Blake Lively's Hair Routine Is Simpler Than You Would Expect

I've envied Blake Lively's hair since her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Gossip Girl days. Her blonde, which she describes as a "warm honey or apricot blonde with natural, deeper roots," is seemingly always fresh, and her air-dried texture somehow avoids frizz and tangles altogether. But Blake Lively's hair routine remained pretty under wraps for over a decade.

It's known that hairstylist Jennifer Yepez is responsible for her styling—be it a bouncy blowout or high ponytail—while Rona O'Connor is in charge of the It Ends With Us actress' color. But it wasn't until the launch of Lively's namesake beauty brand, Blake Brown, and this interview that I learned exactly how the Betty Buzz founder cares for and styles her hair. “I really listen to my hair,” Lively exclusively tells me. “I don’t follow a routine strictly, but I follow the lead of how my hair responds [to the weather, styling, and products].”

Curious to know how Lively gets her locks so effortlessly full and lush? She's sharing all her hair tips ahead.

Blake Lively's Hair How To

Her Haircare Routine

Naturally, Lively uses her namesake line, which debuted with eight products this past summer. The buzzy Target line (it sold out pretty instantaneously, FYI) is notably without conditioner—Lively doesn't believe in the step. Instead, she uses a hair mask after shampooing her hair every third day. “Mask as a forever pair to shampoo isn’t such a racy idea to me; it just feels to my hair like a conditioner that isn’t watered down,” she says. “When I made that shift, I watched my hair completely change for the better and stay that way for decades.”

When her hair needs some extra TLC, she’ll quickly rinse it and use the Blake Brown Milky Sandalwood Rich Reset Pre-Shampoo Mask to slick it back into a high bun, run errands, and wash it back as usual. (“It’s a miracle reset,” she says.)

Her Hairstyling Routine

Unless Yepez gives her a blowout for a red carpet or a press day, Livley almost always lets her hair air dry. When she wants to define her natural texture more, she’ll grab the Blackcurrant Vanille Glam Mousse to make an “air-dry cream.”

Her Hair Color Routine

We’ve seen Lively as a brunette, bronde, light blonde, and most recently, her beloved red shade for her latest film, It Ends With Us. She credits celebrity colorist O’Connor for getting all her shades just right. “She is an artist with every head I’ve ever seen her work on,” Lively says. “Her attention to detail and color layering is so thoughtful and fine. I feel so fortunate to have learned from her for so long.”

O’Connor has been Lively’s only colorist for the last 18 years and, according to the actress, is a master at easy growout—especially with red color. “She plans for how it fades,” Lively says. “So the in-between color of strawberry blonde as the red comes out is just as beautiful and yet different than the initial red.”

If you want to copy Lively's color, here's her secret tip: Ask your colorist to sneak in slivers of copper throughout your blonde hair. In the winter, feel free to go a bit deeper in tone and sunnier in the summer. Always leave in deep roots, too, to preserve hair health. “I don’t color my hair often,” she says. “I do it maybe every four to six months; that significantly helps hair growth and health.”