Latest news with #hairdye
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The one change that worked: I was born with brown hair. But becoming Ginger Rachel brought me true happiness
My hair has always been my pride and joy. Hairdressers would fawn over how long and thick it was. It was glossy, healthy and an unremarkable shade of light brown. But it never really felt like 'me'. As a teen I dyed it purple, pink, red, blue or all four, trying to find the magic shade that would make sense. Until disaster struck. When I was 18, I damaged my hair so badly with bleach that no colour would stick to it. After I spent two weeks as peroxide Barbie, my hairdresser saved what she could of my hair by dyeing it back to its natural mousy brown colour and chopping a good 14 inches off into a blunt bob. Much to her dismay, again bored with brown I bleached it a week later. It seemed I was in a permanent identity crisis that only a box of bleach could fix. Accepting that I was maybe just one bleach job away from my hair falling out, and wanting to return to the glory days of healthy, luscious locks, I started researching natural ways to restore my hair. After sampling every haircare product and trying DIY hair masks made from eggs, it seemed the best long-term solution would be to use henna, a natural dye. I thought I would try to keep it interesting by going for auburn, a dark red/orange that would fade so I could easily slather shocking pink over it. 'Auburn' was a little misleading and I ended up with bright ginger hair. When using henna the result can vary depending on your natural hair colour. But the second I saw my new hair colour, I finally recognised something in myself. My mum has naturally auburn hair. (Her hair used to be dark orange or red depending on the light. Some people, like me, would say ginger. She would disagree. It's up for debate.) She rocked this look in her 20s, when I was a young child. At 26, when I look in the mirror, I now see her looking back at me. For the past seven years I have been dyeing my hair ginger every month and I still get the same feeling of relief as I did the first time I saw those fiery strands. Everyone thinks it's natural. And it makes sense with my Scottish accent and pale complexion. My hair colour has become part of my identity. At an old job, I was even referred to as Ginger Rachel. When I told them my original hair colour was light brown, one co-worker very seriously told me it was an insult to his childhood struggles with being teased for being ginger. Another called me a fraud. The outrage has only confirmed that having ginger hair suits me. If I had never told anyone I wasn't naturally ginger, they would never have known. I even forget myself that it's fake until I have to dye it again. I'm committed to being Ginger Rachel for life.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
80s icon hits back at Meghan Markle after Duchess joked she resembled the horror star after using hair dye during Covid
AN ACTRESS has called out Meghan Markle who joked she looked like the star when she dyed her hair during lockdown. On her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, Meghan opened up about doing a DIY hair colouring job during Covid that reminded her of 80s horror star Elvira. 7 7 7 Speaking to pal Kadi Lee, who is the co-owner of hair salon Highbrow Hippie in California, Meghan revealed the story of how she met. It all began when she had a 'mishap' with some DIY hair dye. She explained on her show: 'So, my family had just moved to California, and we were staying in our friend's home, and because it was the pandemic, I kept ordering boxed hair dye. 'I thought, 'I'm going to look just like she does on the box', and instead, it was this very inky, almost Elvira-esque black hair.' Meghan had reached out to her wedding hairstylist Serge Normant for tips and he pointed her in the direction of Kadi and her hair salon. Speaking of how their friendship formed, the Duchess added: 'He said you need to see Kadi, and you came over.' The remark caught the attention of actress Cassandra Peterson, 73, who plays The Mistress of the Dark actress Elvira. Over the weekend, Elvira screenshotted a news headline about the comment, which read: 'Meghan Markle jokes she looked like Elvira after using box hair dye during the pandemic.' The actress saw the funny side of the comment, and captioned her post: 'Hey princess, if you ever need beauty advice from a queen just let me know', alongside the smirking face emoji. Many fans were quick to react to Cassandra's comical post, with one saying: 'Oh Meghan honey you wished that you looked like Elvira.' Trailer for dark 80s comedy Elvira Mistress of the Dark Another added: 'In her wildest dreams, she looked like Elvira.' However, lots of people defended Meghan and praised both women. One wrote: 'I'm a big fan of Elvira and Meghan Markle - they're both stunning, charming, and hilarious.' A second commented: 'Meghan Markle is the furthest thing from goth. Makes sense she wouldn't want to look like Elvira. It's not an insult.' 7 Elvira legacy Born September 17, 1951, Cassandra starting acting in the early '70s and has been nonstop ever since. She is most famously known for her Elvira character and has portrayed her in multiple productions over the years. Elvira's Movie Macabre led to Cassandra's biggest role as Elvira in the 1988 film Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and the 2001 film Elvira's Haunted Hills. 7 The TV show rose up from the dead in 2010 with Elvira hosting public domain films on This TV until 2011 followed by various spin offs. Thanks to her successful career, Peterson has been able to accumulate an estimated worth of $3 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. Most recently, Peterson was heard in Shoplifters of the World and Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!. She also published her memoir, Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark. Ariana dispute She revealed that the pop sensation is a bit of a fan of the eighties icon and asked for 21 free tickets to her latest show. Cassandra told the crowd at a special Halloween experience at Knott's Berry Scary Farm how Ariana and her family members attended the show but then refused to have a photograph together. "She came and she brought 20 guests. So, she wanted 21 tickets, and we were like 'okay'," said Cassandra. 7 "We give her the tickets, and she comes backstage and she asked if I could take pictures with all of her friends and relatives she brought. "I take a picture with every single one of them. I sign autographs for every single one of them. "Then I say to her 'Can we take a photo together?' and she goes, 'Nah, I don't really do that.'" To add further insult to injury, the star shared: "She left before my show started and all her relatives stayed... and she took off. Okay! Just sayin'.' Ariana has since responded to the claims and commented to Cassandra: "I'm so disheartened to see this. "I actually don't even remember getting the chance to meet you because I had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family (this was around 7 years ago and at the time i was really not great with being in public crowds or loud places)…" She added: "But if I'm misremembering this moment, I sincerely apologise for offending you so." How many Elvira productions have there been?
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Elvira makes cutting dig at Meghan after the Duchess joked she looked like the 80s horror icon when she used box hair dye during the pandemic
Elvira - an American horror icon from the '80s - has called out Meghan Markle after the Duchess of Sussex joked her locks looked like the star's when using box hair dye during the pandemic. The Mistress of the Dark actress, 73, whose real name is Cassandra Peterson, offered to share her 'beauty advice' with Prince Harry's wife in a recent Instagram post. It comes after Meghan, 43, opened up about her hair looking like 'Elvira's' in an episode of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, in April, alongside Kadi Lee, her friend and co-owner of hair salon Highbrow Hippie in Venice, California. The mother-of-two explained how she first met Kadi in 2020, the year she stepped down as a senior royal with Prince Harry, through leading hairstylist Serge Normant. Meghan had reached out to Serge that year for tips on how to rectify her 'inky' hair colour resulting from repeated boxed hair dye use, and he pointed her in the direction of Kadi. Over the weekend, Elvira shared a screenshot of a news headline about the discussion, which read: 'Meghan Markle jokes she looked like Elvira after using box hair dye during the pandemic'. She captioned her post: 'Hey princess, if you ever need beauty advice from a queen just let me know,' alongside the smirking face emoji. Fans were quick to react, with one person writing in the comments: 'Oh Meghan honey you wished that you looked like Elvira,' while another said: 'In her wildest dreams, she looked like Elvira.' Others complimented both Meghan and the horror star on their appearances; 'I'm a big fan of Elvira and Meghan Markle - they're both stunning, charming, and hilarious,' wrote one person. Another said: 'Ya'll gotta lighten up. We love Elvira. Everyone does. But not everyone wants to look like her. 'Hell, even Elvira doesn't want to look like Elvira all the time; she's a redhead! Meghan Markle is the furthest thing from goth. Makes sense she wouldn't want to look like Elvira. It's not an insult.' Speaking in her podcast, Meghan said: 'So, my family had just moved to California, and we were staying in our friend's home, and because it was the pandemic, I kept ordering boxed hair dye. 'I thought, "I'm going to look just like she does on the box", and instead, it was this very inky, almost Elvira-esque black hair.' The mother-of-two messaged Serge, who styled Meghan's hair for her wedding to Prince Harry two years prior, explaining, 'I had texted Serge, and he said you need to see Kadi, and you came over,' and the pair, who have since developed a close friendship, haven't looked back. Kadi recalled Meghan and Harry greeting her with 'big bear hugs' at the time, adding that the couple instantly acted in a 'warm' manner. Meghan isn't the only famous face that Elvira has called out - after the Mistress of the Dark star slammed Ariana Grande for allegedly snubbing her during a meet and greet with the Queen of Halloween. Reaction: Others complimented both Meghan and the horror star on their appearances; 'I'm a big fan of Elvira and Meghan Markle - they're both stunning, charming, and hilarious,' wrote one person The horror star spilled the tea during a 2024 event at Knott's Scary Farm - where she claimed Grande had requested '20 tickets' to her show - but then refused to take a photo with the actress. Elvira was asked about her worst celebrity encounters at the Q&A session - and quipped the star's name rhymed with 'Pariana Mande.' She continued: 'She came [to my show] and she brought 20 guests. So she wanted 20 or 21 tickets and we were like, "Okay!" and we gave her the tickets. Peterson said she invited Grande and her entourage backstage where the Yes, And? singer 'asked if she would take pictures with all of her friends and relatives'. Peterson said: 'So I take a picture with every single one of them. I sign autographs for every single one of them. And then I say to her, "Could we take a photo together?' and she goes, 'No, I don't really do that."' 'And then she left before my show started but all her relatives stayed.' Elvira's former show director Tom Vanucci added: 'It's all true!' Grande hit back at Elvira's claims - commenting on a post promoting the interview that she had an 'anxiety attack' and could not remember meeting the actress. She wrote: 'I'm so disheartened to see this. i actually don't even remember getting the chance to meet you because i had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family (this was around 7 years ago and at the time i was really not great with being in public crowds or loud places)… but if i'm misremembering this moment, i sincerely apologize for offending you so. 'thank you for being so nice to my mom, she told me how lovely you were (she might have different feelings about that now but i'll talk to her… clearly, we all have our days!) sending love always. ♡ you'll always be our queen of halloween!' contacted Grande's representatives for comment at the time. Elvira actress Peterson kicked off her career as a Las Vegas showgirl and a member of the comedy troupe The Groundlings, before transforming into the legendary horror hostess in 1981. She debuted Elvira's Movie Macabre on KHJ-TV, rapidly gaining a dedicated fanbase thanks to her signature gothic style, form-fitting black dresses, and sharp, humorous commentary on classic horror films. Her Elvira persona reached even greater fame with the release of Elvira: Mistress of the Dark in 1988, a film she co-wrote and helped propel her into pop culture stardom. Later on, she also starred in the 1993's sitcom The Elvira Show, where her character moved to Manhattan, Kansas, alongside her aunt Minerva and their talking cat, while working as a fortune teller and selling love potions. The witch was quick to become a fan's favourite and came back to the screens in Elvira's Haunted Hills in 2001. Elvira, who is told to bring to life scary movies while 'providing sarcastic, campy commentary' is also seen in the 2010's series Elvira's Movie Macabre, which features 5 seasons. The eccentric Mistress of the Dark came back for 13 Night Of Elvira in 2014, where she takes on movies like Puppet Master, Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death, and Evil Bong and 'skewers them in the sexy, spooky way that only she can', according to its synopsis. Cassandra donned her black wig and slipped once again into her plunging black dress for Elvira's 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special, Special - a 2021's TV mini series that celebrated her legendary role.
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diddy's embarrassing beauty secret revealed by new photos of raid on $40m mansion
Newly released images from a raid on Diddy 's Miami mansion appear to show how the music mogul's normally jet-black hair is a dye job. A box of 'Just for Men' black hair dye was among a cache of guns, drugs and 'freak off' paraphernalia found in the rapper's mansion when it was raided by agents in March 2024. Before his arrest months later, Diddy, 55, had always sported a more youthful jet-black hair and beard despite his advancing age. But when he was escorted in following many months behind bars in a Brooklyn jail he surprised the courtroom by showing up with grey hair. Diddy's apparent natural color grew through as reports said he appeared 'noticeably older' and had put on weight while he was incarcerated in the same facility as Luigi Mangione and Sam Bankman-Frie d. The image of Diddy's hair dye was revealed in court Wednesday as Homeland Security Special Agent Gerard Gannon talked jurors through the raid on the rapper's $40 million Miami home last year. He said federal agents used an armored vehicle to smash the gates to Diddy's home on the ultra-exclusive Star Island, before finding a trove of items including boxes of women's high heels. It came after a trauma expert who previously made headlines in the 2022 Amber Heard - Johnny Depp trial took the stand to testify over Diddy's alleged domestic abuse of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. In Special Agent Gannon's testimony on Wednesday, he said parts of AR-15 rifles were found all throughout the mansion. He added that one of the guns had a 'red dot' scope that makes it easier to hit a target, and investigators found many of the weapons had their serial numbers removed to make them untraceable. In a dramatic moment, he was asked to open an evidence bag in a cart next to him with scissors and stand before the jury holding up the upper part of the AR-15 rifle. Gannon assured the jury the gun had been rendered safe and held it up with both hands as jurors craned their necks to see. In total, Gannon said three large plastic boxes containing at least 26 bottles of Johnson's Baby Oil and 16 bottles of Astroglide lubricant were snapped during the Star Island raid. Boxes upon boxes of high heeled platform shoes of the type often worn by strippers were uncovered in the home The latest photo drop from the Star Island raid also includes a creepy image of a mirror covered with scrawls written in lipstick and makeup inside an opulent marble and gold bathroom. One written in black up high said 'Onward motion,' with another message apparently written in the same handwriting below reading: 'What do you WANT?' Other photos shown to jurors included multiple boxes of vertiginous high heels with huge platforms that are often favored by strippers and pole dancers. A box that appeared to contain a very revealing lime-colored one-piece bikini sat beside one pair of the shoes. Diddy was previously accused of using the party drug GBH for freak-offs, and seemingly illicit substances were also seized during the Miami raid. One brown sachet contained capsules marked 'golden teachers, 250mg.' That is a slang term for magic mushrooms. Plastic baggies containing rocks of a dark, crumbly-looking substance were photographed. Other baggies showed pink, blue and white pills. A box of nitrous oxide that may have been used as a party drug was also visible, as was a bright green suitcase emblazoned with the word 'Diddy' that was used for transporting marijuana. The images were shown shortly after it was revealed that rapper Kid Cudi was being called to testify in the ongoing trial, but his expected appearance on Wednesday was postponed due to scheduling issues. The rapper was readying to testify over an alleged romance he had with Cassie Ventura while she was dating Diddy - which was said to have enraged the disgraced rap mogul. In a lawsuit filed in November 2023, Cassie alleged that Diddy flew into such a heated rage that he blew up Kid Cudi's car. Cassie said that she began a brief relationship with Cudi during a 'rough patch' in her time with Diddy. She testified that Diddy discovered their affair when he went through her phone and found messages between the pair. After finding out about the alleged affair, Cassie claimed Diddy placed a manual corkscrew in between his fingers and lunged at her. During Paris Fashion Week, she claims Diddy told her he was going to blow up Kid Cudi's car and that he wanted to make sure he was home with his friends when it happened. 'Around that time, Kid Cudi's car exploded in his driveway,' the lawsuit stated of the alleged incident in February 2012. 'Ms. Ventura was terrified, as she began to fully comprehend what Mr. Combs was both willing and able to do to those he believed had slighted him.' Cassie later returned and the music executive allegedly hit her several times, and then kicked her in the back as she tried to run out the door, the filing claims. Cassie went on to settle the lawsuit with Diddy, months before he was indicted on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The JAW-DROPPING yearly cost women are saving at the salon with 'recession blonde' hair
Rachael, 27, had to break up with her hairstylist after the cost of dyeing her hair blonde had become too expensive for her budget. 'I could buy a plane ticket to Europe with one hair appointment,' she told And she's not alone, as millions of women across the United States have declared themselves too broke to shell out hundreds of dollars on high-maintenance dye jobs at the salon. Enter 'recession blonde'. The trend, which has recently taken over both TikTok and real-life hair salons, refers to low-maintenance colors and cuts that allow people to scale back on their spending amid woes of economic uncertainty. On social media, photos and videos of recession blonde have gone viral, as life-long blondes showcase their grown-out dark brown roots and cite money troubles as their reason why they have yet to touch up their contrasting locks. However, not everyone is willing to ditch the self-care tradition of dyeing their hair. Instead, they're opting for more manageable (and frugal) shades of blonde. According to expert hair stylists, an increasing number of clients are requesting these money-saving services, and some even think the 'recession blonde' trend is here to stay. Kate Ross, a 25-year-old beauty PR manager living in New York City, has been dyeing her hair platinum blonde every six to eight weeks for the last five years. With each session, which costs Kate up to $350, she was dishing out a whopping $1,800 to $2,100 a year at the salon, and that's not including tips or haircare products like purple shampoo. The frequent touch-ups required for platinum blonde were draining Kate's budget, so after learning about the recession blonde trend on social media, Kate instantly decided she needed a transformation. 'With rising costs – rent, groceries, everything – I needed to cut back without losing my style,' she told Instead of her usual icy blonde, this time Kate went for a warmer, darker blonde with softer roots. Now, she visits the salon every 12 to 16 weeks, paying just $150 for partial highlights and a cut. 'That switch saves me over $1,000 a year,' she revealed. Kate's math isn't entirely wrong, said Jessica Ruby of The Flamingo Lounge hair salon in Los Angeles. For Jessica, who's been doing hair for over 20 years, this isn't the first time she's seen people cut corners at the salon amid financial strain. As such, she's begun to offer her loyal customers a sliding scale of services – pay what you can, when you can. She needs to keep the lights on too, of course. 'With my regular clients, if they come to me and say, "I can't afford this, my husband just got laid off," I will say, "What is a budget that you can work with?"' The most popular recession-proof styles currently being requested at salons, according to stylists, is a 'hand painted balayage' or 'reverse balayage,' a coloring technique that creates a softer, multidimensional transition from root to end; a 'money piece,' which offers highlights around the face; and a 'gloss,' a low-cost color service that adds shine to otherwise dull hair. While these recession blonde styles may still cost a pretty penny, averaging between $200 to $400 depending on the salon, Jessica revealed that some customers have saved thousands of dollars by visiting the salon less frequently with these low-maintenance treatments. A 2024 report from Advanced Dermatology found American women spend an average $1,064 per year on their appearance – with women spending $286 per year on haircuts and hair coloring alone. However, one in six women admitted to spending more on beauty and wellness than they can afford. The study also found that nearly one in 10 Americans have gone into debt to pay for appearance-related products and services, with the average debt amounting to $1,342. This was unsurprising to Kristina Maccaro, the founder of Love Lane Salon in Jersey City, New Jersey. She's witnessed first-hand a downturn in clients shelling out hundreds of dollars for their usual color and cut. 'One of the things that we're hearing a lot right now is just how to be more cost-effective, and how to be lower maintenance with in-salon services or just routines in general,' she said. For Hope, the threat of potentially losing her job forced her to retire her dyed bleach blonde hair and embrace her natural-born dark roots 'Some of those touch ups can range from $200 to $700 a session, so clients are definitely concerned. 'They're embracing looks now that have more low lighting and more lived in dimension,' Kristina continued. 'We have a lot of clients who have families, so they're thinking about their obligations to their children, or other bills that they're starting to see increase.' For Hope, a 25-year-old database manager at a non-profit company, the threat of potentially losing her job forced her to retire her dyed bleach blonde hair and embrace her natural dark roots. She went into her local salon in Brooklyn and asked for a reverse balayage, despite her internal monologue attempting to convince her that the darker hair color will 'take away' from her bright and sunny personality. But for Hope, the freedom to spend a few hundred dollars on her hair only twice a year, compared to once every three months, was worth the mental gymnastics. Plus, seeing hundreds of other women on TikTok show off their recession blonde results has made Hope feel cautiously optimistic that she'll implement the money-saving hack for many years to come. 'In the back of my head, I think seeing people avoid bleaching their hair as a trend has made me not want to bleach it as often because, at the end of the day, I'm a follower of the trends,' she said. Recession blonde isn't the only cost-saving beauty trend to emerge online in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariffs. Do-it-yourself goods like hair glossing kits, press-on nails, lash extensions, self-tanners, brow lamination kits, and at-home waxing products have risen in popularity for salon results without the hefty price tag. Young women are also buying 'dupes,' products similar in appearance and functionality without the high price tag, especially when it comes to more affordable makeup and beauty products. Not only has 50-year-old Liz spent the last four months letting her dark roots grow out, but she's also cut back on trips to the nail salon too. 'My manis and pedis are off the budget and I'm letting my roots grow in, and will only be going to the salon three times a year at most, but more likely twice a year,' the Idaho-based marketing and PR executive told And Tracy, who's spent up to $400 every eight weeks on her high-maintenance platinum hair for the last 15 years, has reduced her hair salon budget to just $50 to $80 every three months. 'For me, the change is permanent,' she said. 'I might get some highlights in the future, however, I'm keeping it natural because it just feels better – more me, less pressure.' Recession blonde is just one of the hundreds of beauty trends to emerge on social media in recent years, but both life-long blondes and expert hair stylists agree this particular trend actually has staying power regardless of economic uncertainty. Not only is recession blonde more cost-friendly and lower maintenance than a full-head of highlights or bleach blonde locks, but it's also more appealing to the eye. 'I honestly think this trend is not going away because it just looks better,' said Nikki Corzine, the founder of Canyon Salon in Westlake Village, California. 'When you have a little bit of depth at your root, it just brings out your features and it overall looks better on people's skin tone.' For now, it's unclear exactly how much the beauty and haircare industry will be impacted by a potential recession. After all, some financial experts have long theorized that women actually spend more money on self-care goods and services during economic uncertainty – cough, cough, the 'lipstick effect' – as a way to treat themselves for being otherwise frugal in all other aspects of life.
