Michelle Pfeiffer's Hair Transformation Through The Years Is Hard To Ignore

With her big blue eyes and cheekbones that could cut glass, it's no wonder that Michelle Pfeiffer has the distinction of being the first person to be named World's Most Beautiful Woman by People. Pfeiffer is one of the few stars who has understood that sometimes less is more, and her hairstyles over the years have become iconic for their timelessness. The mom of two has subtly tweaked the length, color, and style of her hair over the years, but she seems to always return to her California girl roots with her sunny blond and windswept styles. 

Pfeiffer got her start in beauty pageants before Hollywood gave her the opportunity to show the world that she was more than just another blond starlet with a pretty face. The complete evolution of Michelle Pfeiffer from beauty queen to screen queen proved there was more to the "Scarface" star than met the eye. Steve Kloves, who directed her Oscar nominated  turn in "The Fabulous Baker Boys," spied her innate talent immediately. "There's the first impression, of her being so beautiful, but that wasn't an asset to me," he told Town & Country. "I realized how funny and smart she was, and that she was interested in the details of things. I came to see her in a completely different way, and I liked the idea of confounding expectations." Pfeiffer has continued to confound expectations throughout her career with the perfect combination of grace, beauty, and talent. 

Fans of the short lived series "B.A.D. Cats" may remember Michelle Pfeiffer as Samantha "Sunshine" Jensen, her long feathery layers reminiscent of another blond of-the-moment icon, Farrah Fawcett. Although the show didn't last long, Pfeiffer shone brightly, even though she felt looked down on for not being classically trained. "There was a real snobbery when I started acting," she told The New Yorker. "I just felt really unworthy, and I think that never leaves you."

Michelle Pfeiffer went brassy blond to play brash Stephanie Zinone in the campy cult classic "Grease 2."  When a BuzzFeed reporter wrongly claimed that the film was the one movie Michelle Pfeiffer hated doing, the actor took to Instagram to defend herself. In her since deleted story (via My Talk 107.1), Pfeiffer said, "The project is and has always been so special to me and my history, one should never trust a publication to get quotes right if they can't even bother to spell the person's name correctly." 

Playing the cool and aloof Elvira Hancock in "Scarface" opposite Al Pacino was Michelle Pfeiffer's breakout role. Pfeiffer's performance, along with her icy blond bob, earned rave reviews and made her a bona fide star. One of the tragic details about Michelle Pfeiffer's life is that she never believed she was worthy of the praise. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she admitted that she was certain she would be fired from "Scarface" and added, "I would go to bed every night crying."

Trying to get away from being typecast for her looks, Michelle Pfeiffer took the part of a princess in the medieval fairytale "Ladyhawke," which required her to chop her signature shoulder length locks into an edgier style. "I didn't want to be running around in a flowing white gown, with long tresses hanging down," she told Interview. The movie didn't exactly break box office records, but Pfeiffer told Interview it was "the most charming script I'd ever read."

Michelle Pfeiffer's wild, wavy hair was spellbindingly sexy in the hit film, "The Witches of Eastwick." As one third of a powerhouse trio that included Cher and Susan Sarandon, Pfeiffer admitted to Interview that she was "difficult" on set, but she held her own. "We became very close," she said about her co-stars (via Us). "It was a difficult shoot, but not because we didn't get along." The film also marked the first time Pfeiffer worked with Jack Nicholson, whom she referred to in Interview as "an angel." 

Big hair, don't care, because "Married to the Mob" was a big hit for Michelle Pfeiffer, who nailed the mob wife aesthetic. Pfeiffer told The New Yorker that the role "jarred everybody's perception of me." It helped her cement her place in Hollywood as an actor. Even Martin Scorsese was blown away. "I remember him saying, 'I thought you were this brunette girl from New Jersey,'" she said, and added, "That was probably one of the greatest compliments that was ever given to me."

Name a sexier cinematic moment than Michelle Pfeiffer in a red dress slithering across a grand piano singing "Making Whoopee" in "The Fabulous Baker Boys." Go ahead, we'll wait. Pfeiffer's sleek, slightly teased tresses that moved as she shimmied defined the blonde bombshell moment. In an interview with Oprah Daily, Pfeiffer talked about what it means to be sexy. "Attractiveness has more to do with the way you feel about yourself," she said. "And the swagger that can come with that." She must have been feeling great! 

Michelle Pfeiffer showed off her softer side with loose, dark blond curls swept into an artfully messy updo when she picked up her Golden Globe for her role in "The Fabulous Baker Boys." Maybe it had to do with how vulnerable she was feeling after the film's success. "And suddenly everybody knew who I was, and it terrified me," she told The Hollywood Reporter about her newfound fame. "Every minute of every day, you feel as if a million eyes are on you. You're never allowed to just be yourself." 

Michelle Pfeiffer was more than red-dy for a change when she dyed her honey blond hair a coppery shade. Shades of red are not easy for everyone to pull off, but true to form, Pfeiffer looked stunning. To keep copper from going brassy, color specialist Mark Rodriguez told Journee-Mondiale, "A good quality toning shampoo and mask are essential for neutralizing brassy tones," and added, "It's like giving your hair a mini touch-up between salon visits."

Short, sassy curls transformed Michelle Pfeiffer from Selina Kyle by day into the cat's meow by night. Pfeiffer's portrayal of Catwoman in "Batman Returns" is by far one of her most famous roles, and her character's transformation from basic to bombshell was one that the actor said she could relate to. As she confessed to Interview, "When I was very young I never thought I was attractive, because I was a tomboy and I was always the biggest girl in the class."

The lob is a relatively simple style, but on Michelle Pfeiffer's beautiful head, it became anything but ordinary. The longer-in-front-shorter-in-back bob was a great look for the "Wolf" star because it made her sky-high cheekbones even more defined. With short hair, it's even more important that your skin looks great. Pfeiffer swears by all clean beauty products, like those by Sodashi, to keep her looking camera ready. She is so committed to clean that Pfeiffer developed a fragrance line, Henry Rose, named for her two children. 

Michelle Pfeiffer's updated version of the lob she rocked in "One Fine Day" had more highlights and a shorter length. It was the perfect style for her character Melanie, a single mom trying to balance a career with motherhood, something Pfeiffer could relate to. As she once told Interview, "I've always had a very extreme personality, which gets me into major trouble, I'm always all or nothing, and I don't know the word 'balance.' I'm desperately trying to learn it because I think as you get older it becomes very important."

Michelle Pfeiffer's boho waves in 2000 made it easy to remember that underneath all the glitz and glam, Pfeiffer is just a cool California girl at heart. When she's not walking the red carpet, she gravitates toward classic, easy hair and fashion. She once told Harper's Bazaar that she boasts an impressive collection of Birkenstocks and wears boots year-round. "My personal style is old hippie meets classic design," she described. "The designers I wear most combine the two in varying degrees."

Michelle Pfeiffer made an appearance on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" looking like a disco diva with her big bouncy curls split by a center part. "The middle part is one of the most fashionable hair trends," celebrity hairstylist Cheryl Bergamy told InStyle. "It gives a more youthful look without looking childish." Pfeiffer completed the look with a halter style top, jeans, and gold hoops. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, she said, My favorite accessory is hoop earrings. I've worn them since I was 12 years old."

Where many women tend to go shorter as they age, Michelle Pfeiffer has mostly kept her locks long and luscious. This tousled tumble of tresses proved that you are never too old to look and feel sexy. In her usual deprecating manner, Pfeiffer told People that her natural beauty doesn't come as naturally as it used to. "The maintenance is just way out of control," she once told People. "Now it takes me so long to go to bed or get out of the house."

Remember that time Michelle Pfeiffer painted the town brown in a chocolate dress with matching tresses? Going from blond to brunette isn't something to take lightly. In the wrong hands, it can backfire and age a person faster than you can say Botox. The trick is to give it depth and dimension with varying shades like Pfeiffer's. "All over color is a big no-no," cautioned celebrity colorist Ryan Pearl in People. "I always add a few floating highlights to clients that are brunette to give the brown a more lived-in feel."

Maybe Michelle Pfeiffer realized blondes have more fun, because she returned to her lighter shade after a quick dip into darker waters. The blond was a little deeper than before, but that is sometimes necessary to protect the hair from damage. Most experts agree that going blond is a process that should usually be done gradually to avoid frying and drying out the hair. Celebrity colorist Tracey Cunningham told Cosmopolitan it also requires a commitment to aftercare. "Bonding treatments, strengthening the hair, and going back into the salon to have it maintained are key."

Michelle Pfeiffer returned to Hollywood after disappearing for a few years, looking better than ever with hair that embraced the ombré trend. Colorist Dean Harris told Women's Health that today's ombré styles are more customizable and easy to wear. "Whether you want something subtle and glossy or bold and bright, there's an ombré variation to suit every aesthetic," he said, and added that the key is to know your skin tone and hair texture for best results. "That's the beauty of ombré," he said. "[I]t's not just one shade fits all."

As Queen Ingrith in "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," Michelle Pfeiffer was one dark character. In real life, however, the actor lightened up for the film's premiere with a shorter, blonder hairstyle. It was the most platinum Pfeiffer had been in a while, and the hair combined with her low-cut velvet gown gave her a regal appearance that suited the role. Although playing an evil queen was a first for Pfeiffer, the actor told "Good Morning America" that "it was a lot of fun." 

She had dabbled in shades of strawberry and even added some auburn, but Michelle Pfeiffer went full fire engine red for her role in "French Exit." The most drastic transformation of the star's hair to date, the bright color got rave reviews when she shared it on Instagram. Celebrity followers like Naomi Campbell commented, "Beauty in Red ♥️♥️⭐️," while the late Leslie Jordan wrote, "Such a beautiful and lovely person." 

After years of rocking her long locks, Michelle Pfeiffer got what she said on Instagram was "[a] long overdue chop" at the hands of celebrity stylist Chris McMillan. The result was a sleek, swingy, blunt shoulder grazing bob that managed to look both classic and modern. McMillan said in his own post, "Sometimes just a simple blunt cut at the collarbone does the trick, I always like to use the body and face shape to judge length. Sometimes keeping it simple makes a huge difference ✂️💥". 

Although some called it a version of the jellyfish trend, Michelle Pfeiffer's long, loose layers looked more Jennifer Aniston than jelly. What's the difference? Professional hairstylist Chlöe Swift told Cosmopolitan the jellyfish is defined by two separate styles. "There are two distinct layers; a short, blunt bob shape cut to around chin level, followed by long, flowing layered hair underneath," she said. Although Pfeiffer's cut does have a chin-length layer, it blends into the longer layers more seamlessly for a graduated rather than severe style.

Casually chic with an effortless vibe, this sexy Michelle Pfeiffer's side part proves the look is cool again. Once dismissed as just for baby boomers, the side part has made a comeback. "This time around, it's softer and more wearable with a bit more volume," seasoned hairstylist Tom Smith told Elle. "Whether it's just off center or far over to one side, it's definitely a more effortless kind of asymmetry, especially when paired with natural texture."

Michelle Pfeiffer's make-up free selfie had everyone saying the same thing, and that was "wow!" With her natural waves cascading around her fresh-scrubbed face Pfeiffer looked relaxed and refreshed, free of filters and fillers. "You reach a threshold where you're fine with looking good for your age instead of looking young for your age, and I've crossed it," she told Oprah Daily. "It's quite a relief, honestly," she added.