How Platinum Blonde Became the Ultimate Oscars Red Carpet Hair Strategy

How many ways are there to stand out in a sea of couture gowns on the red carpet? Try taking a page out of nominee Michelle Williams’s beauty playbook. The actress’s razor-sharp white-blonde pixie cut has made her a force to be reckoned with this season, infusing her look with high-impact, head-turning appeal while requiring little else in the way of a finishing touch.

“Pearly, platinum blonde—it looks amazing in photos,” says West Hollywood–based colorist Nina Kairouz. From her chair at the city’s Mare salon, she’s been doing a brisk trade in bleach and tone the last few months. Appearing that much more shocking in the cold-weather months, when hair traditionally tends to run darker, it has emerged as the fastest way to shake up a signature look. Or, as Beverly Hills colorist Sarah Conner says of the transformative jolt it provides, “It’s almost a hair color rebellion.”

Certainly Williams’s arctic-blonde pixie cut is not the first time an Oscar hopeful has adopted the brilliant awards season strategy. Jennifer Lawrence’s ashy peroxide lob was last year’s winning look; and while it’s not technically on the awards season circuit, Katy Perry recently stepped out front row at Marc Jacobs—the fashion flock’s equivalent of an uncontested power destination—with a coolly blanched bob.

And, you don’t have to live large on the big screen to benefit from its skin-brightening powers. “The reason people usually want to go lighter in the winter is the skin is more sallow,” says colorist Kadi Lee, who recently took Amber Valletta from golden to a much paler blonde. In other words, somewhat counterintuitively, “It’s a more flattering choice.”

“Anyone can do winter blonde, as long as they go for a tone that’s right for their skin tone and eye color,” agrees Chad Kenyon, who likes to add balayage and paint ashy roots onto bleached hair when necessary for dimension and softness. That said, “It’s a commitment,” warns Kairouz. A schedule of regular salon visits—think every five weeks—is mandatory, as is an arsenal of products specially formulated for bleached hair, from a hydrating shampoo to a restorative deep-conditioning treatment. In fact, the latter may be just the way to spend Oscars night at home. After about three hours watching acceptance speeches in the right miracle mask, even hair that’s been dyed an extreme shade of platinum will feel like spun gold.

Here, five colorist-approved products for your future white-blonde arsenal.