Celebrities Who Look Just As Gorgeous With Their Natural Hair

Natural hair is not just a hairstyle — it's a powerful statement of identity and self-expression. From Hollywood red carpets to everyday life, celebrities have played a major role in reshaping traditional societal perceptions of beauty and challenging beauty standards as we know them.

Figures like Zendaya and Kerry Washington have paved the way for a more inclusive appreciation of beauty in the media. From Helen Mirren to Jamie Lee Curtis, those we look up to have shown how sophisticated it truly is when one gracefully embraces their natural grays. By sharing intimate glimpses into their lives, stars like Sarah Hyland and Viola Davis have opened up conversations about hair loss and self-care, encouraging others to always put their own preferences first instead of blindly following what the trends dictate when it comes to hair. The fearless approach to hair that all of these idols share inspires women of all ages to embrace their natural beauty at every stage of life.

Viola Davis, the powerhouse actor known for her stunning performances on screen, has also been an inspiration off-screen by embracing her natural hair. When she was in her late 20s, she experienced a sudden loss of half her hair due to alopecia areata. Recalling the moment with Vulture in 2014, she candidly shared, "I woke up one day, and it looked like I had a Mohawk. Big splash of bald on the top of my head." For years, Davis relied on wigs as a way to conceal her natural hair, admitting that the pressure to conform to societal beauty standards weighed heavily on her. "I was so desperate for people to think that I was beautiful."

However, a pivotal moment came at the 2012 Oscars when Davis decided to expose her natural, short hair to the world. Since then, the star has loudly rejected the notion that beauty has a specific standard. "My favorite saying in the world is, 'The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.' I am telling you, I have spent so much of my life not feeling comfortable in my skin. I am just so not there anymore."

Taylor Swift has undergone a stunning hair transformation throughout her career. While she initially gained recognition for her signature curly blond locks, Swift has since embraced her natural shade of dark blond. During her "Eras" tour in 2024, fans had the opportunity to witness Swift's natural hair texture, particularly in humid environments. Embracing the natural look in Singapore, she remarked during a performance (via X, formerly known as Twitter), "As you can see, my hair has returned to its factory settings, thanks to the humidity here. I'm not complaining, I like it."

Swift's transition to her natural hair happened during the pandemic as she was forced to take hair-styling matters into her own hands. "I haven't had a haircut by anyone except for myself since lockdown started," she disclosed during a conversation with Apple Music's Zane Lowe in 2021, per YouTube. Concerned for the wellbeing of her hair and makeup team, Swift chose to forego professional styling during the pandemic. And just like that, she entered a phase of rocking her natural hair color, and more often than not — her natural hair texture too.

Actor and musician Janelle Monae has always had a very distinctive and authentic style. Rising to fame in the late 2000s, Monae initially entered the spotlight with her vintage-inspired updo reminiscent of a pompadour. 

However, as her career evolved, so did her relationship with her hair. While Monae has always embraced her natural locks, she has recently spoken out about the significance of this choice. "I haven't always paid much attention to my hair, but as I grew older, I found the beauty in it," she revealed to Essence in 2020. "I've been natural for many years now. I'm an ideas type of girl, and being natural allows me to have more versatility with natural hair. Hair is about options and showing diversity." Encouraging others to also embrace their natural hair, Monae acknowledged that natural hair has become more popularized. "Natural hair has always been in, but its celebrated even more now. So let your natural hair shine... " In early 2024, the star decided to chop all of her locks off, encouraging others who have wanted to rock short hair to follow suit.

The iconic actress and activist Jane Fonda is known for her liberating journey of self-acceptance. Formerly known as a blond bombshell, the star today is all about rocking her gray hair. In an interview on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2021, Fonda expressed her joy and liberation in letting go of societal expectations. "I tell you, I'm so happy I let it go gray," she revealed (via YouTube). "Enough already with so much time wasted, so much money spent, so many chemicals — I'm through with that."

Fonda's decision to embrace her gray hair is perfectly in line with the star's attitude toward the beauty industry and overconsumption. Those who have been following her environmental activism know that Fonda also hasn't bought a new piece of clothing in years. Through her actions and leading by example, the Hollywood star inspires others to let go of any expectations and embrace their uniqueness and personal growth.

Ever since rising to fame in the '90s, Erykah Badu has been celebrated for her authentic embrace of natural hairstyles. The musician has rocked a diverse array of natural hairdos, from stunning curly hair to intricate braids, each one making a loud statement about identity and self-expression.

During an interview at Genius Talks at BET Experience in 2015, Badu opened up about what natural hair means to her. "I think everything we do in America as Black women or as Black people is a political statement," she said (via Los Angeles Times). "We're making a political statement when we're wearing an afro or locs. We're being who we are, especially in a society that does not encourage that part of our beauty." Badu's words underscore the deeply ingrained societal norms that have historically marginalized natural Black hair textures. And by boldly showcasing her natural hair in stunning, authentic hairstyles, she is actively helping change that narrative.

There's no denying that Laverne Cox is a trailblazing actor and an advocate for supporting LGBTQ+ rights, but what many may not be aware of is that she has also been fearlessly navigating her natural hair journey since she made the decision to stop relaxing her hair in 2011. "I had been natural for two years, but at the beginning of 2011, I relaxed my hair for a film," she told Allure in 2019. "By the end of 2011, my hair was brittle and breaking off. My hair does not like relaxers. So I said, never, ever again."

On Instagram, the talented actor has opened up about her hair journey, and she also occasionally gives her followers a natural hair selfie. "Wearing my hair natural with its beautiful kink and curl on the daily is a bit too much work for me. I usually opt for protective styles, wigs, and hair pieces for my everyday styles," she wrote in the caption of a 2017 post. "My natural hair journey continues, and I want to celebrate that as much as the other looks we rock." Despite her preference for various hairstyles and the ability to switch things up, Cox recognizes the significance of her natural hair and the diverse beauty it offers.

Sarah Jessica Parker, the iconic fashionista known for her portrayal of beauty icon Carrie Bradshaw, has always been a trendsetter. However, her decision to embrace her natural grays speaks volumes about the evolution of beauty standards and the power of self-acceptance. After all, it is possible to love fashion and beauty but also embrace a more natural look.

Reflecting on her hair journey, Parker opened up about how annoying she found all the hair talk. "It became months and months of conversation about how brave I am for having gray hair," she told Allure in 2022. "I was like, please, please applaud someone else's courage on something!" In fact, she pointed out how differently women's aging is treated in the eyes of the public compared to how male aging is treated. "We never talk about that with the other sex. We don't say to them: 'Here's a cream to pretend this didn't happen.'" Confidence plays a major role in Parker's life, and she has admitted that all she cares about is whether she is happy with her looks. "When I walk out the door, I want to feel okay — according to my standards," the star added.

On and off-screen, Kerry Washington has long been a beacon of self-empowerment. In her journey to redefine beauty standards, the actor frequently embraces her natural hair, both on and off the red carpet. Reflecting on this choice, she shared with Glamour in 2018, "Wearing my natural hair on the red carpet has a lot to do with me being a mom now and wanting to reflect that for them. Again, it's that idea that there's not just one way to be beautiful and that there are lots of ways to bring out your best self. You don't have to follow one prescription of what beauty is. I try to always be free and authentic and not leave the house until I'm like, 'Okay, I feel good about this.'" Perhaps the most memorable red carpet moment for which the star decided to go with her natural hair texture happened at fashion's biggest night of the year — the 2018 Met Gala when she rocked a stunning afro accessorized with a golden floral hair clip.

Her example serves as a powerful affirmation of diversity and self-expression. With a strong commitment to inclusivity, Washington advocates for the acceptance of diverse hairstyles, especially those historically marginalized. " ... We want to make sure people aren't being discriminated against for racially different hairstyles: braids, locs, natural textures," Washington pointed out during an interview on The View, which was posted to YouTube in 2022. "In a lot of places, historically, people have said, 'You don't look professional because you wear your hair in a more natural way.'"

Jamie Lee Curtis has long been a vocal advocate for embracing aging with grace. Rejecting the notion of aging being a negative thing, during an interview at the Radically Reframing Aging Summit in 2022, the star said (via Prevention), "This word 'anti-aging' has to be struck. I am pro-aging. I want to age with intelligence and grace and dignity and verve and energy." The star further emphasized her opinion on beauty standards in a 2022 Instagram caption. "In the world, there is an industry — a billion-dollar, trillion-dollar industry — about hiding things. Concealers. Body-shapers. Fillers. Procedures. Clothing. Hair accessories. Hair products. Everything to conceal the reality of who we are," Curtis wrote.

In an interview with Lorraine Kelly, the Hollywood star, who has embraced being gray, admitted that for the longest time, she had been obsessed with having perfect hair. "I tried to do everything you can do to your hair," she said in the 2021 interview, per YouTube. "Personally, I felt it humiliating. I would go into a hair salon, the smell of the chemicals, the feeling of that color on my hair, the wearing the things, sitting under the hair dryer, I was like, 'For what?'" The actor has undoubtedly come a long way with self-acceptance since then, and the fact that she has been very transparent about her struggles with the beauty industry only made her more lovable. 

The multi-talented actor Zendaya has become one of the most well-known stars of her generation — and her beauty transformation is stunning. However, her journey to embracing her natural curls wasn't always easy. Growing up, Zendaya struggled with finding confidence in her curls, feeling like they didn't fit the mold of what she saw around her. "It wasn't like the hair that girls around me had. And nobody really knew what to do with my hair," she admitted in 2016 (via Self). "My mom is white, and my dad is Black — they have two very different hair types. So we learned how to manage my hair together, and I also watched YouTube videos to find easy styles to do."

Today, Zendaya is open about her appreciation for her natural hair, and she is determined to inspire others. "I like who I am, and I hope that I can help a lot of other young women get there," she revealed in a 2016 press release. "I think that a big part of that is showing that you can dress and wear your hair however you want. People will say whatever they have to say, but as long as you feel good and you feel confident and you're taking those steps to feel comfortable with yourself, then you're good!" By embracing her natural curls at industry events, the star empowers others to celebrate their individuality. There's no denying that having role models is of significant importance to the younger generation worldwide — and Zendaya is definitely a great one!

Helen Mirren is the epitome of grace and sophistication, and the fact that she is rocking her natural grays only goes to prove how elegant natural hair can be — no matter the age. Reflecting on her transition to gray, Mirren opened up about how easy it was for her to go from blond to silver. "So the process of me losing the color of my hair was very easy — it just looked more and more as if I had been in the sun, but year-round," she told Vogue in 2021.

While Mirren acknowledges the societal pressure to maintain youthful appearances, she actively advocates for embracing the natural aging process. "The women of my age who have made the leap [to gray] recently look so spectacular," she added, saying that "people should do whatever makes them feel comfortable." As a timeless Hollywood icon, Mirren's words carry major weight in the beauty industry, inspiring women of all ages to embrace whatever their natural hair might look like.

Sarah Hyland's journey with her natural curls has been both personal and public. Despite her glamorous image on screen, Hyland is refreshingly candid about her hair struggles off-camera. In a revealing 2019 interview with Refinery29, she shared the changes she has gone through with her hair. "This is just my natural hair," Hyland said, showing off her shoulder-length hair. "I just had extensions in for 'Modern Family.'" The star, who has endometriosis and lifelong kidney dysplasia, admitted that medication makes it really difficult for her to grow long and healthy hair. "With medications and stuff, it can make your hair fall out," she revealed. "So I had extensions put in for Haley to hide any of that loss."

The actor also admitted that her hair texture is slightly different from what it used to be. "My hair that's growing back now is much curlier than what it used to be. It's like I'm four years old now, I guess," she said, adding, "I wear it curly because I don't know how to do my hair. I try to blow it out, and it's just a frizzy mess. It looks like an avant-garde runway look." Through her openness about hair loss as well as acceptance of her newfound curls, Hyland showcases that embracing your hair no matter what changes it might be going through is a crucial part of self-acceptance.

Vanessa Hudgens, known for her bohemian-chic style, has undergone a journey of self-acceptance when it comes to her natural hair. In a candid interview, she revealed that she wasn't always a fan of her natural texture. "I feel like so much of my life I had been fighting my curly hair," Hudgens told People in 2016. "I am at a place where I am like, 'God gave me this hair. I should embrace it.'"

While Hudgens showcases her natural curls with pride more often, she also occasionally opts for extensions to add some length and volume to her hair. "They actually have the same texture as my hair — my hair is really fine but really curly," she revealed. Whether rocking her short curls or experimenting with extensions, the former Disney star's journey reminds us that beauty actually lies in embracing and celebrating ourselves — no matter what that might look like.

Michelle Obama has been open about the use of weaves and extensions to prevent as much damage to her hair from excessive heat styling as possible — especially during her days as First Lady. "I had protective styles because you get your hair done every day and sometimes twice a day if you're outside jumping jacks in the rain," she said during a Revolt TV panel talk in 2022. "I would not have any hair on my head if I straightened it as much as I had to straighten it."

On social media, she has shared images of herself with her natural locks, proving that oftentimes, our natural hair is actually the one that suits us the best. However, over the past few years, she has also reflected on how America wasn't ready for her natural hair during her husband's presidency. "Nope, they're not ready for it," she said during the promotion of her book, "The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times." "Remember when she wore braids? Those are terrorist braids! Those are revolutionary braids!" Obama said, reflecting on how the public would have perceived her natural hairstyles (via Washington Post). Today, it's clear that Obama's approach to hair always reflected her resilience and determination to defy stereotypes while staying true to herself.