Few can say they skipped past the awkward teen phase of questionable makeup choices and embarrassing hair moments, but Selena Gomez is one of them. Journeying through a decades worth of TV episodes, music videos, red carpet appearances, and Instagram posts is far more inspiring than it is cringe-worthy. The big-bounce curly blow-dry I’m still trying to master? She perfected it back in 2010. Her lived-in caramel balayage and wispy bangs of 2016? I’m taking it to my hairdresser this month.
“Selena has this amazing ability to switch effortlessly from one genre to another,” says Neale Rodger, style director at STIL Salon in London. “She’s mastered retro waves, sleek, center-parted lobs, ashy blondes, retro-inspired updos, supermodel lengths, full-coverage bangs…practically everything.”
Though the Rare Beauty founder has never strayed far from her chocolate tresses, she’s served up heaps of hairstyle inspiration since she arrived on TV screens in 2007, and each look is as covetable and copy-worthy today as it was then. Whether it’s her chest-length natural curls in 2014, her blonde experiments in 2017, or the chic tousled lob she recently debuted, where better to look than the Gomez archives when your brunette lengths are in need of a facelift?
Ahead, we’ve curated a timeline of Gomez’s most iconic hair looks from her Wizards of Waverly Place days to now.
December 2024
Congratulations, Sel! We all know how important a crisp, understated mani is when we hear wedding bells, but she also reminded us to remember our hairdo.
Her baroque bob is fairly simple: it’s a one-length, blunt cut, but it’s the styling that sets it apart. Blown-out and flicked-in, its name derives from the elaborate charm of early 17th-century art and architecture. “Health and wealth signaling are two key themes in hair trends at the moment, and this luxurious yet modern look ticks both boxes very well,” shares hair forecaster Tom Smith.
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October 2024
She turned heads with her shoulder-grazing long bob at the world premiere of the new Disney spin-off show, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. With a singular loose wave, positioned skillfully beside her jaw to enhance and define her face shape, this lob screams elegance and sophistication.
May 2024
Her equestrian-style ponytail was a standout red carpet moment at the Emilia Pérez premiere, which took place at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival. Neatly slicked and elegantly perched at the crown of her head, this sleek updo is incredibly glamorous and complimented her off-the-shoulder gown perfectly.
December 2023
Looking to put a new-season twist on your monochrome tresses? Feather a honey blonde hue in and around the hair. It adds subtle dimension and feels different enough when you look in the mirror, without completely transforming your look. Gomez demonstrates that perfectly here.
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March 2022
The French-girl bob has never looked so chic. It has enough Parisian charm and sultry, just-rolled-out-of-bed texture to last a lifetime. To recreate the look at home, lift the hair away from the face and mist a texturizing spray into the roots. Or, just roll out of bed!
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September 2019
At this 2019 meet-and-greet in California, Gomez proved that brunette balayage really can be subtle. Not a blonde strand in sight; instead, her inky roots graduate into a mousy hazel-brown, adding depth without stark demarcation.
December 2017
Who remembers blond Selena? Spotted out and about in London in 2017, the megastar styled her newly buttered lengths into a boho-style wave and with wispy full fringe. Brunettes, take note: incorporating a root smudge is key to masking harsh regrowth if you’re considering taking the platinum plunge.
June 2016
The bangs that made us all want bangs. We’re still obsessed with her wispy fringe and syrupy caramel balayage era.
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May 2015
At Louis Vuitton’s cruise 2016 show in California, Gomez subbed her signature chestnut hue for this near-black shade. Loosely crimped to add natural texture? Very 2015.
May 2013
Some may say Gomez was ahead of her time with these copper-brown highlights. Playing to her hair’s natural undertone, these ultra-warm strands instantly add depth and dimension without being overwhelming.
November 2011
For the 2011 American Music Awards, Gomez tried an Old Hollywood curl on for size, paired with a swept side part and a finish so glossy it’s literally reflecting light. Perhaps my favorite look of all.
June 2011
The 22nd Annual MuchMusic Video Awards in 2011 saw Gomez sport a tighter ringlet-style curl than she’d worn previously. To replicate this look, resist brushing your curls out once cooled and apply hairspray to set them in place.
April 2010
The highly covetable blow-dry in question. Gomez was in her element at the 2010 Wizards of Waverly Place fashion show, where her natural chocolate strands were perfectly coiffed into a voluminous, bouncy curl. Her layers serve this style well, adding body and shape to give the appearance of thicker hair.
June 2009
In 2009, Gomez debuted a rounded bob with a thin side-fringe and fine, golden highlights. This shapely crop would go on to become her go-to hairstyle, experimenting with various fringes, lengths, and textures to boot.
August 2008
The 2008 NCLR Alma Awards saw Gomez gather her glossy espresso tresses into a loose bun, fit with a swooping side-fringe. Asymmetry was all the rage in 2008: think ponytails, fringes, plaits, and buns all worn off-center.
September 2007
Perhaps her most iconic and internet-famous hairstyle of all? This electric blue moment for the 2007 Teen Vogue Party, of course (cue the viral interview clip). A very Alex Russo move, if you ask us.
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