Martha Stewart has traded her signature blonde bob for a soft rose-gold shade.
The lifestyle entrepreneur revealed the new look on Aug. 9, days after celebrating her 85th birthday, in a collaborative Instagram post with celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton. The transformation kept Stewart's familiar bob but added a delicate pink tone with a glossy, dimensional finish.
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"Rose gold …. It's a good thing," Appleton wrote in the caption, playing on Stewart's long-running catchphrase. He later welcomed her to "the rose gold era." The Instagram post showed the pair documenting the makeover with photos and a playful transformation video. Stewart's makeup was created by Nicole Daisy Toye.
The color marks a noticeable departure from Stewart's long-associated blonde image, although the soft finish keeps the change polished rather than highly saturated.
Appleton used Schwarzkopf Professional products to create the shade. According to Real Simple, the stylist first brightened Stewart's blonde base with Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME Premium Lightener 9+ and 20 Volume Developer. He then applied an all-over gloss using IGORA VIBRANCE 9.5-19 and 9.5-5, blended with 0-00 Clear. Schwarzkopf describes the clear formula as a non-pigmented product that can be used to dilute color, create pastel tones and add shine.
The formula helps explain why Stewart's pink looks translucent and rose-toned rather than opaque or neon. The finished shade reads as a light wash of warmth over blonde hair, giving the bob a fresh appearance without overwhelming its classic shape.
Because the result was created with a gloss, the finished color is also considered a softer, more temporary beauty change than a permanent dark or vivid color service. The exact result and longevity would depend on the starting shade, hair condition and salon application.
Appleton's work with Stewart also recalls one of his best-known pastel hair transformations. In September 2018, he took Kylie Jenner's blonde hair to what he described as "gorgeous barbie pink." As reported by W Magazine, Appleton created Jenner's look by mixing Lime Crime's Kawaii and Bunny shades with the brand's Dilute mixer.
He also explained that Jenner's hair was divided into four sections before the color was applied in narrow strands from the roots to the ends. The color was left on for approximately 45 minutes before being rinsed. Allure similarly reported that Appleton created Jenner's soft pastel pink using Lime Crime products and a careful section-by-section application.
The connection between the two looks is the hairstylist's experience with pastel color — not a confirmed reference or collaboration between Stewart's new shade and Jenner's 2018 look. Neither Stewart nor Appleton has said that Jenner's hair inspired the latest transformation.
Stewart has already experimented with a darker look this year. In January, Appleton styled her in a "mocha mousse" transformation. However, Stewart later clarified that the look was created with a wig and styling products during a short recording-studio session. Allure reported that the makeover was completed in approximately 15 minutes and did not represent a permanent color change.
The rose-gold look is different because Appleton publicly shared a specific lightening and gloss formula for the finished result.
Rose gold occupies a softer space within the pink-hair spectrum. Its combination of blush, peach and warm metallic tones allows the color to look playful while remaining relatively understated.
On Stewart's light blonde base, the gloss creates dimension and shine instead of a heavy block of color. The effect changes the mood of her bob without removing the recognizable shape that has been part of her public image for decades.
For now, Stewart has not announced how long she plans to keep the shade. But the transformation gives her familiar blonde bob a noticeably more modern and whimsical finish.
[UPDATE: Refresh if Stewart appears publicly with the color grown out, returns to blonde, or comments on the shade in an interview. Also refresh if Schwarzkopf Professional or Appleton posts a formal formula breakdown or a follow-up service.]
