The term "blondes" refers to a collective group of women who have either natural or dyed blond hair. In popular culture, the term, "blondes", is often used as both a colloquial expression for great sex appeal and attractiveness, as well as to denote a derogatory stereotype. In the latter, blondes are viewed as being lacking in intellectual breadth and wisdom.
Hair color is determined by the amount of eumelanin and pheomelanin, which are two types of melanin found in the hair follicles. The greater the amount of eumelanin and pheomelanin, the darker the hair, the lower the amount, the lighter the coloration of the hair. People on this lower end of the scale have hair which can be classified as blond. This hair color ranges from extremely light colored hair, often termed as platinum blond, to darker shades often referred to as golden blond.
The determination of the amounts of eumelanin and pheomelanin is genitically based and is most pervasive in people of Northern European descent, although it can also be found amongst certain people in Central and Western Asia.
Artificial Hair Coloration
The hair coloring industry in the United States is a $1 billion dollar per year industry.http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reportinfo.asp?report_id=305358 Most hair dyes work by applying pigments to the hair in different combination so as to reflect light in a manner different to the person's natural shade of color. These pigments are classified on a scale of 1-10, with "1" referring to a black coloration, and "10" to a platinum blond lightness.http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip095.htm
People desiring to have blond hair often have to undergo a lightening process for their hair, where the hair follicles are treated chemically to strip them of portions of their natural pigmentation. This permits darker colored hair to acquire a lighter shade of dye in the coloration process.http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip095.htm
Blond Moment - 2007 Miss Teen USA
In this video from the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant, this contestant, Miss South Carolina, during a question and answer session for the judges, demonstrates what is often defined in popular culture as stereotypical "blond moment." This term refers to a person with broad physical appeal, but narrow intellectual appeal.
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Blond hair color is caused by lower levels of eumelanin and pheomelanin in hair follicles
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Fact:
Blond hair is genetically determined
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Fact:
Blond hair is most pervalent in people of Northern European ancestry
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Fact:
Over $1 billion dollars is spent in the U.S. on hair dying products
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Fact:
Blond hair can range from a very light "platinum blond," to a darker "golden blond"
