Since Pantone has announced Cloud Dancer as its 2026 Color of the Year, it has left many of us wondering how this soft, airy off-white tone will impact hair services in the new year.
Award-winning colorist and milk_shake Global Artistic Ambassador Andrew Smith says “Cloud Dancer isn’t just ‘white.’ There are endless interpretations—stark white, creamy white, buttery white, pearl white. Each evokes a different emotion. For me, white symbolizes peace, tranquility, new beginnings. It’s calming, soothing, dreamy.
Cloud Dancer evokes serenity, spaciousness and visual clarity, offering a sense of calm and lightness while inspiring creativity. As a versatile structural colour, Cloud Dancer provides a neutral foundation that allows other tones to shine, giving hairstylists a perfect canvas for experimentation and innovative techniques. But how will this ethereal hue influence hair colour and blonding trends in the year ahead? Here are a few of our predictions.
Return to Cool
For the last few years, blondes have embraced warmer, more golden tones that reflect a sun-kissed glow—a nod to the iconic styles of the ’80s and ’90s.
Celebrities have been at the forefront of this movement. Supermodel Bella Hadid debuted a radiant honey blonde by celebrity hairstylist Jacob Schwartz at the Cannes Film Festival. Singer and Redken global brand ambassador Sabrina Carpenter continued to shine this year with her signature voluminous golden locks throughout her Short n’ Sweet tour. Rapper and singer Doja Cat made waves at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards with her voluminous, ’80s-inspired blonde wig, coloured by Canadian hairstylist Roger Medina.
Looking ahead to 2026, Cloud Dancer signals a shift toward cooler, more ethereal tones. Icy blondes, fr osted tips and chunky platinum or pearl highlights will likely rise in popularity, reflecting Cloud Dancer’s delicate, neutral elegance. Hairstylists will have opportunities to experiment with soft whites and muted pastels, creating luminous, multidimensional effects that feel fresh and modern.
This trend also marks a return to high-maintenance bleach-and-tone techniques, moving away from rooted, lived-in blondes to embrace brighter, more sculpted and polished results. These shades offer a contemporary take on classic frosted and silver styles, garnering inspiration from iconic ’90s and early-2000s looks, including Paris Hilton’s paparazzi-ready ice blondes, Christina Aguilera’s chunky platinum highlights and NSYNC’s signature frosted tips.
From golden warmth to icy sophistication, Cloud Dancer sets the tone for 2026 hair trends that balance nostalgic references with forward-thinking innovation. For hairstylists, it’s an invitation to experiment with soft, airy tones and light-reflecting techniques that create luminous, multidimensional looks.
Pastel power
Cloud Dancer provides an ideal canvas for exploring pastel tones in 2026. Clients with level-10 blondes may be more open to subtle pops of pink, peach or blue, giving hairstylists opportunities to experiment with soft, multidimensional colour layering. The revival of Kylie Jenner’s King Kylie era for the 10-year anniversary of Kylie Cosmetics signals a renewed interest in pastel hair, a trend already embraced by celebrities such as Katy Perry, Kristen Stewart and others. These delicate hues complement the airy, neutral base of Cloud Dancer, creating luminous, modern looks that feel playful yet sophisticated, and offering a fresh transition from warm golden shades to cooler, ethereal tones.
Grey Area
For the past five years, more clients have been embracing their grey and white hair—opting for grey-blending services and demi-permanent colour options.
Celebrities including actresses Andie MacDowell, Sarah Jessica Parker and Meryl Streep have all embraced their silver strands while others like Salma Hayek and Cate Blanchett have begun incorporating more of their natural grey and white hair into their colour.
As clients continue to seek more low-maintenance colour options, grey blending will likely continue to be popular in the new year. For stylists, this can be an opportunity to introduce partial foils, lowlights and toners to clients, helping to transition their colour for a more polished result.
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