Dua Lipa Just Debuted Dark Cherry Red Hair

It’s giving Ginger Spice.

dua lipa
(Image credit: Getty)

It’s been the year of Barbie, which also means it’s been the year of Dua Lipa—not that it hasn’t been the year of Dua Lipa since she came onto the scene with “Last Dance” in 2016. Over the course of her just-beginning career, the 28-year-old singer has proven time and time again that she can’t miss. From dishing out songs of the summer every summer to consistently killing it on the red carpet, it’s always exciting to see what’s on the horizon for the superstar.

So, when the “One Kiss” singer wiped her beauty inspo-filled Instagram clean a few days ago, fans were quick to take note. Could it mean a third album was on the way? Or had she declared social media officially over? Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long to find out. On Thursday, October 12, the Grammy winner returned to the platform with a single snapshot. Captioned “miss me?,” the photo showed Dua Lipa laying on the floor, her locks splayed out all around her and dyed a deep, dark red color.

A post shared by DUA LIPA

A photo posted by dualipa on

Although she’s gone a brighter magenta in the past, the dark red hue is pretty unexpected for Lipa, who is known for her silky, brunette locks. Paired with a red, white, and blue top, the look immediately reminded me of Ginger Spice’s famous red hair/Union Jack dress combo. And because her cherry cola hair rightfully stole the show, the Albanian-born songwriter kept her makeup simple with clean skin, brushed brows, and a slight frosted lip. Posing with her arms wrapped around herself, you could also see a tiny glimpse of a white manicure.

While Lipa didn’t exactly comment on her new hair, others certainly had something to say about it. As notes about the red and excitement for a potential third album poured in from fans (“we love you ginger girl!”), some celebrities also joined the welcome-back-to-Instagram committee in the comments. “Ohhhh yes,” commented Donatella Versace with red heart and flame emojis. Fire indeed.

Sophia Vilensky
Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.