Lizzo Is Making the Case for Chunky Bronde Highlights

Lizzo doesn’t gradually dabble in a new look—she typically transforms herself in one fell swoop. Well, the Emmy-winning artist does it again, this time debuting face-framing bronde hair for the cool weather.

On October 13, Lizzo landed in St. Paul, Minnesota, while on tour for her latest album, Special. The songstress has been known to rock new outfits and beauty looks while on stage, but something ~special~ happened in between her shows at Toronto and St. Paul—Lizzo and her hairstylist, Shelby Swain switched up her tresses with bold caramel highlights. Swain paired Lizzo’s new warm ribbon highlights with a brown base that diffuses into brown roots for an overgrown look. This color job is fabulous enough on its own—but Lizzo's Victoria’s Secret Angel-esque waves and swooped baby hairs take the glamour up a notch.

Lizzo’s makeup artist, Alexx Mayo added to the star’s on-stage glam with an intense smokey eye featuring gold shimmer and an elongated winged liner. Mayo’s glam is cohesive throughout, with a matte brown shadow in the crease that ties in with the star’s matte brown lips. The standout part of Lizzo’s makeup is her red blush, which Mayo applied to the apples of her cheeks. Mayo then extended the color to her cheekbones and browbones for a result that's editorial, yet still wearable even when off-camera (or off-stage, for that matter).

Back to the hair though—Lizzo’s new color is different from the balayage highlights that have had a chokehold on colorists over the past few years. Instead of thin ribbons, Lizzo’s highlights are reminiscent of the highlights that reigned supreme in the mid-to-late-aughts.They aren't quite as chunky as the highlights of the '90s, but offer a stark contrast. Blonde ribbon highlights amplify the contrast against her brown base, creating texture and adding warmth to her overall look.

Since these highlights feature an already grown-out root, it’s perfect for people who don’t have the time to religiously attend color appointments. If you have dark hair, opt for caramel or copper highlights to add dimension to your locks. If you have light or blonde hair, however, consider chatting with your colorist about adding lowlights that’ll add depth to your hair color.

It’s about damn time that ribbon-y highlights made their way into the mainstream again. We have many things to thank Lizzo for, and now we’re adding “hair goals” to that list.