Kristen Bell Isn't Naturally Bright Blonde (& Pics Of Her Real Hair Are Head-Turning)

Aside from her aptitude for the screen and impeccable comedic timing, Kristen Bell is recognized for her bright blonde hair. The actor has rocked light locks throughout her entire career, only making fans do a double take while watching her brunette character in "Burlesque." But something you never knew about Bell is that her signature hue is not natural. In reality, the Hollywood star is more of a dirty blonde, a shade she was more willing to embrace in her "Nobody Wants This" days than when she was sleuthing on "Veronica Mars" in the early aughts.

Bell's return to her natural shade is part of her stunning transformation. "To be honest, I am over being blonde," she told Allure in 2021. "My roots are like a very dirty blonde, and I am loving it ... I think I'm going to, for a while, stick with my au naturel dirty, dirty, dirty blonde light brown." The internet concurred — a TikTok analyst even called it "so the move." She shared her jaw-dropping natural roots on Instagram after showcasing them at the 2025 Emmy Awards. Her long, ashy blonde-brown tresses — pulled back into a slick, half-up, half-down 'do — accentuated her icy blue eyes.

Bell once laid bare her intrigue about going full brunette. In a 2009 interview with the Boston Herald, the "Gossip Girl" alum said she never thought she could pull off a brown dye job — because of how time consuming it would be to maintain the hue — so she pitched the idea of having her "Fanboys" character wear a brown wig. "I designed it myself," she said of the hairpiece. "I just thought that her hair was so adorable."

The key feature of Kristen Bell's darker hair is the fact that it is low maintenance, compared to the rigorous bleach routine she must have undergone to maintain her trademark blonde. "I'm loving it so much," she told People of her natural look in 2025. "I still get a few highlights, but it's pretty much my natural color now, and I love it. And my hair is so much healthier because of it." As much as the star slayed that blonde-to-brunette transition, the daily trips to the hair and makeup trailer on set were detrimental to Bell's hair health. That is why she concocted a routine to keep her locks from succumbing to damage.

In a TikTok video with Virtue Labs, the "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" actor divulged which of the brand's products she swore by. Namely, the Virtue Recovery Damage Reverse Hair Serum was one of her favorites, specifically to heal her roots and ends from excessive blowouts on set. Additionally, she told W Magazine that Oribe Swept Up Volume Powder gave her the best root boost. And, of course, for the moments when there just aren't enough hours in the day to wash her hair, Bell reached for Klorane Dry Shampoo. We are so here for this happy, healthy Kristen Bell era!