9 of the best celebrity hair transformations of 2025: from flippy bobs to spiky pixies
From major chops to drastic new colours, these celebs have been bringing the drama!
Here at Cosmo, there are few things we love more than an unexpected celebrity hair transformation – and wow, has 2025 delivered! From Pamela Anderson’s jaw-dropping ginger shag taking centre stage at Paris Fashion Week to Kate Middleton debuting a fresh blonde hue at the end of summer, we’ve been running to and from the salon (screenshots of our latest hair inspo in hand) practically every other week.
So naturally, we thought: what better way to pay tribute than rounding up some of our ultimate favourites? Enter: the 9 best celebrity hair transformations of 2025. For all the trend-setting colours, the dramatic chops, and the cuts that left celebrities unrecognisable, here are the A-lister-approved styles to inspire your next hair appointment.
Lola Tung's raven black hair
The Summer I Turned Pretty actor and Cosmopolitan UK cover star alum, Lola Tung, was spotted in Midtown New York with dramatically darker locks [December 16, 2025]. Long gone is her chestnut brunette tone, and instead, Lola is channelling a vampier vibe for the New Year!
Pamela Anderson’s ginger shag
Pam attended a Paris Fashion Week party with Vogue in September, and for the coveted event, dyed and cut her trademark tresses. Bye-bye blonde flippy bob, hello textured ginger shag!
Cate Blanchett’s spiky buzzcut
The Oscar-winning actor debuted her shortest haircut to date in a striking and monumental cover shoot for Beauty Papers magazine. The transformative style in question? A spiky buzzcut that had us doing a double triple take.
Kate Middleton’s sunkissed blonde
The Duchess of Cambridge stepped out to visit the new Natural History Museum gardens in September, wearing her hair down in loose waves and showing off a fresh colour. The Daily Mail spoke to sources who thought Kate's new hair was lightened by the sun during her trip to Greece.
Maya Jama’s 90s lob
In an Instagram story that set beauty feeds ablaze, the Love Island presenter and certified glam Queen debuted a sleek, glossy long bob (aka lob), and it's one that's giving serious 90s prep vibes – power suit 'n' all.
Sofia Richie Grainge’s French bob
Gone is the era of sleek buns and whisper‑soft waves. Instead, Sofia's new chin‑length 'do is razor‑sharp, subtly textured, and effortlessly Parisian.
Jennifer Lopez’s 1940s glam
When J-Lo shared a three-part carousel post on IG debuting a new look for her role as Aurora in the upcoming film Kiss of the Spider Woman, we all mistook her for a certain “Rich Girl” singer. The platinum blonde hair colour and vintage 1940s glam is so Gwen-coded!
Maura Higgins' shaggy pixie
At this year's F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Maura shocked us all with a jet-black head-hugging pixie cut - a look that's worlds away from her trademark brunette lengths.
Renée Zellweger’s strawberry blonde
Yes, she sported a cropped pixie at the start of the year, but the award-winning actress has now embraced a strawberry blonde bob for her role in season five of Hulu’s Only Murders In The Building. Since we spotted Renée’s bouncy ‘do in the show’s promo video last night, we’ve been obsessed with both the colour and the volume!
Beauty Assistant Urmi works across Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Red and Prima.
She fell into the world of beauty following a Masters in Magazine Journalism, and has been knee-deep in maximalist makeup, seasonal nail trends, and skincare myth-busting ever since. Both in and outside the office, she is best recognised by her signature red hair and elaborate set of acrylics.
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.
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