"You like my hair? Gee, thanks, just bought it." Ariana Grande is officially creating a new dictionary. Just when you think "Thank U, Next" is the latest #Phrase, Ari goes and drops this.
"7 Rings" is too busy breaking records for us to keep up. This song might be the biggest YouTube debut of 2019, but something way bigger just got its debut. Hair is no longer the stuff that grows out your head and sticks to the shower wall. (Is there an official protocol yet on how to handle that situation?)
In 2018, BBC published an entire article on the history of the ponytail. Yes, the signature high ponytail that has become Ariana Grande's trademark now makes for material over on a media outlet as prestigious as the BBC.
Ari isn't alone with the fake hair (not by a mile). The more we browse the IG accounts of major celebs, the more fakery we're seeing. Most irritatingly? By and large, they're pulling it off.
Cardi B. JLO. Nicki Minaj. Selena Gomez. Diva or down-to-earth, it doesn't seem to matter. Everyone's at it. Here are 20 celebs whose amazing (but very purchased) hair looked just as gorgeous as the real thing.
20 Ariana Grande: Ponytail Leaves Her "In Constant Pain"
"7 Rings" shows Ariana Grande lying on some steps. That ponytail isn't something that's measured in inches. More like feet. Newsflash– extensions aren't something that run in the background on Google Chrome. As BBC reports, they're also a bit of a nightmare.
" I'm in constant pain always and don't care at all". #Purchased the ponytail, but it's no pillow.
That was Ari's twitter reply to Camila Cabello (who had tweeted saying extensions make her "brain hurt"). Then again, the lyrics show the benefits. "You like my hair? Gee thanks, just bought it." We already want an Ariana hair line.
19 Cardi B: Moans About Maintenance Costs, Still Throwing Us New Shade Every Week
Being her usual, awesome self, Cardi B took to IG in December 2018. In signature Cardi style, it was a giant rant (but somehow, it's always relatable with this girl). Allure covered Cardi's post:
"You know, this is not the early 2000s" Cardi explains– “$17 nail set with three nail designs" was the past. "$1000" then gets mentioned (on hair alone).
"The wig is about $800, $500, it really depends where you get it from," Cardi adds, before calculating a styling fee of $200-$300. "So just on that is $1,000. So what's good?" Complain she might, but Cardi just showcased unicorn hair. Girl is slaying it.
18 Kim Kardashian: "Had To Get A Neon Green Lambo To Match My Hair!!!"
A tiny part of us wonders how historians in 100 years will document us. "It appears this generation was very much influenced by a bunch of people called the Kardashians. They used something called IG." It wouldn't end there.
In 2018, Kim Kardashian just couldn't resist matching her neon-green Lamborghini with some very neon-green hair. Queen of glam squads, fake tans, fake nails (and some very fake hair), Kim might be approaching 40, but she's still in the running.
"Had to get a neon green Lambo to match the hair!!!" Kim posted on IG. Of course, by the time the pic made headlines, Kim was probably busy switching to icy blonde.
17 Kylie Jenner: Buys A Rolls-Royce, Does The Same Thing
Accessorising takes on a whole new level when you're 21 years old and worth $900 million. Forbes's "Youngest Self-Made Billionaire" headline is over six months old– Kylie Jenner has likely hit the billion-dollar mark.
“You guys, my first custom car. I’ve waited months for this. I’ve always wanted an ice baby blue Wraith.” Kylie's Rolls-Royce retails for $325,000 (base price).
As Hollywood Life reports, Kylie's custom-made Rolls-Royce came with her name engraved, lighting and an icy-blue wrap. Not one to be basic, Kylie quickly dyed her hair icy blue. Well, we wouldn't want Stormi being raised on cheap concepts.
16 Selena Gomez: "Wait, I Gotta Check For A Weave"
This one threw us a bit of a curveball. Selena Gomez is one of the few celebs out there not throwing us giant "diva" vibes. Jars of pickles are her dressing room demands, Galore Mag reports (although we've already told you Selena brings her own).
Hanging with actress Lilly Singh, with whom she played the "Newly Friend Game," Gomez complimented Singh's hair, to which Singh said, "Yeah, and by the way it's not fake. Can you just pull this real quick?" Gomez replied, "Wait I gotta check for a weave...yeah, it's so nice. Mine, however, is very fake."
The girl who has "dollar spaghetti" memories might be humble overall, but she's paying for that hair (and slaying it). As Glamour points out, it's refreshing to find an A-lister who isn't afraid to get real about her fake locks.
15 Blac Chyna: Not Much Is Real, But It Looks Great
You won't get very far trying to list Blac Chyna's natural looks. Not a Kardashian (but well-connected by sharing baby Dream with Rob Kardashian), Chyna is a celebrity who basically flies the flag for fakery. Lashes, nails and the odd enhancement sum this girl up.
"Even if I call him and I’m like "Kellon, I need [10] wigs," he’s like, "[All right], when do you need them by? What do you need?"
Chyna was speaking to Elle about, well, her life. "He flies back and forth and makes sure I’m good," she added about her hair stylist. Kaleidoscope colours, lengths, wigs. Fake, but it looks great.
14 Nicki Minaj: "You See Them Copyin' My Hair"
The last time Nicki Minaj threw us natural hair? 2014. "Ending wigs" was a big enough deal to make Refinery29's headlines back then, but it's not like it lasted. The #Queen now raps about how popular her hair is (and she kind of has a point).
"You see them copyin' my hair, tell 'em, "Chop it off"– something you can afford when there's new hair to buy. Hop over to Nicki's IG, and you'll see the pinks, purples, full unicorn (and full length).
2019 is actually pretty interesting with Nicki. This girl seems to have spent the last few years trying to shake off the bubblegum wigs and "clown" vibes. Now they're back, but they're better than ever.
13 Rihanna: Paid Big Bucks, But It Was Worth It
The 2018 dreads came with a reason. Rihanna branched into film in Ocean's 8, and her hairstylist happened to be available for comment. As Refinery29 reports, Rihanna's roots were (literally) at the root of this.
"Her locs [sic] would maintain that tie to Africa. She wasn't just going to be some American girl in this movie. Nine Ball is still a Caribbean girl that just happens to be in America."
In fact, the dreads came at RiRi's request. The magazine pointed out the injustice of dreadlocks still being legal to ban in the workplace in America. This style likely cost a pretty penny, but it looked amazing.
12 JLO: "If Only She Sang As Nice As Her Extensions," #KindaMean
Slick top knots and ponytails are mostly what we get from JLO today. Enough of an Ariana Grande vibe let W Magazine say that JLO and Ariana have "the exact same style now"– then again, who isn't copying this girl?
"If only she sang as nice as her extensions look" were quite rightly called "troll" comments by The Hollywood Reporter after Jen's L'Oréal ad caused a stir. Yes, Jen's locks change length. Yes, she's got professional stylists.
The joke's on the trolls, though. L'Oréal doesn't just pick anyone. They didn't with Jennifer Aniston, and they didn't with JLO either. When you've got it, you've just got it.
11 Katy Perry: "A Client That Constantly Challenges Me Creatively"
Katy Perry has passed the ultimate test. Pulling off a pixie crop comes with the biggest #BoneStructureChallenge ever, but this girl has more than aced it. The early years? Lots of statement wigs, colourful poufs and accessories perfecting the "Teenage Dream."
"Katy is a client that constantly challenges me creatively. Her wigs are always unique, but need to look as realistic as possible - there's no retouching on the red carpet,"
Katy's hairstylist told Refinery29. With the money to purchase it (and clearly a lot of taste), Katy did buy it, but she's 100% owning it, too.
10 Lady Gaga: Wigs And Makeup "Cover Up The Pain"
There's a really heartwarming side to Lady Gaga. The icon who seems to hide behind oversized wigs and statement outfits has admitted that she's super-shy inside. A Star Is Born is totally vibing on the natural beauty, though.
"Really tough times," Gaga said. "Wigs and make-up to cover up the pain." Still, brave enough to take the wig off on stage.
As The List reports, Gaga's introverted side has resulted in a cover-up, but this girl doesn't cover up with excuses. For a natural Gaga, Google her name alongside "30th birthday." It was literally the most awesome #NoMakeup cake selfie ever.
9 Gwen Stefani: Purchasing The Platinum Blonde For Over 20 Years
Gwen Stefani gets to call "OG" on grunge pop. Love, Angel, Music, Baby wasn't just an album. With its Harajuku girls, the concept was popular enough to land Gwen the L.A.M.B. fashion label.
"When I first went blonde, that was my favorite beauty experiment from the time I was in No Doubt," Gwen told Vogue. "I’d wanted to do it for so long."
Gwen added: "I mean I’d done like grocery store frosting kits and things like that, but to actually go platinum was what I’d dreamed." At 49, Gwen has been pulling it off for over 20 years. #Respect
8 Angelina Jolie: The Producers Bought It For Her
You don't get much fakery from Angelina Jolie. Vanity Fair's "World's Most Beautiful Woman" never needed a scrap of makeup (and she mostly walks those streets without any). Cherub features and a glittering smile were enough to win over Brad Pitt, and he doesn't go fake.
2010 was the year Ange took on the double-agent role in Salt. “When [my kids] visited [the] set and they’d see me in the blonde or the black [wigs], they thought it was funny because my kids all have different [hair colors]."
Speaking to Access about the role and family life, Ange actually said her kids liked the short style best. A brief "fake" moment from Ange (but the producers paid).
7 Khloe Kardashian: Revealed 15 Years Of Extensions
We didn't really need to be told– yes, Khloe Kardashian has hair extensions. When your IG goes from bob glass hair to waist-length waves in 24 hours, it's pretty obvious. The magic elves are magic extensions.
"After my dad [passed] and I lost the majority of my hair, Maisha made me these great weaves to conserve the hair I still had and help it get healthy again,"
Khloe wrote on her website, as Refinery29 reports. FYI, Maisha is the name of Khloe's extensions stylist. Aside from a slightly too blonde moment earlier this year, we've got to say, this girl's hair is all kinds of awesome.
6 Jennifer Aniston: $9,200 A Year On Hair, Forever An Icon
Jennifer Aniston will be turning 50 in 2019? No words. Friends turned this original, all-American sweetheart into a superstar overnight in 1994, but that was just the start. The "Rachel Cut" defined the '90s, but it's back with full force.
Beauty regimes at this level come at a cost. $43,000 is the annual estimate for Jen– $9,200 of that is on hair alone.
When E! racked up what it costs to look like Jennifer Aniston, fans learned that Jen's hairstylist (and inventor of "The Rachel"), Chris McMillan, charges $750 for a cut. Jen's colourist charges $400. Bought it, but so worth it.
5 Vanessa Hudgens: "Oh Yeah, Those Are All Extensions"
Beachy waves. Poker-straight locks. Summery bobs. The list of hairstyles Vanessa Hudgens has aced is pretty much endless. “I feel like so much of my life I had been fighting my curly hair,” she told People Style. Why fight it, right?
The great thing about Vanessa's extensions (and we're really welcoming them right now), is how natural they look. We aren't seeing floor-length sheets of periwinkle-infused platinum.
“Oh yeah, those are all extensions,” Vanessa admitted. She added: “They look great, but they just get so tangled and become a disaster!”
We hear you, girl. If we had the budget, we'd change ours more often.
4 Sarah Hyland: We're Still Crushing On This (Who Cares About Money?)
Yes, she started out as a kid. Kids grow up, though. For Modern Family's Sarah Hyland, life has taken an interesting turn. It's less about being the bratty kid on-screen, and more about being a bonafide hair icon.
Sarah looked totally unrecognizable in 2017 as she ditched her signature blonde locks for a sleek, chocolate-brown look. Her stylist made it more than clear what was going on, though.
"New do for my boo @therealsarahhyland #CinnamonChocolate #NineZeroOne#901Girl &by me #NikkiLee901 & tag team extensions with @riawna #MeReeCapri." Okay, a few too many hashtags for us to handle, but the hair was beyond flawless.
3 Porsha Williams: So Good, She Turned It Into A Business
When you're good at something and a celebrity, you turn it into a business. Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian went from dabbling in makeup to being straight-up moguls. A little less high-profile, but 100% earning her cash, Porsha Williams is doing the same (with hair).
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star is now CEO of her own Go Naked Hair brand. The website sells 100% virgin hair extensions. Celeb businesses are a "be your own spokesperson" kind of deal. Probably why Porsha is doing so well.
Porsha's IG is set to become #BabyCentral in 2019. For the moment though, it's still a baby bump and those awesome extensions.
2 Chrissy Teigen: "90% Of My Hair Is Fake"
There are two sides to Chrissy Teigen. 50% comes elbow-deep in marinades while she throws us more #CookingGoals. That half is also raising two kids. The other 50% is a glam queen, total style icon and we don't know how she does it.
“I don’t know why people want to pretend that they have this natural, full hair."
Speaking to Refinery29 (and very honestly), Chrissy revealed just what goes into making her hair look so good. Switching to blonde? "25 hours, total, over a three-day period." We're seeing more natural looks from Chrissy of late, but this beauty seems to win, with or without the fakery.
1 Kourtney Kardashian: Well, If Ariana Can...#Halloween
#MicDrop. Kourtney Kardashian's Halloween costume went viral the minute she posted it on IG. No surprises why. Ariana Grande was the most popular Halloween costume of 2018, Teen Vogue reports. "Gee thanks, just bought it," case in point.
With the pastel-pink dress that Ari wore on TV, the high ponytail and the obligatory mic, this look 100% proves what we've just thrown you 20 examples of: buying your hair might be the fakest thing ever, but we're so digging it right now.
It's official. That next paycheck isn't going to rent. It's going to hair.
Sources: BBC, Allure, Hollywood Life, Seventeen, Elle, Refinery29, W magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, The List, Vogue, Access, E Online, People, Teen Vogue, Glamour
