Pronunciation: [pəɹˈɒksa͡ɪd blˈɒnd] (IPA) 
Peroxide blonde is a term used to describe someone with very light-colored hair, often achieved through the use of peroxide-based hair bleach. The spelling of this word can be somewhat confusing due to the fact that the word "peroxide" contains both the letter "e" and the letter "o" in the middle. In phonetic transcription, the word is spelled /pəˈrɒksaɪd ˈblɒnd/, with the stress on the first syllable of each word.
Peroxide blonde refers to a person, typically a woman, who has artificially lightened their hair color to a very light or platinum blonde shade using hydrogen peroxide or other similar chemical bleaching agents. The term "peroxide" in the expression directly refers to hydrogen peroxide, which is commonly used in hair salons as a lightening agent.
A peroxide blonde is easily recognizable due to the unnatural and strikingly bright blonde color of their hair. This process of hair bleaching removes the pigment from the hair shaft, resulting in a lighter shade than the individual's original hair color. The term "peroxide blonde" often carries connotations of a certain stereotypical image, emphasizing a glamorous or attention-seeking appearance.
While the term can be used neutrally to describe someone who has lightened their hair using peroxide, it can also be employed in a derogatory sense, implying that the individual is superficial or trying too hard to conform to a specific standard of beauty. This definition of "peroxide blonde" is rooted in societal perceptions and judgments related to hair color and personal style.
Overall, "peroxide blonde" denotes an individual, typically a woman, whose hair has been chemically lightened to an extremely light shade of blonde using hydrogen peroxide or similar bleaching products.
The term "peroxide blonde" originated from the use of hydrogen peroxide as a bleaching agent for hair. The word "peroxide" comes from the Latin words "per" meaning "through" or "completely" and "oxydare" meaning "to oxidize". The process of bleaching hair using hydrogen peroxide involves the oxidation of melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color, which results in lightening or removing the color from the hair strands. Over time, the term "peroxide blonde" has come to describe individuals, typically women, who have artificially bleached their hair to achieve a very light blonde shade using hydrogen peroxide or similar chemicals.
