"Foiled Cashmere" Is The CBK-Inspired Blonde Everyone Wants Right Now

Just when everyone thought the clean girl era was out, Ryan Murphy’s Love Story pulled us right back in. Thanks to the FX series about Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr., barely-there makeup and black turtlenecks have become shorthand for being in-the-know — but the real flex? Buttery blonde hair that’s so old-money even Kim Kardashian couldn’t help but copy it.

Kari Hill, a Schwarzkopf Professional ambassador and the colorist behind Sarah Pidgeon’s transformation, describes the shade as “luxurious” and “highly intentional” — a present-day interpretation of CBK’s signature ’90s blonde achieved using modern blonding techniques. It’s warm and golden, but without the chunky sections that defined the decade. Instead, precision foiling creates finer, blended pops of blonde for a finish that looks seamless, not streaky.

As clients crave bolder and blonder shades, says Hill, the pendulum isn’t just swinging back to brighter tones — it’s also reviving “the old-school schedule” of regular salon upkeep.

Ahead, everything to know about “foiled cashmere,” the Bessette Kennedy-inspired hair trend poised to take over spring.

The “Foiled Cashmere” Hair Technique

Chances are, longtime blondes are already familiar with CBK’s iconic color. That’s because her hair ranks alongside Winona Ryder’s pixie cut and Jennifer Aniston’s layered blowout as mainstays in the throwback beauty hall of fame. “Clients since the ’90s have used her as a reference,” Hill says. But spoiler: Bessette blonde isn’t just one signature shade.

In the early ’90s, her hair was darker and more downtown cool girl — reflected in the earlier episodes with a softer root, light brown base, and brassier blonde pieces framing the face. After she met John F. Kennedy Jr., however, her blonde went lighter, glossier, and more uniform. But Hill emphasizes that you can achieve both of Bessette Kennedy’s looks with the foiled cashmere technique.

“For the earlier years, we did a gradient toning — darker underneath, more dimensional pieces throughout the top and the front of her hair, almost rogue and aggressive,” she explains. “Then, as we saw Carolyn’s hair transform through the later ’90s, it became more solid and sophisticated, so we glossed [Pidgeon’s] hair to make it pop with that golden brightness.”

Regardless of your inspiration, warm undertones are at the center of both iterations — a major part of the mass appeal, according to Hill, who notes that buttery finishes “complement more skin tones than cool, white platinum.”

Case in point? Pidgeon may be the face of the revival, but she’s not the only celebrity to rock Bessette blonde lately. Ali Larter and Sydney Sweeney have also leaned into similarly bright golden blondes, proving that the trend isn’t just fleeting nostalgia but part of a larger shift towards candlelit, high-maintenance color.

What To Ask For

The foiled cashmere technique starts with a full head of highlights stacked back-to-back. Keep a brown smudge root for less maintenance during the grow-out process, or take those highlights to the root and be as blonde and bright as you want.

Thankfully, you can achieve a more luminous shade without the ’90s damage. Schwarzkopf Professional’s BLONDME® 9+ Premium Lightener was developed with bond protection technology that helps seal the hair cuticle while your color lifts. Plus, toners like Schwarzkopf’s Igora Vibrance are also infused with vitamin B to help add shine — meaning you can get CBK-level brightness without frying your strands.

BTW, it’s not only blondes having more fun here — the technique also works with brunettes and redheads, according to Hill. “You can do the exact same foil application,” she explains. “The difference is in the glossing.” Pairing perfectly with the equally trendy ’90s blowout, the result is “smart, sexy, and luxurious.”

The verdict? Going into the salon every eight weeks might sound like a commitment, but the results speak for themselves.