How to Lighten Dark Hair for Summer, According to Beyoncé’s Colorist

Beyoncé is an icon in every sense of the word, especially when it comes to her fashion and beauty choices. She doesn’t just deliver “looks.” Whenever an album drops, we get unforgettable, drawn-out moments.  For instance, “Lemonade braids” are actually a thing, thanks to the statement-making “Formation” video. And who could forget when she whipped her beach-side bob back and forth in the “Drunk in Love” video?

MORE: How to Protect Your Hair at the Beach This Summer

We’d need a considerable amount of time to really delve into her hair history, but the common thread throughout most of it is her penchant for honey-hued locks. For that, she has to thank long-time colorist Rita Hazan, who also counts a gang of other A-listers, like Jennifer Lopez, as clientele.

And because we’re always game for tips that have any remote connection to Queen Bey, we’re jotting down Hazan’s latest ones, courtesy of a recent interview with Us Magazine. First, if you’re a brunette that wants to lighten up for the summer, “make your highlights a lighter shade” and“leave some dark tones for dimension.”

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“You can lighten your overall base color one to two shades, but I wouldn’t go any lighter than that,” she said. “For olive skin tones like JLo, it’s important to keep the contrast.” And once you have taken the color plunge, be sure to always use products specifically formulated for color-treated tresses, like her Weekly Remedy or the SPF-infused Lock + Block a favorite of Jessica Simpson.

MORE: Stunning Celeb Inspo for Highlighted Hair

And as for the length, Hazan predicts that super-long hair–like the ones Bey sported for her Coachella performance or the Lopez’s 50-inch extensions at the Billboard Latin Music Awards–will be more popular than ever.

“Picture it: you’re tan and hanging at the pool, and you want long, sun-kissed hair to flip around. It’s sexy!,” she said. If you’re planning to spend a lot of time at the beach, amp up your color and texture even more with some of our favorite sea salt sprays.