I tried to get ‘sexy’ like Sydney Sweeney, I ditched my bleached hair on the stylist’s tip but not my ‘Oompa Loompa tan’
BEYOND talented and blessed with jaw-dropping looks, Sydney Sweeney is our ultimate girl crush.
The 25-year-old Euphoria TV star, who plays the central role in new horror flick Immaculate, is the hottest name on everyone's lips - and it doesn't come as a surprise she's been hailed as one of the sexiest women in the world.
But just when you thought it was impossible for Sydney to get any more stunningly beautiful, she recently left fans open-mouthed with an epic makeover.
The actress, who landed a role in The Handmaid's Tale in 2018, ditched the light brunette tresses for a softer, more natural honey-toned shade of blonde.
As well as now going for lighter brows and swapping the signature heavy eye look with a more natural glam, the Hollywood star was also snapped wearing a softer matte make-up.
The internet went wild, with super fans obsessed over the ''angelic'' aesthetic which ''fits her softer features instead of fighting them''.
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''The change in eyebrows was really the power move,'' a social media user said, with one even comparing the brand new look to the supermodel Gigi Hadid.
Although some experts have weighed in and said that ''Sydney Sweeney has had Botox and possibly a brow lift'', as reported by , the changes are minimal - yet dramatic enough to make her even more beautiful.
And so I realised... I wanted a change.
As a lifestyle journalist - and someone who first started experimenting with make-up at the age of 14 - I was convinced I'd nailed the look that suited me the best.
For the last decade, if not longer, I've sported a relatively short, always bleached blonde bob, along with an Oompa Loompa-like fake tan and a bronzed foundation to match the orange aesthetic.
My brows, too, have been the same for the most part - slightly darker, thicker, and I've not been too fussed about doing my eye make-up, just rocking a deep brown mascara.
Having a bit of a crisis - and desperately trying to embrace a more natural look - I wanted to see what an expert who regularly shares epic client transformations on TiKTok would recommend me to do or ditch.
And here's how it went...
Within an hour, the submitted photos came back - and I couldn't believe how different my face looked.
Same Kate - but better
It was still me, I could recognise the Kate I've known for 28 years - but better.
However, it's worth noting that the image does look filtered - and even my best friend reckoned the lips have been made to look more plump.
The beauty guru had ditched my almost-white tresses for a more soft blonde champagne tone and styled the bob even shorter with a tousled look to add movement and shape.
Compared to my previous bleach pale blonde - which had cost me a fortune over the years - brightened and softened the complexion beautifully.
Biggest beauty mistakes
Fabulous' Beauty Editor Tara Ledden has shared the do's and don'ts when it comes to beauty.
"No matter how much time and money you spend on your beauty routine, if you’re not getting the basics right, the rest is wasted.
"There aren’t many non-negotiables, but these are the biggest beauty mistakes sabotaging your regime."
- Not wearing SPF: Sun-damage is the main cause of premature skin ageing, so if you want to keep your skin looking plump and glowing, sun cream is vital.
- Using expired products: Best case, they’re ineffective and don’t deliver the results they promise, worst case they cause irritation and infection. The shelf life of beauty products differ - for example, mascara is usually good for 3-6 months while lipstick can last for 9-18 months. Check the ‘POA’ symbol on the packaging (it looks like a jar and will have a number inside for how many months it’s safe once opened. If you can’t remember when you opened your product, throw it away and start again, marking the month and year with a permanent marker on the packaging.
- Not knowing your undertones: If you’re using make-up with the wrong undertones, it’ll never look natural no matter how much you blend it! An easy trick to work out whether you have cool, warm or neutral undertones is to check the veins on your wrist - if they look blue, you have cool undertones, if they’re green, you have warm and if they’re a mix you have neutral.
- Skipping heat protector: It might feel unnecessary, but much like sun damage on the skin, excess heat is the most common cause of hair damage. So, if you want shiny, healthy hair, or you’re trying to grow it longer, using a heat protection product is key.
- Not washing your face before bed: it’s as simple as this, if you’re not washing your face before you go to sleep, everything that’s been on your skin during the day is sitting there for even longer, clogging your pores and drying out the surface. Any skincare applied on top isn’t going to be effective with a layer of dirt underneath, and you’re probably going to end up with dirty pillows too - yuck!
Since I'm a soft summer, who can rock both silver and gold, these muted cool tones suited me perfectly - was bleaching my hair all this time really a mistake?
On top of making my brows thinner ever so slightly, with a soft art to almost match the hair colour, the pro went for a soft, muted glam - think a rich nude lippy, a healthy dose of blush and soft pink eye make-up to make the blue pop.
It wasn't long until I called up my local hairdressers in London - the ones who've been doing my highlights for years now - and booked an appointment the following day.
I was in love with what I saw - the new version of me; the one that was more mature, chic and even healthier-looking. I had to do it now.
After arriving at the hair salon and explaining that I wanted to go darker, the staff were in total disbelief - especially one employee who was close to tears, as he had bleached my tresses earlier in June.
Two or so hours later, after a consultation, dyeing and yes, going for the big chop, the hairdresser styled my locks in trendy waves - and I'd suddenly become a totally new person; a reflection in the mirror I'd never dreamed about seeing.
''...and she is no longer a blonde,'' read the note on top of a selfie I immediately shared to my Instagram followers.
The notifications popped off. Immediately.
One by one, my friends and family were bombarding me with messages, as I FaceTimed some of them for a live reaction.
''Woah, I love this'', ''obsessed'', ''brings out your colours'', ''I love it, you look amazing'' - and I knew right away. I had made the right choice to ditch the bleach appointments.
Since then, I've also slightly changed my make-up routine - although the fake tan hasn't disappeared anywhere.
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As well as adding light pinks to my eye look, a more rouge blush has been added to my Primark beauty bag, on top of a baby pink liquid highlighter.
The only issue - now I need to give my wardrobe a makeover too...