Thank U, Next! Ariana Grande Ditches Blonde And Returns To Her Roots
Whether it’s the lack of sunlight or the fact that the world’s colour palette has recently shifted to a melange of russet, copper, brown, maroon and ochre tones, autumn always feels like the perfect moment to venture over to the dark side. Case in point: Ariana Grande, who revealed she’s swapped the icy-blonde hair she adopted for her role as Glinda in the Oscar-winning Wicked, for a warm, chestnut brunette on Wednesday. “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?” the star captioned a candid mirror selfie on Instagram.
The transformation comes courtesy of Grande’s go-to colourist, Francesco De Chiara, at Nicola Clarke Salon – the same pro who took the star blonde in the first place. “We wanted a change and a new vibe for the Wicked: For Good press tour,” De Chiara tells Vogue exclusively of the “rich coffee mocha” shade. The shift, he explains, was gradual: over several months, he began weaving lowlights – darker ribbons of colour – through her hair to ease the transition.
“Going from blonde to brunette can be a journey,” he notes. “The hair first needs to be re-pigmented with warmer tones before moving ahead with a darker colour. And because blonde sits underneath, it’s important to keep refreshing the tone – not only to prevent fading, but to stop the lighter colour from slowly reappearing.”
To achieve Grande’s glossy, multi-dimensional brunette, De Chiara blended varying shades of coffee, chocolate and soft caramel, finishing with a luminous gloss. The result? The kind of brunette that autumn dreams are made of.
For those inspired to follow suit, De Chiara offers one golden rule: “Always ask your colourist to find the best shade of brown – or dark blonde – that complements your skin tone,” he advises. “It’s essential to achieving a shade that truly works for you.” Existing brunettes can also experiment with warm lowlights to add extra depth and radiance for the season ahead.
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From there, it’s simple: a colour-safe shampoo and some diligent upkeep. But when your hair looks that good, who’s complaining?