Lifestyle maven and reality show star Martha Stewart is continues to prove she’ll never be too old to try something new. On August 9, 2026, celebrity hair colorist Chris Appleton uploaded a new video of the former HGTV and Food Network star in his salon chair, cheekily debuting a gorgeous new hair color.
The perpetually blonde diva, who turned 85 on August 3, thrilled fans with her unexpected new look, and Appleton captioned his social media video with, “Welcome to the rose gold era 🌹✨”
Martha Stewart’s Hairstylist is Known for His ‘Viral’ Hair Moments
Wearing a white bathrobe and with her skin looking flawless, with Nicole Daisy Toye credited for Stewart’s makeup, Stewart first appeared in Appleton’s video with her blonde hair. As he stood behind her, she lipsynched to audio of Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada,” saying, “Pull yourself together, we have work to do.”
The “before” video quickly switched to Stewart’s “after” look, with her striking a pose (or several) as Madonna’s “Vogue” playing in the background.
According to Color Wow, Appleton has “created some of the most viral hair moments of our time,” regularly working with celebrity clients including Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, and Dua Lipa. He’s also worked with iconic fashion houses from Dolce & Gabbana to Valentino, styling models for their seasonal shows.
In the caption of his vidoe, he shared the “rose gold formula” he developed for Stewart’s new look — “Hi-lights BlondeMe 9+ 20vol … All over gloss … 9.5-19 & 9.5-5 rose gold base … Clear 0-00”
Fans Go Wild Over Martha Stewart’s ‘Stunning’ New Look
Within several hours of posting Stewart’s before-and-after video, nearly 28,000 fans had liked the post and more than 1,300 had left comments. Appleton followed it up with another post, featuring photos of Stewart’s new ‘do. The vast majority of those leaving comments on both posts were amazed by Stewart’s transformation.
One comment that drew nearly 500 likes said, “Who knew rose gold could look this Martha-freaking-Stewart?! 💕🔥🫶🏾”
One fan called Stewart “the gangster-rap-loving baddie of my era. 🔥” Another quipped, “Majorrrrr, mother Martha 😍 💕”
Someone else wrote, “Okay Martha!!!! Love it 🩷🩷🩷 the king of hair strikes again!” and another fan chimed in, “Oh yes!!!! 🔥😍 wow you are stunning”
Chris Appleton is Also Responsible for Other Celebrities’ Iconic Pink Hair Hairdos
Stewart’s transformation is reminiscent of the headline-making change Appleton was responsible for when Kim Kardashian dyed her hair pink in 2018. The change was so drastic and unheard of at the time, that many fans insisted Kardashian was wearing a wig, according to People.
Before that, the reality show icon had gone blonde, but said she’d grown tired of that look, so she and Appleton agreed on a pink hue as an inbetween. After her transformation, other celebs have trusted Appleton for their pink moments, too.
Months later, he did the same for Kardashian’s sister, Kylie Jenner, according to Allure. “To get the look I was super gentle on the hair and used @limecrimemakeup unicorn color in Kawail and used dilute mixer to make a super soft frosted pink.”
In 2021, Appleton was responsible for turning JLo’s hair pink, calling her new look on Instagram as “pink to make the boys wink. The next year, he turned heads again when he helped Dua Lipa go from dark brown to bright pink.
It’s not known for sure how long Stewart’s pink ‘do will last, but a hair colorist told fans in the comment section of Appleton’s post that his treatments were likely to last three to six weeks.
