How Taylor Swift  transformed her hair with extensions, balayage and treatments after years of straightening and bleaching damaged natural curls according to celebrity hairdressers

When she was just 16, Taylor Swift famously released her self-titled debut album, with the artwork showing her with ringlets of thick blonde curly hair.

Then a country pop star, she was as famed for her luscious curly locks as much as her angsty self-written tunes.

But as she transitioned into pop, the singer started to appear with straighter hair - first showing off a straightened look at the Country Music Awards in 2010, then appearing on various magazine covers - including Vogue - with a sleek 'do.

By the time she released her fourth album, fan favourite Red in 2012, Taylor appeared with straight locks more often than not. Years of straightening her hair left it short and choppy and when she debuted her seventh album Lover in 2019, Taylor appeared with a thin bob.

Now, five years on, her hair looks thicker and healthier than ever - which celebrity stylists have revealed is down to a combination of clever colouring and styling tricks - as well as high-end, tape in extensions.

Years of straightening her hair left it short and choppy and when she debuted her seventh album Lover in 2019, Taylor appeared with a thin bob. Now, five years on, her hair looks thicker and healthier than ever - which celebrity stylists have revealed is down to a combination of clever colouring and styling tricks - as well as high-end, tape in extensions

Fans have shared photos of the star playing at iHeartRadio's Wango Tango ball in 2019.

Sporting highwaisted multi-coloured shorts and a frilly jacket, the singer had a shoulder length locks - which are significantly thinner than what she sports today.

But just five years later her hair is thicker, longer and healthier than ever.

At the recent Golden Globe Awards, the Fortnight-singer stunned in a sleek Gucci dress with a gently waved waist length hair, a world apart from her previous 'do.

Speaking to FEMAIL, celebrity hair stylist and extension specialist said Taylor is 'definitely wearing extensions'  as you can see her hair is 'very thick' and naturally darker, with balayge lightening it.  

In 2020, Taylor released Evermore (left), during the Covid lockdown. It showed the back of her head as the cover. A year later she showed off longer locks at the BRITs (right)

Olia Cutz, founder of The Extensionist said there's been a 'huge' noticeable difference in Taylor's hair since 2019.    

'Her hair is thicker and fuller and longer. I've noticed that a few celebrities especially Beyonce will go for big big big hair to stand out more on stage. 

'Taylor's hair is always looking on point for the Eras tour, her hair gleams on stage. Taylor will obviously have the best hair dresser and an extentionist with her at all times. 

'The extensions she will be using will be amazing and invisible to the naked eye. At The Extensionist we developed our own signature tapes called 'Mini tapes,; the extensions are applied with tiny pieces of tapes. 

Taylor is pictured onstage at 2019 iHeartRadio Wango Tango ball with a short choppy bob

Swift took the glam to the next level with her chandelier style earrings and silver rings  at the Golden Globes, with gorgeous thick hair

Taylor still shows off curly hair from time to time. Pictured after her boyfriend Travis Kelce won the Superbowl 

In 2016, the 14-time Grammy winner famously sported a bleach blonde bob

'We also have ULTRA BONDS, hair extensions that have strands so tiny the bond is almost invisible. 

'The bonds are applied meticulously, strand by strand, using a bespoke micro extension fusion machine specifically designed for the application of the tiny bonds.

'Taylor's hair looks awesome, beautiful and gorgeous, we are pretty certain there is come help going on their for the thickness and the length for sure!!

'Extensionists for sure unless she needs to tell us about some magic potion to achieve that hair!'

Jason Crozier, art director at Neville Hair & Beauty, a celebrity- loved Salon in Lonon added:  'Taylor's journey is an example of how hair can evolve to reflect personal and artistic growth.

'In 2019, during her Lover era, Taylor embraced a more natural and relaxed look with soft waves and her iconic blonde hair. 

'This style perfectly matched the romantic and pastel aesthetics of her music, creating a cohesive image that was both fresh and nostalgic.

Throwback: The Bad Blood singer, pictured from 2008 CMT Music Awards, admitted her hair is now straight and has lost her curl despite it having the texture since her birth 

Adorable: 'From birth, I had the curliest hair and now it is STRAIGHT,' Taylor revealed in her interview. Pictured is the singer when she was young with her crazy curls 

'Transitioning into her Folklore and Evermore eras in 2020, Taylor's style and hair was more ethereal, she wore her hair in loose braids and natural curls.

'With the release of Midnights in 2022, Taylor's hair took on a glamorous, old Hollywood style. She often wore her hair in sleek waves, adding modern elements such as subtle highlights and elegant accessories.

'Presently, Taylor Swift's hair embodies the 'old money blonde' aesthetic, characterised by its understated elegance and timeless appeal. 

'This style is a nod to classic beauty, featuring clean lines, soft waves, and a rich blonde colour that exudes luxury and refinement. 

'It's a sophisticated evolution that highlights her status as a fashion icon, seamlessly blending her musical artistry with her evolving personal style. 

'Notably, Taylor's present look also suggests the use of extensions to achieve a fuller, longer appearance. 

'This technique adds volume and length, enhancing the overall elegance of her current style. Extensions are a fantastic way to add versatility and fullness, allowing for more dynamic and glamorous looks.

Speaking to Elle in 2019, Taylor revealed how her hair completely changed texture and magically straightened out without the need for her to do anything.

'I learned that your hair can completely change texture,'

'From birth, I had the curliest hair and now it is STRAIGHT.'

Taylor admitted she always wanted her hair to change texture when she was younger. But now that it has, she only hopes for the bouncy curls to make a reappearance.

'It’s the straight hair I wished for every day in junior high,' the Bad Blood singer confessed.

'But just as I was coming to terms with loving my curls, they’ve left me. Please pray for their safe return.'

Speaking to DailyMail.com at the time, master colourist Sharon Dorram at Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger Salon explained that there could be plenty of reasons why Taylor's hair has gone through a transformation as she has aged, pointing out her hormones likely played a key role.

'The culprit of this hair change could be that Taylor’s hormones are changing as she’s getting older,' the haircare pro explained.

'Hormones change every seven years and a lot of times the hair texture alters as a result. A more common reason could be the change of her lifestyle. When the hair becomes more porous, due to elements that lead to lack of moisture, it inevitably becomes straighter.

'We see Taylor flying back and forth for her tours and many projects, and that constant travel and elevation takes a toll on the hair, depleting it of moisture.'

Celebrity hairdresser reveals the common mistakes people make when wearing extensions including attaching in the wrong place, using celeb-endorsed brands and picking the wrong type of hair 

 A celebrity hair extensions expert has revealed the common mistakes made by people when trying to lengthen their hair - and the best ways to avoid damage while using extensions.

 Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Louise Bailey, who runs Beauty Club London , a salon based in Fitzrovia, revealed the common misconceptions around hair extensions, including why you should always consult a professional before attaching any hair. 

Louise, who has a roster of A-listers in her client book, specialises in natural looking extensions and says getting hair from a reputable company is key.

Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Louise Bailey, who has runs Hair Extensions London, salon based in Fitzrovia, revealed the common misconceptions around hair extensions, including why you should always consult a professional before attaching any hair

'Extensions are like designer handbags these days , everyone has them,' she explained to FEMAIL.

'But celebs are often paid to promote brands and given free hair, this doesn't mean they're good ones. My top tip would be to always consult a professional and don't go for a Z-list endorsed brand'.

Here, she explains her top tips for those looking for Rapunzel-esque locks.

PICK A BRAND TO MATCH YOUR HAIR TYPE

Louise specialises in tape hair extensions,  which are attached to the hair using a special adhesive tape. 

'The hair is reusable and can be removed from the hair easily with zero damage to the natural hair.

She recommends using Hair Dreams, which she describes as 'a reputable brand within the hair extension industry'. 

The brand uses natural Indian hair, and their tape hair extension can last up to nine months if maintenance is carried out correctly and the hair is looked after well, once attached.

Pictured, natural hair (left) and right with extensions. The model wars balayage extensions from Hair Dreams, which is Indian hair

'There's three main types of hair sold, Russian, Chinese and Indian,' she explained.

'You should find the best hair for your ethnicity. Chinese hair is usually straight, while Indian hair is wavy.

'But Chinese hair is often more heavily processed because it’s naturally darker, while Russian can be more sought after because it can be "virgin" and each strand is much finer.

A reputable brand is so important, and it's always worth talking to a professional, as there's no regulation within this industry of hair processing. 

'A reputable brand is so important, and it's always worth talking to a professional, as there's no regulation within this industry of hair processing.

'There's even been brands taken to court before after hair they claimed was Russian wasn't.

'We use Hair Dreams, which has a natural wave so it’s perfect with to style and blend easily with the natural hair making it easy to manage at home.

'It means women can have a break from straightening and harsh heat styling, you can brush your hair and go.

'It gives you an everlasting blow dry for a week, so you can have a groomed hairstyle all the time.'

Louise specialises in tape hair extensions which are attached to the hair using a special adhesive tape. The hair is reusable and can be removed from the hair easily with zero damage to the natural hair

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

While Louise works with a limited number of top brands, she recommends steering clear of extremely cheap ones as 'you get what you pay for'.

'A good way to to know about a brand is good, look for a hair extension company with years behind its belt,' she said.

'Look for a place with A-listers on board as top brands won’t give them away as the product is so expensive.

'A good way to to know about a brand is good, look for a hair extension company with years behind its belt 

'To get your hair in good condition while using extensions you have to make sure your colour process is not damaging the natural hair,'.

Louise's works with a colour-expert and recommends making sure you have a full team on board to make sure both the hair extension and colour service protects the natural hair.

IT'S FOR ANYONE

While many see extensions as something for A-listers and influencers, many of Louise's clients are over 50.

'We get a lot of menopausal women come in, as their hair starts to thin. We fill out the hair and make them feel amazing again,' she explained.

'We get women that come to us of all ages that have had heavy bleach or even some highlights or the hair has just been over processed and it keeps breaking and doesn’t seem to grow.

'We fill the gaps with the extensions, when hair is burned from colour we don’t want to burn it even more - we get them on a healthy hair routine allowing the hair to have rest while still looking thick shinny and groomed. 

'We sort it so its not a wispy fluff anymore she added.

'I've also had patients who have lost their hair from chemotherapy, as soon as their natural hair is four inches, we can attach hair extensions, and it saves people having to get wigs and makes them feel themselves again.

IT CAN PREVENT HAIR DAMAGE

'We do a lot of Balayage extensions as it’s trendy and means you don’t have to colour your hair so much to achieve this look.

'We get a lot of people that want a new colour and we can colour it all with tape hair extensions - it’s so easy to do.

We get a lot of people that want a new colour and we can do it  all with tape hair extensions - it’s so easy to do. 

'With Balyage it places the colour properly, which you might not be able to do otherwise as dying it would take hours to do.

'When applied right, it can prevent damage but you need to find someone really good to apply them, or it can make damage worse.

'It’s also important that hair is cut properly because many hairdressers cut the natural hair away.

'So make sure you go to a reputable place that uses good hair and knows how to cut extensions well. This is a skill in itself.

'For a great set of hair extensions that don’t do any damage to your natural hair you need a great product and a hair extensions expert to apply and cut them.'