Kim Kardashian made us all do a double take on Sunday, February 25, when she shared on social media that she had traded in her icy blonde locks for a pastel pink ‘do. While fans initially speculated KKW was rocking a colorful wig like her sister Kylie Jenner is known to do, the mom of three quickly put the rumors to rest, tweeting “It’s real,” in relation to the bubblegum-inspired hue. Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton was responsible for the dramatic color change, and, in a new post on her app, he and Kardashian spill all the secrets behind the new style.
It all began last summer, when Kardashian posed for issue 11 of the CR Fashion Book in a shoot inspired by ‘90s icons like Pamela Anderson and Lil’ Kim. In an ode to the rapper, the beauty mogul sported a pink wig that bears a striking resemblance to her new hairstyle. On her app, KKW explained that she has been considering going pink ever since, and she and Appleton — the mane man behind Hollywood darlings like J.Lo, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande — have been plotting the change for about a month. Kardashian wrote that her platinum blonde tresses were the ideal base for the new shade, so she “figured now was the perfect timing!”
Admitting the bold hue may “only last for a week or two,” KKW said she is having fun with the pink and both her husband Kanye West and daughter North have signed off on the shade. “North absolutely loves it! She was so excited when she woke up to see I had pink hair,” she shared. “Kanye loves it, too. He thinks it’s fun to mix things up.” Back in 2016, West even sported the shade, adding hints of pink to his then-blond buzzcut.
On Instagram, Appleton helped break the news of her new color, sharing several photos of the reality star posing with her updated ‘do. He also posted a picture of a bowl filled with fuchsia hair dye and the cheeky caption “new look who dis?” In the post on Kardashian’s app, Appleton explained it took some time to nail down the shade that would best compliment her skin tone, and he recommends experimenting with wigs first to ensure you land on the right color.
But, as it turns out, settling on a shade is the easy part. Caring for the color-treated tresses is whole other ballgame. In order to avoid re-bleaching (and further weakening) KKW’s hair, the duo decided to incorporate her dark roots that he said “worked perfectly” with the new look. While maintaining the vibrant shade “can be tricky,” Appleton shared some of his tips to make the color last.
As is true with any color change, an Olaplex treatment will help keep hair strong and glossy. Appleton likes a sulphate-free shampoo like the Color Wow Security Shampoo between colorings to prevent stripping, but stressed it is key to avoid over-washing. “A color like Kim’s is super delicate,” he said, “so I recommend dry shampoo when possible.”
While it remains to be seen how long KKW sticks with the new ‘do, we love that she mixing things up!
