How To Get Popular Celebrity Hair Color

Photo: Courtesy of David Fisher/REX USA.

I graduated beauty school in 1986, and have been most passionate about hair color ever since, which has proven to be a good thing because getting the "hair color of the moment" is a request I receive almost on a daily basis. I've been at the Oscar Blandi Salon in NYC for almost 15 years, and one thing that no longer surprises me is clients asking for specific celebrity hair colors. After Carolyn Bessette married JFK Jr., everyone came in wanting to copy her hair. When Jessica Simpson's reality show was all the rage, it was her color that my clients desired. At the moment, there are five celebrities whose hair color my clients request most often, so I decided to put together a list of those stars and information about how you can get the same look.

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For best results, you might want to go for a celebrity color that's already similar to your own. A competent colorist can work with you no matter what shade you currently have, but these descriptions are meant to help women achieve a color that isn't the opposite of their natural.

Blake Lively
So, what should you ask your colorist for if you want Blake's multi-tonal buttery blonde hair color? Ask for a dark golden-blonde base. Then, ask to have some bright pale baby blonde highlights placed around the hairline and top styling area of your head. Your stylist should seal the deal with a clear gloss. Boom — you’ve got Blake.

Photo: Courtesy of MediaPunch Inc/REX USA.

Olivia Palermo
To get Olivia's hair color, what you need is a very fine weave of highlights just off the roots. When I'm trying to replicate this look, I aim for a subtle progression of color from the roots down, which leads to heavier lightness on the hair's ends. The finishing touch is a rose gold gloss. This blends the multiple tones and gives it that beautiful rosy glow, which works so well with her complexion — and which, if done right, can enhance your own glow.

Request a subtle highlight that progresses in fatness at the ends. Make sure you have a rose gold glaze to blend the tones which, in turn, will produce that beautiful warm glow.

Photo: Courtesy of Camilla Morandi/REX USA.

Emma Stone
You might be surprised to hear that of all the celebrity hair color requests I receive, this one is the easiest to replicate. I can tell by looking at Emma's hair that it's first tinted with a single process color: vibrant copper red. My professional take is that highlights of 24, 14, and 18 carat gold are woven throughout to give dimension.

If this is the color you want, ask your color stylist for a copper red. This type of red is more in the orange family, and combined with golden highlights and lowlights that are complementary to the base color will have you sporting an Emma Stone 'do in no time.

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Photo: Courtesy of Nils Jorgensen/REX USA.

Jessica Biel
Jessica's hair is a great example of sombré (a more natural looking version of ombré) I’ve been talking about this season. When I go about achieving Jessica’s look for a client, I start by placing a connecting honey-colored highlight on the hair line. I then place a haze of finely woven strands throughout the top of her head, exactly where the sun would lighten hair naturally. These pieces progress into fatter swatches of lightness that are reflected in the ends of the hair.

When you get to the chair, the best way to communicate what you’re after is by simply bringing in a picture of Jessica Biel, where her hair most closely matches the color you want. Ask your colorist for a rich medium-brown base with honey ombré highlights on the ends and a connecting hairline highlight in the same shade to marry the colors.

Photo: Courtesy of Erik Pendzich/REX USA.

Kim Kardashian
I have so many clients who come in asking to get Kim K's hair, which is naturally dark brown. To get her noticeably rich color palette, I enhance clients' hair with a semi-permanent color in espresso brown. For the full shine that I know my clients are really looking for, I use emollients and moisturizers on top of the color. This creates a subtle tone on tone that's finely woven through highlights that are strategically placed just off the root and throughout the ends of her hair. This gives subtle dimension that prevents dark hues from looking so dense and solid. Lastly, the color is sealed with a clear gloss.

So, next time you’re at the salon, just ask your colorist for a rich dark brown base color with very subtle finely woven highlights only one shade lighter than the base.

The fun thing for me as a stylist about the "color of the moment" is getting to try new and different things. Six months from now, I'm sure my top five requested celeb hair colors will be totally different. And, if you're the experimental type, this is good news for you, too.