When it comes to funky hair terminology, you may have heard of money pieces, balayage, low-lights or even the 2015 big hitter, ombre. But one that flies under the radar more often than not is 'hair contouring'. And no, it does not involve powdering bronzer throughout your locks.
One celebrity who just mastered the look is everyone's favourite singer/songwriter/entertainer/actress/business owner (I could go on), Jennifer Lopez. Chris Appleton, the star's go-to celebrity hairstylist, debuted the new look for her LA Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala performance on Instagram.
And not only that but her gorgeous contoured locks have been styled in the biggest bouncy blowout we've ever seen – it's *somehow* defying the laws of gravity?! See said ✨volume✨ in the below snap .
Pageant hair aside, let's address the colour. So, as I mentioned earlier, J-Lo's hair has been contoured, which is essentially a type of balayage. It's a process that involves carefully applying different tones around the hair to create highlights and shadows. As well as creating depth, it helps to frame the face, too.
As we can see, Jen's hair not only incorporates colour to achieve the contoured look but also through styling. The billowing blonde waves have been curled in opposite directions to her brunette locks, which not only adds texture but dimension too, all in all flattering the face.
To sum up the look, one fan wrote: "😍🔝😍🔥😍🔝😍🔥😍🔝😍🔥😍🔝😍🔥😍🔝😍🔥😍🔝"... my thoughts exactly.
Everyone's clicking on...
Another said: "Wow you are the hair God ❤️🔥🌟King".
And someone else wrote: "Stunning! ✨💛👑".
Well, that's my evening sorted: mastering the art of J-Lo's contoured blowout. Though, I may be up all night...
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Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
