Well, we’ve all been here! Too busy to book an appointment, Diane Kruger decided to spruce up her signature blonde locks with a drugstore box gloss, and recently revealed it’s the reason she accidentally ended up with reddish-brown locks in October.
“Oh, my God, I hadn’t colored my hair in six months, and I had been away working for two months. I’m in New York, and it looked a little dull, so I just thought, I’ll go to [a drugstore] and buy a gloss,” Kruger told Allure when they asked her whether or not the color was for a role. “Only it turned my hair a dark, mud brown. I called anybody that I know in New York who could help me. Serge Normant [Salon] literally saved me this morning. And now it’s still slightly red, but it’s getting better. I have to keep going back. The woman at the salon who is helping me said it’s going to take three visits.”
Despite the hair trauma, Kruger, 39, debuted much shinier, almost back-to-normal blonde locks at amfAR’s Inspiration Gala in L.A. on Oct. 29. But getting her tresses back to their original brilliance wasn’t an easy feat. “[Kruger] used a semi-permanent gloss — the level was a six to seven ashy dark blonde,” hair colorist Gina Gilbert, who is restoring the Inglourious Basterds actress’ hair, tells Us. “She put the gloss all over from root to tips for 15 to 20 minutes. Because her hair was so light blonde before, it soaked up the color. Her blonde, processed ends [turned] darker because they are very porous. Luckily, she only did it one time.”
The process of getting back to Kruger’s original shade isn’t as simple as sitting in the chair for one visit. “It takes about three times for the base color to stay. You need to get a buildup so the color doesn’t fade or wash out,” Gilbert, who works at the Serge Normant at John Frieda salon in NYC, says.
Gilbert, who has also worked with Sarah Jessica Parker and Julia Roberts, warns against taking matters into your own hands. “It’s very difficult to fix a color disaster yourself at home,” she says. “If you have even the smallest of doubt that your hair may break, run to see a professional!”
To avoid a coloring disaster like Kruger’s, L’Oreal Paris celebrity colorist Kari Hill tells Us “education is key.” “Before even heading to the store, I recommend researching hair color terms to truly understand what you are looking for, so you know what to buy,” Hill tells Us, adding that L’Oreal’s website is a good resource. “There’s a long list of at-home hair color products ranging from semi-permanent color, permanent color, permanent highlighting kits, ombre kits, and more. If you aren’t familiar with the different types, then it makes picking the right product difficult.”
Don’t just grab a box and hope for the best. “I always tell clients that the boxes don’t lie! Take your time and be sure to read it in its entirety before just running out of the store,” Hill says. “It’s pertinent to be realistic. If you have jet black hair, you can’t grab a bright blonde at-home kit. I recommend always staying within two shades of your current hair color.”
What do you think of Diane’s color mishap?Tweet with @UsWeekly using the hashtag #stylebyUs!
