Jennifer Aniston on why she cut her hair: it looked fake & extensions were thinning it


I remember last year when Jennifer Aniston’s extensions were looking obvious. It surprised me, because up to that point I’d assumed that Aniston’s trademark hair was all natural. (And I’ll be honest, I coveted her hair.) After a while, though it was just looking too full and fake. It wasn’t Lindsay Lohan levels of fake hair, but you could tell she was using pieces. Well Aniston chopped off her hair to a shoulder length bob in February. She’s been growing it out ever since. Her longtime hairdresser, Chris McMillan, did an interview with Allure afterwards explaining the new look, and he sort-of suggested that she’d had extensions, but didn’t say it outright. He said Aniston’s old look was played out. “But The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills all have that [hair style]. You know what I mean… They all have that natural, piecey hair. It’s nice to take the extensions out of the hair and do something more natural.”

Now Aniston has confirmed that she had extensions and that they were damaging her hair. This sounds like a throwaway comment until you realize how much press it’s going to get her. She told InstyleThe real reason I cut my hair? My real hair was getting thinned out again from all the extensions. It was starting to look fake.”

That’s true, Aniston’s hair was looking fake. I think her decision to cut it had more to do with McMillan’s influence though. He very clearly told Allure why he wanted to take Aniston’s hair in that direction: it was the upcoming trend in fashion and hair, and he wanted his client to be a leader, not a Real Housewife follower. Kaiser thought that Aniston might be selling out her hairdresser with that extensions comment, but I get the impression that they’re on the same page and that he’s the one who convinced her that her hair was looking phony.

The thing is, Aniston’s hair has been reverting back to her long piecey look from 2010. Here she is in October of this year at an Elle event. I’m thinking she has extensions yet again here, and that she really prefers this style. We heard rumors that she thought she looked like a soccer mom with that hair. Those stories were probably accurate, since she didn’t keep that bob style for a hot minute.

10/17/11. She has the extensions back in, doesn’t she? I don’t think her hair would look as full without them, but I could be wrong.

9/26/11. All natural? Maybe. I think this shows that she did get extensions for that Elle event (above) and later that very same day (below)

9/26/11. Her hair grew a couple inches in a day, so she’s still hitting the extensions.

I did a forensic analysis of Aniston’s hair earlier this year, where I found photos of her with and without the extensions prior to the big chop. You can see those photos at that earlier story, and here are a couple of her with the long obvious extensions.

11/18/10

11/19/10

So the verdict is that she’s still using extensions, but they’re more subtle and not as fake-looking as they were before. I prefer her hair longer, not the super long style but the look she’s sporting now. She probably does too, since she keeps returning to that style. She knows what works for her. This story makes me fantasize about how awesome it would be to have a hair guy with me every day, a BFF who would gossip with me and make me look gorgeous.

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182 Responses to “Jennifer Aniston on why she cut her hair: it looked fake & extensions were thinning it”

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  1. Pinder Schloss says:

    Love her with or without extensions. She is the most beautiful, sensual and sexy woman in whole universe.

  2. samira677 says:

    I thought everybody knew she wore extensions. For most of her career Jennifer’s hair was about shoulder length not down her back.

    • Dani says:

      Nope. It never crossed my mind.

    • whatevs says:

      never knew that.. if it’s a fake hair why was it so damn famous anyway?

      • Jag says:

        That’s what I was wondering! If her hair has been fake this entire time, why did so many women covet it? I thought it was real. This changes my opinion of her a bit, that she would let so many people be misled about her hair for so long.

        But I will say kudos to her for admitting that she had extensions and her hair was thinning. Most Hollyweird people wouldn’t admit that.

        I guess it evens out. lol

      • Heine says:

        Her hairCUT (The Rachel) was famous, not her hair in general.

        I don’t recall her ever saying that her hair was completely natural-being ‘misled’ is overstating it a bit in my opinion. To me it was obvious that she used extensions since the length and thickness was in constant flux.

        Frankly I just assume they all have pieces in and then go along with my day.

    • Camille says:

      IKR. It was *very* obvious that she used extensions especially that one season on Friends for example when her hair was ultra long (it looked god awful on her too).

      I just have to laugh now at all of the Aniston fans who used to declare that her hair is ‘all natural, thick and wonderful’ etc. Obviously it isn’t. She just has a good colourist and stylist.
      There isn’t much about this woman that is natural lol.

  3. Jayna says:

    Wow, color me fooled. I never saw a hint of extensions and have always been jealous of her great hair.

    • gg says:

      I think she probably does have great hair and doesn’t really need extensions, it’s just all this stuff is so easy for her to get, she gots the cash to pay for whatever, so what the hey, everybody does it, sure, go ahead.

      But I wish they wouldn’t, because it really can make you have permanent bald patches and destroy your existing hair, depending upon which kind you use. And mainly, the regular peons that have them don’t style them right and everybody’s hair looks identical with the Farrah Fawcett doo-doo rolls at the ends.

      • whatevs says:

        her real hair is extra dark brown and very curly and fuzzy. i imagine it would be difficult to look after

      • Original Chloe says:

        Yeah, they’ve just shown the Friends pilot on tv here (the one filmed before the Rachel haircut) and her own hair looks the exact opposite of what it is in the “natural” pictures published over the years.

      • Jazz Fab says:

        what about clip on hair extensions, are they bad for your real hair? I’ve seen those curly clip on hair extensions and was thinking of buying 1 because I really don’t know how to curl my hair…

    • laylajanelovesgossip says:

      Team Angie Jo can get mad all they want but Jen looks GREAT with or without extensions. Go Jen GO!!!

  4. Tierra says:

    color me shocked! I had no clue they were extensions. Kudos for her for being honest about it tho.

  5. lisa says:

    And the conversation or story is about her hair.

    Predictable..

    other actresses get haircuts, extensions or different color hair, and it is never a headline. I’m sure there will be many comment on hair.

    Superficial to the end. But I expect nothing more of her. So I guess tomorrow will be her exercise routine. How she mixes it up.

    • NM9005 says:

      You expect nothing more of her?!
      No offense but she didn’t make a headline out of it. This site did, while analysing her past hair. There are only two minor quotes about it and the rest of the article is based on that. It wasn’t even a full interview, just a quote about hair! I couldn’t stop reading even though it was dull :D, I was like “the eff?”. I can’t undo now…:)!

      Since this topic is about her hair, the comments will be about her hair and how superficial she is.

      Oh and we know she superficial and all, but don’t tell me that she’s the only woman who cares about hair? A lot of women are very protective about it when going to the hairdresser and feel very good when their hair has a new style, feeling sexy and all.

      • Victoria says:

        Lisa I got your back because you know people like to play dumb whenever this chick strolls onto the screen.

        Basically Lisa is saying 95% of anything Jennifer is about her body, her looks, her tanning. Everything is superficial. She is empty as is mostly all the articles about her are. You’ll never hear this child talking about anything deep or worthwhile.

        As for the hair thing, I refuse to believe that she wore extensions when she grew her hair out on Friends. You could see the natural progression of her hair getting longer. And her hair was beautiful. She’s older now, probably greying, and that does change the texture and fullness of your hair so maybe that’s why she started wearing pieces.

        I just hope little black girls start realizing that Hollywood women of all colors wear extensions and fake shit in their hair so they can stop using chemicals and weaves to make their hair into something it’s not. Go natural.

      • Alexis says:

        @Victoria

        What do black girls have to do with this? I’d say that this should embolden them — and girls of any race with thin or difficult hair, actually — to experiment with artificial hair and coloring if they want to. It should inspire them to go for it, knowing how good it can look. Because hey, that’s how many of the stars do it. Most of these stars aren’t demigods, born with perfect hair. In Young Adult, we see Charlize put in a hairpiece to thicken her thin hair for a night out – and it looks natural and awesome once in! Many don’t want to believe it happens, some want to fantasize that these stars have this perfect hair naturally — not true for many of them.

        As you mentioned, this JA post also tends to continue to debunk the increasingly unsustainable myth that only black Hollywood does extensions, weaves, and hairpieces. I’d say the majority of bottle-blondes in Hollywood wear weaves or pieces; It’s hard to grow your hair out long and thick when you are processing it like that.

        Where I disagree with you is here: It’s not just black girls, when they choose to experiment that are making their hair “something it’s not.” That’s the inherent nature of coloring your hair, adding a piece, whatever. Everyone does that. It’s every woman’s prerogative to have fun with her hair, to try new things to make herself look good and feel special. So no, not every black girl or woman has to go natural; that’s no better or worse than any other style.

      • JustBe says:

        I think Victoria makes a good point that should be blasted for young girls, especially black girls.

        When all of the girls/women who appear to be famous seem to have long/amazing hair and you don’t, something about your mirrored reflection seems off and you start trying to emulate an impossible standard.

        If you go to low-income urban areas (I was born/raised in DC), you’ll see a lot of young girls/women with ridiculously long hair extensions. This is a problem for many reasons, least of which is that very few people can afford the high cost (hundreds of dollars per appointment) for high-quality weaves/extensions that may limit damage to hair and have limited access to professional stylists that know how to take care of their hair. So, they go the route that they can afford and purchase the weaves that are cheap and will eventually lead to hair damage and/or permanent hair loss. By the time they realize what’s happened, it will be too late and their self-esteem will really take a hit.

        It would be a lot better if everyone had an understanding (usually only attained with a certain amount of maturity) that what’s projected on television is about as real as a Disney cartoon. Very few women (of any race) have perfect hair with the right length, texture, volume, etc. More of us should feel freer to go on our way and create unique styles with the hair we were born with.

    • HadleyB says:

      The media makes a big deal out of everything actresses do not just her.

      When someone gets a fringe/bangs – it’s a “hot” story…

      She did always have the best hair extensions or not.. and yes it’s predictable, almost like every JHud story is … surprise! about her weight. Yawn.

      • lisa says:

        I agree. It would be interesting if ONCE there was a story about something NEW regarding her.

        And yes Jhud only talks about her weight loss which to me is a shame when she actually has talent. You have to change the dialogue. If not this because all you are.

        But maybe that is all there is.

    • Tapioca says:

      There are lots of posts about celebrity hair on this site – Shakira’s recent bob, Katy Perry’s black/pink/blonde, various “bangs traumas”, hell – even Angelina Jolie got one all about the brunette WIG she wore for Salt.

      Hollywood is Planet Superficial after all, and I’d rather an actress copped to getting a little aesthetic help with her looks than the ones who are all “Oh, I’m completely natural, bow to me you ugly peasants” when they’ve been carved up more than a Thanksgiving turkey.

      But yeah, it does seem like a slow news day!

    • Rosalee says:

      Celebitchy posts an Aniston hair story and the crowd goes wild..toss out the a story about Aniston’s barren womb next, reminds me of the last three or four minutes of the Day of the Locust.

    • Zoe says:

      Aniston hair isn’t just any celebrity hair. My SIL is a stylist, and styles musicians pellets. Her clients want ‘Aniston’ hair. They wanted it ten years ago and still covert her hair. Her hairstyle is consistently the most requested hair style in hairdom.

  6. Agnes says:

    Yeah, extensions. Hair doesn’t grow that fast. Anyone who thinks it does is just silly. 🙂

  7. Ellen says:

    She’s so boring.

  8. Cathy says:

    I like her hair about shoulder length, it fits her face better. I think she is very pretty, even though I like Lisa Kudrow from friends better. It’s to bad her career seemed to have stalled now that Friends is over.

  9. DarkEmpress says:

    Her hairdresser is a genius. He should get a cut of all her earnings because since The Rachel haircut, JA hair is her source of beauty and popularity.

  10. Lilian says:

    Well, I have very thin hair and everytime I need to dress up, I just wear a hairclip and my hair instantly looks amazing.

    A lot of women use extension and hair clip, so why is this a topic?

  11. Rhiley says:

    My favorite part of all this? The hairstylist basically calls all those RHOBH bitches “tacky and budget” and no real celebrity wants to look like ’em.

  12. Paloma says:

    Oh yes, one of the most important things in her life is the length of her hair — jeesh!

  13. Lucy says:

    She is so deep….can’t believe she didn’t win an Oscar for not wearing mascara in whatever the hell movie that was that she was brave enough not to wear mascara in and that I didn’t see…

  14. Deltona lakes says:

    Lainey gossip said a few years back that in person her hair is thin and rather limp. She was kinda surprise since it’s all about her hair. Her hair is her security blanket. She cut her hair when she was with Brad and didn’t like it and started wearing extensions . She has to be the only actress in HW that wears her hair the same whether in a casual setting or red carpet. Every other actress has had their hair short, long, blonde, red or brunette, updo curls , straight. But her hair is the same ole.

    • whatevs says:

      when did she cut it cause i can’t remember that at all… but i remember back in ’98 all hollywood ladies were getting haircuts. short hair was the buzz for a while. sigh.

      • cameron says:

        She cut it around the time Brad was filming the Mexican. I don’t remember the year I would guess sometime in 2001 she hated it and said that she was taking Horse pills so that her hair would grow back faster. I’m sure she was joking about the horse pills but about a couple of months later her hair was down her back and it was obvious she put in extensions. It look so fake and it’s impossible to grow 6-8 inches of hair in matter of months.

      • Lucy says:

        I remember when she was on friends and she cut her hair really short, and yeah, did not look good!

  15. LittleFATMe says:

    “It wasn’t Lindsay Lohan levels of fake hair” um, Celebitchy, street hookers could hot glue Dollar Store Barbie hair to their heads after a week long bender of bad crack and BJs and still not have LL levels of fake hair. That’s all. 🙂

  16. Julia says:

    Maybe stopping bleaching them would actually tremendously improve the health and thickness of her naturally gorgeous dark hair.

    I wish she’ll go brunette and embrace her darker hair wich will improve their health.

    • whatevs says:

      doubt it… she already altered her face and body so much to the point they’re unrecognizable, when compared to older pics. and she changed her natural tan, got fake lenses, made her hair the exact opposite of what it really is… actually she looks the polar opposite of what she naturally is/was. she can’t go back to being natural that ship sailed decades ago

    • Alexis says:

      Yeah, she’d look younger as a brunette. Look at the horrible bosses poster – much, much, better. The long beach-blonde hair shtick is looking increasingly fake and ages her.

      • Jazz Fab says:

        agree, but that’s her trademark look. remember what happened when Keri Russell chopped off her long curly locks? Her career went downhill.

    • pwal says:

      Yes she would look better with a color closer to her natural shade. But then again, she would probably c*ck that up too, with all of her talk about how daring or jarring this ‘change’ would be. And no, I’m not being b*tchy because it’s Aniston – she went on record, twice, about how ‘daring’ it was for her to go darker via wearing a freaking wig (Management and Horrible Bosses).

      And for that matter, Sarah Jessica Parker should consider it too. I remember her back in her Square Pegs days and she was an adorable brunette.

  17. DuBarry says:

    This is news?

  18. Jennifer12 says:

    It’s nice that she came out and said the truth and her hair looked nice in 2/2011. I don’t care for her, but she’s an attractive- not stunning- woman and at this age, she can get some interesting parts and even direct. Enough with the Housewife look.

  19. whatevs says:

    so was that famously overrated hair always artifical? even back in the (later seasons of) friends? btw her hand in that final pic scared me. it was frankenstein’s hand. oh let’s not forget she cut her hair right after joan rivers and many others exclaimed how sick they were of her boring old hair. probably her publicist’s idea as part of re-vamping her image project (see what i did there?)

  20. Shelly says:

    I think she look best with hair just below her shoulders. It looks stringy when it’s too long and I don’t think the bob flatters her.

  21. mln76 says:

    She is a superficial person. It’s all she talks about in interviews. Her looks her make-up and hair. Whether or not she’s had fillers. That’s all there is to her. Some people who are into that stuff love her because that is all they want to think about also. At her age you’d think she’d want to develop a bit of substance.

    • Camille says:

      Agree. 😀

    • Heine says:

      Well…this interview was from the ‘Beauty Talk’ section of the January 2012 InStyle magazine. It’s the same interview that the fillers comments and the mom comments came from.

      It makes sense, therefore, that she’d be asked superficial beauty questions since that is the whole point of the section. Its not like some hardheaded journalist was asking her these fluff questions because they had nothing else to talk about.

      And in my opinion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Aniston only sharing the most superficial aspects of her life with the public. I would if I were in her shoes.

  22. Heather M says:

    I LOVE this story. CB is the best! I woke up an hour ago in the middle of (literally) dreaming about getting hair extensions (ridiculous).

    I cut my hair a few months back and it is only now reaching the length of JA’s when her’s was first cut. I feel like JA looks MUCH older with that bob, and I feel like I do, too. I am getting married in March and have (literally) been dreaming about extensions. I NEVER knew that JA had them back then (now, yes). Paris, Britney and Lindsay all gave them such a bad name! But JA looked so much better with them!!

    Ohhh, to be patient or to just get them-?! If I am to judge by photos of JA, I need to get them…

  23. Thelma says:

    Why is she getting kudos for coming clean after 15 years? there’s a reason stories on her are always on superficial…her whole identity seems to be wrapped up in her looks. Why is she stuck on this hair style? Because it flatters her face. She doesn’t have natural beauty and putting up her hair or sweeping it off her face makes her masculine chin and protuberant nose more prominent, I predict shell be sixty and still with the same hair style!

  24. Wendy says:

    Oh oh… There goes the “hair length conspiracy” theory…

    • Emma says:

      True that … which means that first batch of black and white photos Terry Richardson released of Jen and Justin ‘snuggling at a table in a bar’ could very well have been taken in January, February, March, or April. I have always suspected this anyway, because in that particular photo Justin is wearing a heavy hoodie under his black leather jacket, and Jen’s coat is next to her on the seat. The notion that those photos were taken earlier than June 2011 (which is when they were supposedly taken) was debated and dismissed due to the length of Jen’s hair in February, when she cut it, and the length it was in June.

  25. Elle says:

    She is so boring and average.

    All people talk about in regards to her is her hair, Mexico, her yoga, her body, Mexico again and her rotating list of pr boyfriends.

    That is sad and pathetic when your 42 and no one has anything else to day about you.

    No one would care about her if she never married BP, she would be as relevant as the rest of the Friends cast, which would mean not at all.

  26. Sara says:

    Angelina is younger but has lived a much more interesting and full life.She does not talk about superficial hair etc. She is not known for her hair style.

    Instead she has a family of six kids, flies planes, meets presidents, meets prime ministers and Queens and Kings, has traveled the world beyond Mexico, has visited so many refugee camps and refugees, has the respect of Colin Powell & Bill Clinton etc.

    • RobN says:

      And apparently she has her very own crazy person.

      • loveyourwork says:

        HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!! comment of the day.

      • anonymous says:

        Rachel Green decades after Friends still talking about her hair, no personal growth this article was written for her as a secutity blanket so that old hag with all her resteylane injected face, gets to read her silly fans ooh’s and aah’s saying how georgeous she looks, feeding her massive ego. For a middle age woman she can pass in a rush but face wise she is no Charlize Theron, Princess Grace, E. Taylor, Halle Berry, Catherine Denevue or Ursela undress,she is not in these world renown beauties class. Better yet Angelina Jolie who by the way was voted the Sexiest Female alive in 2007 by Men’s Esquire mag. Chick belongs at the Ring Ling Brothers Circus her face looks so unnatural. Her nemesis Angelina Jolie who is almost 10 years younger has just wrote and directed her first movie, and has been nominated for golden Globe. Nothing personal against this actress but she is transparent she is feeling the heat Angelina better her with that movie she wrote and produced and got the GG nomination, instead of being green with envy sending out these stupid announcements get to doing something positive with your life beat AJ at her own game. Stupid announcements about hair which is dead once it grows out isn’t cutting it.

      • RobN says:

        I was wrong, apparently she has two crazy people.

      • lisa says:

        I think it is better to be crazy in the present then cray cray in the past.

        Are you one of the JenHens on this site. Talk about crazy fans. Well the Jolie-Pitt fans don’t have anything on these chicks. I am not an Aniston fan.. but crap like this makes me almost feel sorry for her. The woman has a man.. had several in fact after her 7+year divorce.. yet her fans are stuck in past.

        Enjoy the peek into CRAZYLAND..

        http://www.fanforum.com/f248/jennifer-brad-appreciation-6-cause-when-he-picked-her-up-friends-he-stayed-back-63020263/

      • leetruth says:

        You presumably.

      • Alita says:

        Hehe RobN.

    • Heine says:

      They are two different women. Why do people keep dragging them into conversations about the other? This story has absolutely nothing to do with Jolie.

      • Katija says:

        It doesn’t matter. If one is mentioned, so will the other.

        Honestly I like both of them for differing reasons. I really don’t care if JA isn’t publically a deep person (or even at all) with the accolades that AJ has. I like her in the way she would be a cool chick to have a few drinks with and go shopping. Sometimes in that order. And that is enough to make me think she’s relatable and likable and worth seeing a movie if hers if i choose. I’ve grown to like AJ past the whole AJ/BP/JA triangle scandal (I liked her before it, couldn’t stand her after for awhile). I don’t identify with her as much, but I think she does some truly great things because she wants to and not as a PR gimmick.

        It doesn’t have to be you like either/or. I don’t know either of them but am willing to enjoy their careers on their own merits. People need to let it go.

      • Cerulean says:

        I can’t agree more. I am no Jen fan by a loooooong stretch but to compare her to Jolie all the time is not fair. She is who she is and Jolie is who she is.
        I find Jen superficial all on her own. I have never liked her, Friends or her persona.

        So let triangle die already.

  27. Original Chloe says:

    So wait, the “gorgeous” trademark hair was extensions?
    Yup, that’s our girl next door.

  28. Turtle Dove says:

    She does have great hair and it was always thick, but I’m sure that it’s thinned out from the constant styling and she used extensions to make it appear fuller. Models hair is the same way. They start out with thick gorgeous hair and it slowly becomes thinner. Aging also impacts hair and as your estrogen wanes, so to does the thickness.

    • Janet says:

      Maintaining the constant dye job for 20 years probably hasn’t helped either. Bleach plays havoc with your hair.

  29. paranormalgirl says:

    For someone so “boring,” she sure gets a lot of comments. I feel bad for both Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. Sometimes it seems that their entire lives boil down to a competition that I doubt either one is even interested in.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      It really is incredible the comments people make about BOTH of them (AJ & JA). I always tell myself to avoid these posts because most of the comments are so incredibly insane but I just can’t seem to stop myself from reading them. Some people are are just CRAY-CRAY as Kaiser says 🙂

      • Katija says:

        Cosign this. The comments are more interesting then the actual gossip for both women.

      • Alita says:

        For contemorary CB comment insanity, check the Leanne Rimes posts. They make any Aniston etc threads seem decidedly level-headed and measured.

  30. nrrrvus says:

    The best actress, hahahahah, lol, hardly
    she blows, what stunning movie was she in? Marley and me?
    Blows goats.

  31. gag says:

    Maybe she’s taking a jab at Angelina’s fake hair. You know that sh*t isnt naturally long

    • whatevs says:

      jolie’s hair is fake? how do you even know?

    • Dana M says:

      Yes, I totally agree. It’s very easy to tell that Angelina Jolie wears fake hair too. I also could tell Jennifer Aniston wore extensions as well years ago. Its very interesting to me that JA gave away her biggest hair secret.

      • deltona lakes says:

        I don’t know how you can tell because I sure can’t. But the difference between Angelina and JA is that she doesn’t talk about hair, make-up, eyelahes…Her hair is not her “claim to fame” it’s like finding out Farrah Fawcett was wearing a blond wig.

  32. CG says:

    I caught some old episodes of Friends a few weeks back when she had her chin-length bob. She looked so great with that cut! I’ve read where she said she hated it, but it looked fantastic on her and I wish she’d mix it up and cut it short again. I also wish I looked that good with short hair. 🙁

  33. Victoria says:

    What do black girls have to do with this? I’d say that this should embolden them — and girls of any race with thin or difficult hair, actually — to experiment with artificial hair and coloring if they want to. It should inspire them to go for it, knowing how good it can look. Because hey, that’s how many of the stars do it. Most of these stars aren’t demigods, born with perfect hair. In Young Adult, we see Charlize put in a hairpiece to thicken her thin hair for a night out – and it looks natural and awesome once in! Many don’t want to believe it happens, some want to fantasize that these stars have this perfect hair naturally — not true for many of them.
    ________________________________

    @Alexis

    I’m not trying to be rude but unless you have “black hair” and grew up in the community you DON’T know what you’re talking about and if you do, you are blind. You should know how much having “white” or European/Asian hair is still a big deal in our community and the lengths young girls as early as three are forced into partaking for that look. Mother’s getting their children’s hair relaxed with chemicals that make a coke can look like it got hit by a nuclear bomb, so their daughter’s hair isn’t so “nappy” and “unmanagable” is a big thing and very real.

    It is one of the biggest obsessions in our community. Having worked in a hair salon for black women, I have seen it all. Growing up with biracial hair, I’ve seen the attitude within my own community about hair and have even have played into it as a child. I thought for a long time what made me cuter was because I had “good hair,” even though my mother always told me about myself, but everyone around me fawned over it. So I’m speaking from experience.

    Girls of other races/ethnicities are not brought up to care about their hair like that. Yes, they experiment and take chances with styles and that’s all considered part of growing up and being a girl, but they are not told that their “natural” hair is so abnormal and wrong that they are forced to have relaxers and all kinds of other stuff heaped on them at an early age so they can obtain some European notion of standard beauty. Not only is it physically damaging but it is almost emotionally and psychologically damaging.

    And these girls look at these celebrities and think very much that the hair is real and they are told to mess up what is already beautiful and theirs to get another look. There is a pressure there that does not exist with other women of different backgrounds. That is why I made that statement and I stand by it 100%

    • NM9005 says:

      That’s right, it’s a problem in the black community. They brought this to themselves. I was raised by my “white” family and they never encouraged me to do something with my hair. On the contrary, I took notice of black people’s hair because I felt I was the “odd one out” in my family and my family STILL persisted I should keep my hair natural and that I should be grateful for what I have. They urged me to to look up to people I see on the TV or black people who have braids, weaves or try to have caucasian hair etcetera… I have difficult hair but they didn’t found that a reason to mess with it. In highschool, I was one of the few black girls there and my white friends adored my hair!
      Everybody I knew who encouraged me to keep my hair, were white folk and did know what they’re talking about despite the fact that they didn’t have my hair. It’s because they respected me that they gave me this advice.

      Black people have a lack of respect for themselves and it shows when they refer to themselves in derogatory ways (even going so far as taking back some words?!), the messing with their hair, the acting like they are stronger and better than white people but when you look at their dynamics, it’s a giant mess (saw it when I visited my black family, saw it with my white friends who had black partners, see it on sites such as Sandra Rose). To blame the media for it is too simplistic to explain why they are doing it. Also, if a three year old has relaxed or braided hair, I doubt she/he saw it on tv on a celeb and did it by him or herself. It’s the parents that instill these thoughts in them, their own community weakens them.
      Besides, they are many black celebs who set up a good example (Lauryn Hill comes to mind), they just choose another path to follow. I am however proud to be part African in the end and can see the positive sides but weirdly enough it’s not because I saw so many good examples from black people themselves but from my white family and friends who introduced me to positive black people. There’s nothing wrong with experimenting with your hair if it isn’t to be part of a certain culture. My friend has straight hair and wants curls, because it’s beautiful. Some people with curls want straight hair because it’s easier (and just different than usual). It’s only when it’s encouraged (like you said) that it becomes an issue whether you’re white, black, asian…

      EDIT: this is a difficult topic you brought up btw. I should write an essay about this some day to organise my opinion in a more profound way.

      • anon says:

        to Victoria and NM9005; well said both of you. Note also; the hair police commenting on black /mixed race celebs hair are usually black commenter s (they state they are black.)I thought it would be over by now after the Black is Beautiful Mantra of the 60’s (I am in my 60’s) Looks like it didn’t take 🙁

      • Victoria says:

        You have some interesting points but I disagree with some of your statements. However we do agree about the hair thing. My family never did anything with my hair but braid it or let me wear it out. I’ve always worn it long but I cut off 20 inches this year and am rocking it very short. I have noticed that people in my neighborhood look at me differently and some of my black friends have said, “but your hair was one of your best features.”

        Whatever, I take excellent care of my hair and it will grow back. I love healthy hair of all textures, but it’s not my identity.

      • JustBe says:

        @NM9005): I have to say that I think your response was one of the more hateful things that I’ve read in a long time.

        You used Victoria’s post about her experience in a salon to basically state that the problems within the black community (your post didn’t seem to limit it to just about hair) are all self-inflicted and can therefore be easily cured with… what exactly?

        You grew up with your white family and around other white people who have been able to provide you with a loving foundation that bolstered your sense of self and therefore your self-esteem and I’m happy for you.

        But, this ad hominem attack on the black community (which you state that you’re not a part of and just ‘visit’ with when you see your black family) shows that there is something cracked in the picture that you’re presenting to the world. How can I tell? Because no one who has a significant level of pride and love for themselves, their looks and/or their behavior would feel the need to denigrate a whole population of people the way that you did! I don’t care if you consider yourself black, white, mixed or from another planet, your remarks are despicable.

        There are almost 40 million people of African descent (black) in the US today. You feel confident that you can speak on the beliefs and behaviors of 40 million people because you have some black people in your family tree and they don’t behave in the manner that you deem appropriate? Please lady!!

        I’m black, born and raised in DC and from a working class background. I put myself through college and have a career as an engineer. I have a multitude of (black) friends and relatives who have the same background and who have achieved a similar level of success. I also have family members and friends who have not. In my travels and career, I have also encountered many people (including white) who have similar backgrounds with similar associations. The bad behavior that you allude to is not strictly dictated by black culture, but rather a culture of poverty. And I believe that the culture of poverty is colorblind. The culture of poverty dictates a certain level of self-hate, a certain amount of not believing that you deserve the health, wealth and happiness that may be portrayed by Hollywood, etc. This absence of self-worth has profound effects no matter what color your skin is.

        To get back to the topic, the issue with black hair is not just a self-inflicted wound. It has significant historical prevalence throughout American (and European) history, as does many of the physical features specifically associated with people of African descent (large butts, wide noses, big lips, etc). The history states that African-associated physical features are not attractive in a mainstream way. For evidence, just google ‘Hottentot Venus’.

        It is very significant if, as a young girl, the images that are projected on television reflect a beauty that you feel that you can never attain. To this day, there are very few dark-complected, black women or girls in major studio (TV or film) productions and even fewer with their hair in a natural state. I see plenty of women of mixed heritage being incorporated, but very few black girls with cornrows and/or plaits. These hairstyles are how I grew up and these are the hairstyles that I choose to wear now. But, I’m in my 30’s and have had years (of growth and accomplishments) to come to define my own definition of beauty, many girls and women haven’t gotten here yet, and it’s not just because they’re black!

        sorry for the rant.

      • leetruth says:

        @NM9005, don’t rubbish the black community because you feel rubbish about yourself.

      • It is ME!! says:

        JustBe’s comments about how poverty is color blind are straight up SPOT ON!

        The business/professional world almost demands a woman (regardless of race) wear her hair poker straight. As if a woman’s hair speaks to how well she does her job. Would anyone think Condi Rice or Michelle Obama less powerful if they each rocked a ‘fro? I certainly wouldn’t think that.

        But what do I know? I’m just a Watina who needs her dead ends trimmed off! LOL…

      • NM9005 says:

        @JustBe:

        I wasn’t trying to put black people down at all. Just commented on how I grew up as a biracial girl and what I saw. I’m not going to lie and paint a beautiful picture because there wasn’t. Maybe it’s because where I grew up (NOT in the US btw), I don’t know. Now in the UK, it’s different. There are more black people here and I can relate to and even look up to some. The mindset is definitely different. And it has got nothing to do with class, nationality for me because my work allows me to encounter people who are homeless and I don’t look down upon them. On the contrary…I like this shift.

        I know every culture has its difficulties. That’s an understatement. But I was talking about African culture.

        And I feel far from rubbish when it comes to my roots or beliefs.

        “some black people in your family tree and they don’t behave in the manner that you deem appropriate? Please lady!!”

        It wasn’t some if you want to know. We traveled through four states of America and I met all sorts of black people (many unrelated to my family). College graduates, professionals, students, young, old…Their behaviour confused me to no end because I was brought up the exact opposite as they were. Class
        or education had got nothing to do with it. It was dissapointing. If you went through what I went through, you wouln’t “please lady” me. It’s common sense I’m talking about. Situations that are not right. You had a positive experience, you can’t denigrate my experience because yours was positive.

        About that historical prevalence: that’s correct but my post was already so long I had to ignore it. Like I said, it’s a difficult topic and I should organise my opinion more but that’s hard on a blog.

        I didn’t denigrate them, I’m well aware of their (will)power and resilience for starters. I just didn’t have anybody physical around me to show me that.

        You can take that however you want but it’s not going to change my opinion since it’s my experience. I’ve lived through it and wrote about it, you had another better experience and good for you, that’s how it should be.

        I don’t have that much time so I’m going to leave it at that.

      • Julia says:

        I get what you say about the relaxing, the wig part but BRAIDING ?

        It has nothing to do. Braiding is a cultural african way to maintain our hair that was always there and is as cultural as painting ourselves or having peirced ears to hang some decoration. White folks didn’t and were looking down at Africans and their peirced ears 50 years ago in Europe (my parents told me that)…It was a sign of africanity and africans were considered second rate citizen and savages or monkeys for having them.

        Now White folks have peirced ears and some of them have multiple peircing like you don’t see in Africa. Some braid their euro hair too.

        Braids, wigs, styling exist during Cleopatra in Africa, during Louis XVI in Europe, American natives styled their hair too and have their braids. Even today UK judges and some of the Commonwealth communities have their massive wigs on.

        The same way that White folks have styled their hair through chignons or other stuff to maintian them. Women throughout ages of any ethnicities have styled their hair so while I agree that keeping their natural way is ok, styling them through braids or whatever is also cultural and as natural.

        Female Hair has always been worn styled, like face have always been painted, since and even befiore cleopatra. That’s part of a woman seduction tool.

        Equating braids to a problem in the black community is laughable. It’s totally cultural and it’s totally african. It has been this way, way before the white man set his feet in Africa.

      • NM9005 says:

        Ok, first things first. I’ve been thinking about my comment all day (which I rarely do) but because I touched a topic that goes way beyond gossip, I felt the need to apologise. Better late than never I guess.

        I can’t believe it even took me so long to realise to begin with. I was definitely in the wrong by stating that an entire community lacks respect just because of my negative experiences. Since I also had positive and since it should be common sense that generalizing is NEVER good, I don’t know what went through my head when I was typing and subsequently defending my stupid and blatant racist comment. Personal issues on this topic should not be posted on a light gossip blog and I took it one step too much. I wish I could take my comment back, but I can’t. I made a mistake and that’s the price I pay for it. Excuses don’t mean jack in this case. I should’ve known better.

        Also, about the hair again. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with experimenting with hair (I found weave actually easier but not that hygienic) but it becomes sad when you do to please others or because you’re not content with your looks. Not only black people succumb to this of course, sad in general.

    • Emma says:

      @Victoria … I agree with you 100%! As a black woman, I stopped processing my hair with relaxers, hot combs, and electric curlers 7 years ago. I cut, and keep it, short (just about 1/2 inch longer than a man’s Fade) and wear it natural. I can honestly say that I’ve never felt more liberated in my life.

      I have friends my age who are still very much into their looks, doing the whole hair dye, perm, makeup thing to the nines. One friend in particular keeps telling me that my features are too ‘strong’ to wear my hair this short (despite the fact that I wore it natural, though perhaps not this short, throughout Junior High and High School and never had any comments about my features or problems getting dates) and makes me look ‘ethnic.’ I (always) tell her that, well, I ‘am’ Black and therefore ethnic. 🙂

      LOL!! Every year when the group of us do our ‘girls vacation’ in August, she always asks if I want her to bring along a wig for me to wear. 😀 Unbelievable.

    • Alexis says:

      I stand by what I said too. I think that our our only real point of difference was your emphasis on natural hair as a panacea – that somehow it’s better or more authentic, and it’s the only way to affirm one’s black identity and show that you’re not somehow self-loathing. The toxic attitudes about hair that you describe are bad. The solution is to have a more positive attitude about hair, not to say that everyone needs to have the same hair style. You’ve recited the most negative attitudes about hair in our community. They’re not the way forward, and we don’t have to hold on to them. Anyway, having natural hair is not by itself a solution. If you’re still carrying the pain and resentment of a negative attitude about hair with you, that’s the real problem. It’s the attitude, not the hair, that we need to fight against. These attitudes go away by being replaced, not by being declared bad.

      I’m a young black woman with relaxed hair. I was raised with natural hair, from birth to high school. I am a rather minimalist and controlled person in both personality and wardrobe, so I always felt straight hair fit my style more than my natural curly fro. I made my own decision to relax at age 20. I like to wear my hair straight, so I wanted to use less heat and effort to get that effect. However, I could’ve been natural – now there are all these fab flat irons, so I could rock my straight look either way. But whatevs. To me, IT IS JUST HAIR. I don’t color my hair, not to make a friggin’ cultural point, but because I think my natural dark brown looks best on me (sometimes I am tempted to go black, but…eh, upkeep, small returns, etc.). I don’t look down on people who dye their hair blonde or purple or whatever. It’s their business!

      Anyway, I just question people like yourself who emphasize natural hair so much – why do black women have to not process our hair, when everyone else is doing it? Why assume EVERYONE is mentally unfit to do that? I don’t approve of your claiming to speak for all. Maybe some were raised with such bad, toxic reasons for relaxing and coloring hair that they just can’t do those processes without thinking of them, and natural hair is liberation for them. Okay – I can understand that. But that’s not everyone’s experience, and I hate it when people who’ve had that experience want to go ahead and impose that experience on the rest of us. I’m not “blind” I just had a difference experience from yours, and I like to promote my way of thinking about hair because it is POSITIVE. You don’t have to wage a intracultural war on your head – save that energy for actually improving our community, maybe. Your hair should be about making YOURSELF happy, and you can do whatever makes yourself feel happy and pretty.

      • Victoria says:

        First of all, I never spoke for ALL of anyone. I never said all girls are pushed to do it, but as I said I have chosen to live in the black communities as an adult an I grew up in one. I’ve worked in hair salons as a child, and travlled to visit family everywhere from England to California to Jamacia for summer vacations and done my duty as a little girl watching her female relatives getting their heir done. So I was speaking from my experience. I’ve seen this attitude manifest no matter where I go.

        It’s great that your parents let you wear you hair natural as a child, but I don’t appreciate how you try to sweep it under the rug as if that is the norm when in reality it isn’t. I can tell you for the two years I worked at my god aunt’s shop in my teens, I had probably seen close to seventy children from ages 3-10 in to get kiddie perms. Years later I see some of those same girls bitter about it because their natural hair is now ruined.

        So we re talking about two different things.There is nothing with adults or older teenagers making the choice to have their hair anyway they want. I blew my hair out 14 and got it colored at 17.

        There is nothing with trying new styles and adding pieces to your hair WHEN you are an adult. It is not right to make a child get all that stuff done to when the texture, curl patterns, and other natural processes not fully developed. And if you think it’s not deeply rooted in this country’s ever increasing drama about racial identity, then wow. It happens in every economic bracket within the community.

        Am I a proponent for natural hair? Yes, because as an adult I think it’s the HEALTHIER way to go for everyone but especially for black hair because our hair is not like everyone elses and the color and chemicals we use are not really good. No relaxer is good for anyone’s hair, but if you go to a great salon they can help you with that hair care. A lot of people don’t have that luxury and their hair comes our worse for wear.

        Just because everyone else does it is not an excuse to do it. But good for you. But I was speaking specifically about young black girls and the notions put on them about their hair which is very real.

    • Alita says:

      THIS ABOVE ^^^ to anyone that doesn’t think Aniston hair’s sufficiently scintillating for a post. Clearly she is the hair recovery doyen!

  34. Sillyone says:

    She may very well have a great body, but I can’t get passed her Jay Leno chin and adams apple..She could play the Joker without a prosthetic chin.

  35. Jayna says:

    Rebecca Romain Stamos (I know, but I still call her that) was on Andy Cohen’s show on Braco. He told her her hair looked amazing. She told him she had little hair pieces clipped in in places.

  36. Lila says:

    She’s had extensions before. I remember reading an interview way back here she said the exact same thing – she took them out because they were thinning her hair. It’s too bad she put them back in, but its probably pretty difficult to grow long hair naturally when it is constantly being colored and heat styled.

  37. Heine says:

    I thought everybody knew she had extensions. It’s been really clear for years that she has extensions. She has nice hair of her own and all-she doesn’t have a full weave or anything-but it was obvious to me that she had them.

  38. Kim says:

    Her hair was never to be envied. Its thin and blah and EXTREMELY damaged. I used to watch Friends and cringe at how damaged and dried out her hair was. Ive never seen so many broken off pieces which is a result of very damaged hair.

    • whatevs says:

      i agree and it looks like they used a billion hair products, and it still looked fried in the ends wtf… that’s what happens if you keep straightening and bleaching dark curly hair, even in hollywood ladies take note

  39. valleymiss says:

    I remember that Jen had super obvious hair extensions in when she filmed “Rock Star.” When she was filming “Friends” at the same time, or around the same time, her hair suddenly became super long and super thick (if you’re a Friends fan like I am, you’ll recall it was during the story line when Ross was dating one of his former students. The girl’s dad turned out to be Bruce Willis and then Rachel started dating him.Jen’s hair looked like a horse tail during that time lol). Anyway, once Rockstar wrapped, Jen had her extensions taken out and she chopped her hair. I thought she looked adorable with the bob. Actually, in the last season she had thick side bangs and those looked awesome.

    • whatevs says:

      i love a good hairdresser and hers is a genius but she doesn’t seem to listen to him.. the rachel cut was genius it had highlights around her face which made it look rounder and it was shorter than the chin length that makes her chin look harsh. her hair should be shorter and possibly have some waviness to soften her features. it’s silly how she disagrees with him constantly, calls the rachel mane ugly too… her face looks harsh with flat and long hair…

      • valleymiss says:

        I really agree with you. The Rachel was really cute on her. Don’t know why she thinks it wasn’t. My 3 favorite hairstyles on Aniston were the side bangs of like 2004, the bob of 2001, and the Rachel. Long and straight and no bangs doesn’t flatter her heart-shaped face.

    • whatevs says:

      she doesn’t have a heart shaped face (people with widow’s peaks have that) some place called it diamond shaped due to narrow forehead face fillers then long ending but she doesn’t have large cheekbones so i disagree. she just has a horse face with a long chin

  40. nan says:

    Bald. I would love to see her go BALD! What a self-obsessed bimbo!

    #13 Lucy…LOL. Not an Oscar but at LEAST a Golden Globe Nod for best phony personality!

    • whatevs says:

      considering she broke down to tears at the sight of a single grey hair, if she were bald she’d probably off herself.

      • Janet says:

        A wise lady once told me the time to freak out is when your boyfriend finds a short gray hair that is not on your head.

      • miri says:

        naughty Janet! now that you guys mention it, I remember that she is obsessed with brazilian waxing EVERYTHING out, now she nor any boyfriend will not find any gray short hairs. She probably prevented it years ago becoming bald there…

  41. Anon73 says:

    wow… way to go Jen !! *still* making headlines for your hairstyles. watch out world, this girl’s gonna be a revolutionary (NOT)

  42. Another episode of ‘you’ve been Punk’d by anistons natural(its all me)beauty…

  43. Wow! It looks like I cut in line.My post ended up being #43,and I posted after #49.Is this an omen???

    • valleymiss says:

      I gotta say I *hate* the new posting style. When you click on a thread you have to search around to find the new posts. It’s really annoying.

  44. kerker says:

    Hey all, I am new to posting but not new to the site. Jen has lovely hair no matter what but I am pretty much a brangaloonie as y’all like to put it.

    • Alita says:

      Hey Kerker, I’m a reader and intermittent poster – think I’m making my annual total up on this thread! Nice to see you and happy NY!

  45. I wonder when she’ll come clean about her ‘fake’ eye color??? That will be an epic and Oscar worthy performance.

    • cameron says:

      I was going to comment on the eye color but you beat me to it. But I would guess in the next 5-10 years she’ll finally admit to not really having bright blue eyes.

    • Eve says:

      I honestly think her eyes are actually blue. She may wear contact lenses to make them look brighter or even bluer, but I think blue is her natural eye colour.

  46. heidiho says:

    She was to plain and vain to have Brad Pitts babies nuf said beetches…….so there you go……:)

  47. jacquie109 says:

    Really? It’s just hair…..

  48. Sherri says:

    omg who cares, like we need an update on your hair, get over yourself woman.

  49. Jenho says:

    She is still average at the best with or without extensions. If she wants to get real I advise her to talk about why she constantly bleached her hair or some true thing about her many plastic surgeries . She still sound fake as two dollar bill and as every other guy she hires as a boyfriend to sell movies.

  50. nan says:

    #58 JP Fan

    I totally agree with you

  51. Isa says:

    I never saw the appeal of her hair. I don’t think it’s that great.

  52. SEF says:

    Considering JA’s hair is the sum total of her acting ability, I can see why it’s so important to her. For the rest of us? Not so much.

  53. hillbilly in the corner says:

    yOU’D BE SURPISED IF THAT WAS ALL THAT WAS FAKE ABOUT HER…her nose has been bobbed, her boobies enhanced and her face is so full of botox and fillers her eyebrows refuse to move any more.. but other then that why she a real nature woman…..LOLLLLLLLLLLL

  54. hetekyle says:

    If all what she’s known for is her hair and it’s fake, what is there left?

  55. hetekyle says:

    kudos for being honest? she relished about her hair for 20 years and never said anything. how’s that for honesty. now, when’s the next press release for the fake nose, boobs and fillers?

  56. Jane says:

    Best actress of all time? 😐

    Um. Wow.

  57. caitrin says:

    JP Fan: Um, are you okay? Are you actually ADDRESSING another PERSON here?–or just, like, sort of delusionally ranting to yourself, because that’s sure what it seems like. Frankly, your post makes you appear to be stark, raving mad: If a thread about Jennifer Aniston’s HAIR is able to set off SUCH *personalized* rage and loathing in you that you begin to bizarrely spout off completely illogical fury, at a stranger, then just MAYBE, you are a LITTLE out of touch with reality, yourself? YOU are (for no remotely discernable reason) urging someone ELSE to get a reality checkup—when just MAYBE, you ought to practice what YOU preach, and get one, too? Because you do sound moderately insane.

  58. Yasmine says:

    This woman is the epitome of boring/mediocre. What she found was some great frizz cream, and a subtle plastic surgeon. I seriously can’t get over what she used to look like before: http://www.celebrity-hair-styles-magazine.com/young-jennifer-aniston-hair-styles-01.html

  59. Callumna says:

    I thought that was real, without the hair I am wondering what’s left.

    Hair extensions are stupid for most people. Brett Michaels, the clown from Poison wears them. Nuff said. Watch Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” to see how ridiculous it’s gotten in AA community too. It’s very bad for your real hair but super expensive and requires a full time hair dresser so they push clients into this junk. Most of us of all ethnic backgrounds can look good a lot more naturally.

    Is Angelina Jolie’s hair real? It’s been looking extra doll like too, and if that’s a fraud I’ll be disappointed.

  60. mylie1313 says:

    Aniston and her publicist is the people exciting such comments which other actress let drip non sensical dribble for press and attention. This hair thing how long ago was it, 30 , 50,years ago when she was Rachel Green on Friends. What’s next toe nail clippings, tooth brushing rituals or bath room wipes press announcements, so gross. JA is the one doing it anything to stay relevant, we know she is there, we know she does romcoms some good some bad,and she is the ex Brad Pitt if she goes away for awhile she’ll still be famous.

  61. Mara says:

    She is a very pretty woman I really like her.

  62. mikamoo says:

    Um, who cares? This story is just pathetic. Really.. Aniston’s hair?

  63. Elena says:

    I like Jenny with long hairs. Even if she will have 5 inch hair, it is possible to make her hairs perfect with extensions. She had to be beautiful because The Showbiz obliges her to this…