Valerie Bertinelli's Gorgeous Hair Transformation Is Hard To Ignore

Since the better part of the 1970s, Valerie Bertinelli has been a regular face on most of our television screens. After jumpstarting her career through the sitcom "One Day at a Time," Bertinelli's life took a lot of surprising and exciting twists and turns. She has shown off her hosting and culinary skills on programs like "Valerie's Home Cooking" on the Food Network, become an acclaimed author, and even finished the Boston marathon.

As if Bertinelli's stunning transformation from actor to entrepreneur wasn't impressive enough, she's also long been a style icon — especially when it comes to hairstyles. Though the entertainment industry veteran has watched many fads come and go, such as Jane Fonda's iconic "Klute" hairstyle, "The Rachel" inspired layered 'dos, or spiky Y2K pixie cuts, almost all of her hair choices have always felt very true to her. Through motherhood, a high-profile marriage, and several career shifts, her style remained one-of-a-kind, making it a noteworthy part of her identity. Whether it be her sporting layered cuts with brighter shades or DIY wolf cuts, Bertinelli's hair transformation has been hard to ignore. Here are some of the most notable looks she's pulled off over the years.

As a child, Valerie Bertinelli rocked her fair share of hairstyles that she'd eventually grow out of. Some of which included short bobs with bangs and adorable pigtails that were age appropriate and charming. During her teen years, she wore her hair longer and embraced a laid-back style that was very of the era.  

In 1975, a 15-year-old Bertinelli debuted as Barbara Cooper in the successful sitcom "One Day at a Time." While most people would associate her fictional counterpart with another specific hairstyle (which we'll get to), early on in the series, Bertinelli was often seen with longer hair — well past her shoulders — parted down the middle, with the hair in the front tucked behind her ears. She'd later graduate to a look that featured more feathery layers, with most of her hair in the front gently swept to frame her face. 

In 2025, Bertinelli shared a photo taken the year after the show premiered on Instagram. In the snap, her long brown tresses flowed as she posed with her hands on her hips. "Wearing all my own clothes and I think I still have that kimono top somewhere. Boy did I love that top, wore it all. the. time," she wrote.

As previously noted, when "One Day at a Time" started, Valerie Bertinelli wore her hair long and didn't play with layers. She didn't keep that style forever, however, as she eventually worked in some natural, windswept tresses. She remained a dark brunette, but the simple, long hairdo with a middle part transformed into medium-length, layered bangs with feathery pieces for extra added movement. 

This was a big change for Bertinelli's character, Barbara Cooper, in "One Day at a Time," and it became the actor's trademark hairstyle. All of this took place at a time when the show was transitioning out of the '70s — an era that saw Jane Fonda popularize the aforementioned "Klute" cut — and into the early '80s. Though she kept her hair relatively long, the feathery layers added fresh and playful volume to Bertinelli's locks. In 2017, she took to Facebook to share a throwback photo of herself rocking this look during an appearance in "Battle of the Network Stars." "I look back at this pic, and I think what a cute little girl," she wrote. Bertinelli's feathered and voluminous layers sure worked, and she only continued to experiment with the style. 

During the '80s, Valerie Bertinelli took a few swings with her hairstyle. When she was a teenager, the "One Day at a Time" star kept a relatively natural hairstyle that preserved her texture before eventually trying out feathery layers. She only continued to play with the texture, adding curls and waves throughout the length of her hair, while keeping her bangs the same length in the front. In a 2016 Facebook post, she shared an old photo of herself rocking loose beachy waves that fell to her shoulders. "Classic '80s ... big hair and a sassy pose!" she wrote.

Another throwback photo of her showed her sporting a more teased version of this style. "Oh-so-eighties!" Bertinelli captioned the Facebook photo. And in 2017, she uploaded yet another snap from the '80s on Facebook, this time hair was in bouncier curls that were much softer than the other styles described. "Welcome to the '80s!" she said. "I was trying my best to be sexy ... never felt it though. Let's all silence the stupid voices in our head and be grateful!"

When she was in her early 20s, Valerie Bertinelli found herself in a high-profile public relationship with Eddie Van Halen, the guitarist for the rock band Van Halen. They first met backstage at the band's "Invasion" tour in 1980, which reportedly sparked their romantic connection, leading to their marriage in 1981. In addition to being a Hollywood power couple, Van Halen and Bertinelli both were nothing short of hair icons. Like Bertinelli, Van Halen was all about layered, voluminous, shaggier styles. The two sure knew a thing or two about a good can of hairspray. 

Bertinelli continued to try new things with her hair, especially with regards to the texture. However, some styles didn't totally stick with her. On an episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show," for example, Drew Barrymore shared a photo from 1987  where Bertinelli is not only wearing a very of the era look, complete with a shimmering blue top and white sneakers, but has a long, blown-out, wavy cut with thick bangs. It's no stretch to say revisiting this pic threw Bertinelli for a loop. "That doesn't even look like me," the "One Day at a Time" actor said (via People). "I think we were married. Yeah, I was married to Ed there. ... I mean, that was the '80s though. I don't remember that. I don't remember anything about the '80s."

A few years after the aforementioned photo was taken, Bertinelli appeared alongside her rockstar husband at the Los Angeles "Batman" premiere in 1989 (pictured above),  and they both, of course, rocked the big 'dos. While Van Halen opted for a side part with wavy layers, Bertinelli maintained her signature style, with straighter layers styled specifically to add extra movement and frame her face.

From having a scandalous liplock with late "Friends" actor Matthew Perry in the sitcom "Sydney," to introducing her son, Wolfgang Van Halen, who has undergone his own stunning transformation over the years, the 1990s proved to be an eventful decade for Valerie Bertinelli. During the transformational period, Bertinelli decided to make a firm change to her overall style as well. Though it was relatively short-lived, she, like a number of Hollywood it girls, had a pixie cut moment in the '90s. 

While she went with a longer version of cut than, say, Halle Berry or Winona Ryder, Bertinelli was definitely embracing a stylistic shift. During this time, it seemed a lot of celebs — including Eddie Van Halen himself — were moving away from the bigger, layered hairstyles. In 2017, Bertinelli showed off her short hair look on Facebook in a 1994 photo of her with son Wolfgang, who also wore a shorter hairstyle. "When Wolfgang and I had the same haircut," she wrote. Another example was in 2025 when Bertinelli took to Instagram to showcase another photograph of herself in 1994, alongside actor Faith Ford, sporting a more grown-out pixie. "#Throwback. 1994 to my sweet friend forever and my pixie cut," she said.

The 2000s brought about a different era for Valerie Bertinelli's career. Following her 46-episode run on "Touched by an Angel," she landed TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland." In it, she portrayed one of three middle-aged women who ditched Los Angeles for a quieter life in Cleveland. The series also ushered in a new era for Bertinelli's hair, as she no longer rocked her signature bangs and feathery layers.

For "Hot in Cleveland," Bertinelli opted for a medium-length, dark brunette style where the tresses were shorter in the front. She sometimes paired this with a side part and elegant waves that added soft volume, which is a common aspect of Bertinelli's hair choices. In a way, this mirrored Bertinelli's character, Melanie Hope Moretti, who is the mother of two and a recent divorcee. Considering that Bertinelli divorced Eddie Van Halen just three years prior and was the mother to Wolfgang Van Halen, her style evolution was likely a reflection of her personal growth outside of her acting career. This cut became a staple for Bertinelli, who wore this hairstyle in various ways throughout her six-season stint on "Hot in Cleveland."

In addition to trying out different haircuts, Valerie Bertinelli has experimented with hair color. Typically, she keeps it brunette, occasionally rocking a darker hue. Bertinelli also had her fair share of moments where she noticeably wore her hair in lighter shades. Take, for example, her look at the 2019 Emmys, where she snagged two Daytime Emmy Awards for her Food Network show, "Valerie's Home Cooking." For the event, Bertinelli wore her elegant waves parted to the side, and the tresses were a medium blond shade. 

She made a similar change in 2021. In 2024, Bertinelli took to Instagram to upload some behind-the-scenes footage from her 2021 photoshoot for her memoir "Enough Already." While posing for the camera, it was clear that Bertinelli's usual brown locks were noticeably cooler, resembling an ashier blond. Though this is not a regular occurrence for Bertinelli, these were instances where the subtle color change further added to her signature style.

For decades, Valerie Bertinelli never seemed like she was chasing a hair trend simply for the sake of following what was "in" or "hip," and her hairstyles have rarely missed the mark. Staying true to what works for her has served her well, indeed. Alas, in 2023, her luck ran out when she attempted to take on a very trendy hairstyle. The TV veteran tried to give herself a wolf cut, a popular look that gained momentum in the 2020s, after she saw it on social media. Evidently, it didn't exactly pan out how she hoped. 

This wasn't far off from what she once wore in the '80s, as a wolf cut is made up of shaggy short and long layers, and wispy textures. The result Bertinelli ended up with, however, wasn't quite what she intended. As showcased in her 2023 TikTok video, Bertinelli's attempt at a wolf cut left her with a style that resembled her former fictional counterpart, Barbara Cooper, from "One Day at a Time." "Before I was watching TikTok last night, I was growing my bangs out. And then, someone was getting a wolf cut, and it looked really cute. That shaggy thing all the way down. And so, I said, 'I'm going to try that. Screw it, I'll give myself bangs again,'" she explained. "I pulled all my hair up front, did this, and this is how it came out. This is not a wolf cut. This is a Barbara Cooper."

While regularly using things like styling tools and hair dye can take a toll on a person's tresses over the years, Valerie Bertinelli's own hair continued to stay full. So much so, that there eventually was some chatter about her possibly wearing a wig.

Addressing this rumor in a since-deleted Instagram video in 2024, Bertinelli gave her followers a peek at what she looks like without filters, makeup, or touched-up roots (via Today). Though she did acknowledge that she does use filters occasionally — and who among us hasn't? — Bertinelli confirmed that she does not wear a wig by exposing her grays through her signature layered cut. She also mentioned the regular upkeep it takes for her to maintain her look. "Can you get me a wig without flipping gray roots then, please?" she quipped. "Because I am tired of getting my roots done every two weeks. I thank goodness 99.9% of you are really kind, sweet people and don't give a flying flip whether I have roots or I put a filter on. But some of y'all need to chill out, okay? I mean, seriously."

Though Valerie Bertinelli usually keeps her hair some shade of brown, ranging from dark to light, she mixed things up quite a bit in 2025. The Food Network star took to Instagram to share a makeover she got from Chris Appleton and Charlotte Tilbury. In the uploaded selfie, Bertinelli looked almost unrecognizable with vibrant blond hair.

Alas, it wasn't real. While she had previously dispelled rumors that she was regularly wearing a wig, in this particular case, she was indeed sporting a hairpiece. In the post, she confirmed she hadn't actually bleached and dyed her tresses. "So yes, it's a wig," she said in the Instagram story as she began removing it (via Parade). After struggling a little bit with the pins and glue, she addressed her natural hair: "Oh yeah, I need my roots done."

Fans couldn't get enough of this, though, prompting Bertinelli to take to social media to reiterate that her blond look was not permanent. That same day, Bertinelli treated her Instagram followers to a photo of her natural brunette hair. Alongside this was a lengthy caption displaying her love for her unique look. "Back to the real me," she wrote. "It's always fun to play dress up and fool around with hair and make up, but when I look in the mirror, I want to see ... me. I've spent a lifetime hiding in plain sight and making myself smaller to make people comfortable. What I want to see now is that little girl that never felt she had a voice and give her a voice. ... That little girl has brown hair."

While Valerie Bertinelli, who turned 65 in 2025, has stepped out of her hair comfort zone a few times, trying out everything from the '90s pixie cut trend to briefly sporting blond highlights in 2018, the Barbara Cooper cut simply cannot be topped. In recent years, she's worn versions of this style that feel chic as can be.

After briefly growing out her bangs and failing to give herself the aforementioned wolf cut, Bertinelli went with her tried and true style. She also keeps her hair brown, and as she noted while promoting Garnier Nutrisse on "The Drew Barrymore Show," she dyes her grays. "My hair literally feels so much softer after I do it," she said of using the root touch up product. "And it looks like my natural color from when I was young. I love it."

As for her styling, Bertinelli doesn't go overboard with manipulating her hair nowadays; her years of teasing her tresses to create very '80s volume are long behind her. With its feathery layers, the "One Day at a Time" actor may have side-swept bangs that show more of her forehead, wavy ends to add more elegance, or just rugged enough to resemble the style in the '80s. She seemingly has no intent of growing it out super long, either, as Bertinelli has kept this style just slightly past shoulder length.