde colour is to keep the colour tones fresh and maintained with a toning shampoo and conditioner known as a purple shampoo,” Tyson explains. 

“The change in temperature can make your hair dry so we recommend using a weekly mask or stronger Olaplex treatment to keep the hair healthy and salon ready. 

“Avoiding extensive heat to the hair can also help protect the ends. I also recommend visiting the salon every few months to top up the toners and for a refresh.”