Regardless of your natural hair color or how many times you've complained about breakage, come springtime - when that warm sunshine starts kissing your shoulder blades - you will probably get a visceral itch to go blonde again. We all feel it, and if there's anyone who can convince you to take the plunge, it's Emma Roberts. The blonder shade, with a subtly shadowed root, came courtesy of L.A.'s seasoned colorist Nikki Lee, who tells us that this brightened tone is purposefully edgier than the polished platinum Roberts has worn in the past. "Instead of doing the typical bright blonde we went for a 'boho sunrise tone,'" Lee explains. "Something that felt a bit more undone and effortless."
Like Julia Roberts, Emma loves to switch up her hair color, and she's made every shade- from burnished auburn to dark brunette - look great. But this new, fun, boho look, styled with waist-length extensions, might be our favorite style to date. It makes her sun-kissed skin glow, emphasizes her feathered brows, and this shot is seriously convincing us to find a similar white eyelet blouse ASAP.
Of course, flip flopping color from dark to light merits an important conversation about damage control. Lee assures us she took all the necessary precautions with Emma to ward against blonde breakage. "With the help of Joico Blonde Life lightener and my go-to Olaplex, I was able to keep her hair in great condition," she explains. Emma Roberts is getting ready for spring by changing up her look. On April 4, the actor touched up her hair color, resulting in a bright, new, buttery-blond hue. Nikki Lee, celebrity hairstylist and co-owner of Nine Zero One Salon in California, is responsible for Roberts's recent transformation. She captioned the look "Emma 🌼 Back to blonde!" and once you see the results, you'll immediately notice perfectly time it is for the new season.
Roberts's hair was previously closer to dirty blond dubbed "Tiramisu" with shadow roots (where a person's natural color at the roots is blended in with the rest of the head). Though it has always been Roberts's signature, blond hair has been a popular color choice this year, in part thanks to TV shows like Hulu's "Pam & Tommy," as well as the upcoming "Barbie" movie. Celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Kim Kardashian went the bleached-blond Pamela Anderson route, while others like Lily James and Zoey Deutch opted for a softer Barbie blond. If you're considering going lighter yourself, take a closer look at Roberts's hair for some inspiration.
From blonde to brunette to red and every shade in between, Emma Roberts is the ultimate hair color chameleon. In honor of the Scream Queen star’s birthday, here’s a look back at the actress’s best hair moments so far. The young actress attended the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party in 2006 with her golden blonde locks in relaxed curls. Roberts went brunette at the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party in 2007 with her locks side parted in loose waves and sun-kissed skin. Simply chic, Roberts kept her dark brunette hair in a sleek bun wit rosy cheeks at The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons film premiere in 2008. Roberts attended a screening of Brothers in 2009 with tousled curls and a soft pink lip. Roberts wore her auburn red locks in a simple up do with a golden eye at the 8th Annual Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party in 2010. At the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute in 2011, Roberts wore her shoulder length, blonde locks in tousled waves with a sleek cat eye. Roberts arrived at the Victoria’s Secret 7th Annual What Is Sexy? Getty Images
Emma Roberts is kicking off 2026 with a new hair color… or is she? The whole “new year, new me” thing is admittedly overdone, but there is something so inspiring and fresh about the start of a brand new year. It almost makes you want to, well, dye your hair! And in Roberts's case, that meant going back to her roots and swapping her 2025 red in favor of a bright and buttery blonde-a.k.a. her go-to hue. Roberts began 2025 by ditching the blonde in favor of a bold copper red that she called “sunrise red,” and wore the shade all year long. But as 2026 began, so too did the blonde cravings. So she called up colorist Nikki Lee, who brought out the bleach to restore Roberts to her signature shade. Going from red to blonde is a journey, and Roberts documented it in a video showing off the entire process, which took nine hours from start to finish. There was bleaching. There was shampooing. There was foiling. And the end result was a cheerful golden blonde with a bit of added length for even more impact. “While her red era was stunning and worn for nearly a year, this transition back to blonde marked a return to the shade where Emma feels most like herself,” Lee shared.
Fans wasted zero time hopping into Roberts's comments and referencing some of her most beloved onscreen characters, who just so happen to be blonde: Scream Queens queen bee Chanel Oberlin and American Horror Story: Coven's Hollywood starlet-slash-witch Madison Montgomery. Roberts is set to return for AHS 13, and while we we're still waiting for more plot details regarding the much-anticipated season, some fans think the blonde means there's more to Madison Montgomery's story. (Her last appearance was in 2018's Apocalypse.) Whether she's prepping to step back into Madison's black stiletto heels or just needed a change timed to the new year, it's clear that Roberts is living her best blonde life once more. Kara Nesvig is a freelance writer based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her writing has appeared in publications like Teen Vogue, People, Apartment Therapy, and Brides. Her love of all things beauty started as a child when she would sneak into her mom’s bedroom to play with Dior Poison bottles. Kara is ...
A new year often invites reinvention-and for Emma Roberts, that meant returning to a look that feels unmistakably her own. Big color changes don’t happen on a whim-especially when hair health is the priority. In the months leading up to the appointment, preparation was key. “In just seven hours, Emma Roberts has officially returned to her iconic golden blonde-a look that feels like home for her,” shares Nikki Lee. The color process itself was all about precision and control. Nikki began by gently removing the copper tones using BlondorPlex with a low-volume developer, carefully preserving Emma’s natural regrowth. From there, the base was softly brightened to blend seamlessly, creating an even, luminous canvas. To perfect the tone and elevate shine, a Shinefinity Zero Lift Flash Glaze was applied as the final gloss. The result? A softly warm, light-reflective finish that looks effortless on camera and in real life. The transformation was completed with a fresh cut designed to feel modern and versatile-textured layers through the interior with a full perimeter that allows for easy styling. This return to golden blonde is more than a color change-it’s a reminder that the most iconic looks are often the ones that feel authentic.
Red dye molecules love to hold onto hair. There is no sign of red hanging out in the beautiful transformation created by Wella Professional Global Ambassador Nikki Lee on her longtime client, actress Emma Roberts. Lee used all the technique, product, and time (7 hours) to dislodge the copper red and bring in the blonde. You can see the full results here. Achieving such a dramatic shift required careful planning and the right products. For three months leading up to the transformation, Emma strengthened her hair with Wella Professionals Ultimate Repair line to ensure it could withstand the process while maintaining integrity and shine. “In just seven hours, Emma Roberts has officially returned to her iconic golden blonde, a look that feels unmistakably her. While her red era was stunning and worn for nearly a year, this transition back to blonde marked a return to the shade where Emma feels most like herself.” - Nikki Lee
Get the Look: Emma Roberts Born-This-Way Blonde. The transformation began with gently removing the red using Wella Professionals BlondorPlex with a 6 volume developer, leaving the natural regrowth untouched. Her natural base was softly lifted using Wella Professionals Blondor Base Breaker /86 and a 10 volume developer to brighten and blend seamlessly. After an initial gloss to create an even blonde canvas, fine highlights were added throughout for brightness using Wella Professionals BlondorPlex with 6 and 10 volume developer, while subtle lowlights were placed to create natural dimension and movement with Wella Professionals Color Touch 8/0 with 13 volume developer. The final gloss was done using Wella Professionals Shinefinity Zero Lift Flash Glaze1 0/6, delivering a luminous, softly warm finish with incredible shine.
Why the Boho Sunrise Blonde Works
The new shade is described as a “boho sunrise tone” that feels undone and effortless, with a subtly shadowed root that preserves depth and grow-out compatibility. This approach flatters springtime skin tones and blends seamlessly with natural regrowth, making the style both chic and practical for maintenance.
Extensive preparation and a careful product lineup ensure durability of the lighter shade. The process emphasizes minimizing damage while achieving a luminous result, and it includes a combination of lighteners, bond builders, and a glossy finish for shine and health.
Key factors in Roberts’s hair health during color change
- Use of bond-building and protective products to prevent breakage.
- Controlled lifting with low-volume developers to preserve elasticity.
- Final gloss and subtle highlights to maintain natural movement.
- Beautifying cuts and texture that support styling versatility.
Inspiration and Cultural Context
Roberts’s color journey reflects a broader trend toward lighter, sun-kissed blondes that blend modern edge with natural warmth. This year’s blonde moment aligns with pop culture influences from television and film, including characters and roles that celebrate lighter hues as a signature look for certain personas.
For readers exploring a lighter shade, Emma Roberts’s transformation demonstrates how a strategic blend of root shadow, soft lift, and glossy finish can create a wearable, camera-ready result that still feels authentic to the wearer’s identity.
- The young actress’s blonde phase at the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party in 2006 showcased relaxed curls that defined early style.
- Her brunette shift at a 2007 event highlighted sun-kissed waves and a different vibe.
- A sleek brunette bun with rosy cheeks in 2008 emphasized minimalism and polish.
- 2009 brought tousled curls with soft pink lips for contrast.
- 2010 featured auburn red locks in a simple updo with golden eye makeup.
- 2011 saw blonde shoulder-length locks with tousled waves and bold cat eye.
This article uses quotes and information about Emma Roberts’s hair color changes, the role of colorists like Nikki Lee, and the products used to achieve a healthy, vibrant blonde look that suits her style and career trajectory.