Keke Palmer Proves Honey Blonde Hair Is Having a Moment
Let Rihanna, Kim, and KeKe convince you.


Typically, we see celebs embracing darker tones the second Fall air makes an entrance, but this year, it appears the tides are turning. As of yesterday, Keke Palmer is the third major celebrity to embrace honey-blonde hair in recent weeks. Rihanna debuted the hue, Kim Kardashian's new look followed suit, and with Keke now on board, we're officially calling the warm blonde tone a trend. Luckily, it's a very chic one.
On Sunday, November 19, the Nope actress showed up in a Versace minidress to walk the red carpet at the BET Soul Train Awards before taking on hosting duties for the evening. While her black dress was great on its own, the real draw of her look was a bouncy blowout, dyed a warm, caramel shade of blonde.
For the event, Palmer rounded out her red carpet look with purple smokey eye makeup, hoop earrings, a collection of gold rings, and an impressively bedazzled French manicure. While showing off the gorgeous glam, the 30-year-old playfully whipped her hair around, striking poses in front of the cameras.
As her blowout flew, its depth became more and more obvious—while the top of her head retained that rich blonde color, her roots and lower layers still appear quite dark.
Palmer's new 'do may be quite a big change (she's had dark brown hair for nearly the entirety of her career), but it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise given the actress' approach to beauty. In an interview with Marie Claire earlier this month, Palmer described her outlook as "free flowing," a phrase that also perfectly encapsulates her new hairdo.
"I’m kind of hippie-ish—it's all very free flowing. I'm not really afraid of anything. I really trust myself and I really trust God and the universe. I feel very supported," she shared. I, for one, fully support Palmer—and her new look.
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Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.
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