I Tried the Scandi Hairline Technique, and I've Never Felt More Myself

Anyone who colors their hair blond knows that it's a serious commitment. We're talking hours in the salon, root touchups every few months (or weeks), and tireless at-home maintenance to keep the shade from going dull and brassy - not to mention the price tag. However, those who are up for the challenge also know the pure ecstasy that comes with achieving the perfect blond you've been envisioning in your head.

That moment came recently for me when I tried out the Scandi hairline color technique with the help of Jess Gonzalez, an LA-based colorist and the brains behind Billie Eilish's now-iconic colored roots. According to Gonzalez, the Scandi hairline is defined by being bright and natural-looking. Her goal is to create "a natural sun-bleaching effect on the hair as if you were in the Scandinavian sun all day." Keep reading to see how the Scandi hairline technique is done and why you should try it out at your next color appointment.

Experts Featured in This Article

Jess Gonzalez is a celebrity hair colorist at Benjamin Salon in Los Angeles.

What Is the Scandi Hairline Technique?

When you look up the Scandi hairline technique, many of the colorists show how they apply the color directly to the scalp. However, Gonzalez prefers to balayage the hair following the natural hairline rather than doing it all bleached forward. "Balayage ensures the soft grow-out," she says. And if you prefer to wait a little longer between touch-ups and don't want the color to be quite as bright, Gonzalez says she is able to tone it down a bit. Plus, the technique can be applied to pretty much any hair color - not just blond. "Depending if the person is brunette, blond, or a redhead, the same technique could be used," she says. "[Your colorist] would just gloss it to the desired tone after rinsing out the balayage."

Before getting the Scandi hairline color, make sure to tell your colorist how you like to wear your hair on a daily basis - for example, in a slick-backed bun, down and straight, or air dried - as this will impact how the color is applied to the hairline so that it works for your lifestyle. Gonzalez also says to bring pictures with you to your appointment so your colorist can get a sense of what you're hoping for.

My Hair Before the Scandi Hairline Color

I Tried the Scandi Hairline Technique, and I've Never Felt More Myself

The Process of the Scandi Hairline Technique

I Tried the Scandi Hairline Technique, and I've Never Felt More Myself

Every colorist's process is going to be a little bit different, but the main focus here is on the hairline and the little baby hairs around your head. At my appointment, Gonzalez used balayage around my hairline and then blended the color through the rest of my hair to even out some of the yellowness I was experiencing from a previous appointment. She used cotton ball strips to divide the sections and wrapped everything in plastic wrap, and I spent about 20 minutes under heat. She used a toner and gloss at the sink, as well as a deep hydration mask for the final touch.

My Scandi Hairline Results and Maintenance

I Tried the Scandi Hairline Technique, and I've Never Felt More Myself

The biggest perk for me is that the color is super soft, blended, and brightens up my face. This is truly the blond I was always meant to be. I can already tell the grow-out is going to be seamless and allow me to wait a little longer between appointments without feeling like I have a straight-line block of dark roots (every blond's nightmare). Gonzalez says that a maintenance appointment can be as often as six weeks just to touch up the grow-out or to do a tone to extend the grow-out. She says that a refresh at about eight weeks is what she typically recommends.

For me, the biggest at-home consideration is keeping the color bright and avoiding brassiness. Gonzalez's go-to products are the Milbon Reawaken Renewing Shampoo ($37, originally $40) and Conditioner ($55, originally $60). For blonds specifically, she says the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask ($75) and the K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil ($65) are a must.

Aviel Kanter is the director of branded content for Vox Media, and oversees lifestyle content across the portfolio of brands. She manages a team of editors that writes articles in the wellness, fitness, beauty, fashion, health, entertaining, pets, and finance categories. She is also a beauty enthusiast and contributes many articles to the PS Beauty editorial site.