Blake Lively's Brown Roots: What Pregnant Women Should Know About Hair Dye

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Blake Lively is known for having a lustrous, thick head of blond hair. But this week, the actress appeared at the American Made Summit with a few inches’ worth of brown roots. Is the two-tone look a style statement?

Probably not. Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, are expecting their first child next year. ”Most likely, Blake Lively is super cautious about any chemicals going on her body,” says Dana Ionato, an in-demand colorist at Sally Hershberger Downtown. While she emphasizes that the decision to color (or not) is up to the client, she adds that there’s no real evidence that hair dye can harm a fetus—a notion that the Mayo Clinic also backs. "Doctors recommend always to be extra cautious in the first trimester," she says. "But after that, you are fine."

Still, Ionato has a few recommendations for pregnant women who do choose to color their hair. First, she says that highlights are the best choice for someone who would have visible root growth, like Lively. “As long as she isn’t filming and can take a break from color, highlights are all she needs,” Ionato says. "They are considered an ‘off-scalp’ application that never gets onto the scalp to penetrate or go into the bloodstream." 

Ionato also recommends using an ammonia-free formula if you’re pregnant, but that’s not the only ingredient to look for. “There are many permanent colors that are ammonia-free or ‘organic,’” she says. “But be careful and watch for these ingredients: p-Phenylenediamine, dihydroxybenzene, and aminophenol. They replace ammonia, but they’re still harsh chemicals.” Read at-home labels carefully, or ask your colorist what he or she recommends.

Finally, Ionato says, if pregnant women want to take a break from coloring, they shouldn’t stress. “I mean, it’s only nine months, and it is your child, so I always respect the wishes of the client,” she says. “I guarantee Blake hates her roots, but most women put the baby first.”