Ariana Grande may be leaving her Glinda era, but her hair isn’t quite ready to follow suit.
Earlier this month the 32-year-old actor debuted a glossy new chestnut brown hair color courtesy of a toner treatment from celebrity colorist Francesco De Chiara. Grande’s return-to-roots was a major switch-up from the honey blonde tone she’s maintained since starting rehearsals for Wicked in 2022. But fans have noticed that her new brunette tone has lightened since the original reveal, and according to Grande, it isn’t intentional.
“My hair doesn’t want to be brunette,” she said during one of her final Wicked press tour interviews with costar Cynthia Erivo posted on November 17. “It’s spitting out the toner every time.” With notably lighter, warm brown hair slicked into a bun, Grande also joked that while she’s not a method actor, her hair seems to be: “I’m telling you, I washed my hair one time and woke up with highlights!”
Grande’s experience isn’t uncommon for a blonde-to-brunette transition. While it may seem like a simpler process than its inverse, damage from the bleach required to maintain an allover blonde tone can make it more difficult for pigment to adhere to the hair. And while the actor seems to remain committed to her journey back to brunette, she’s embracing the gentler phase out: “I’m still adjusting and so is my hair,” she shared in the same Dinner With Sally interview.