Honestly, if you close your eyes and think of 2010s Nickelodeon, you see it: that blinding, velvet-red hair. It belonged to Cat Valentine, the high-pitched, lovable airhead played by a then-rising star named Ariana Grande. But while fans were busy obsessed with the shade, Ariana was basically watching her natural hair disintegrate in real-time.
People always ask why she doesn't go back to it. It looked iconic, right? Well, the truth is way more complicated than just a stylist picking the wrong bottle of dye.
The Nickelodeon Contract That Fried Her Scalp
When Ariana landed the role of Cat on Victorious, the producers didn't want a cast of four brunettes. They needed a visual "pop." So, they put Ariana in a chair and turned her hair a shade of red so bright it practically glowed in the dark.
Here’s the part most people miss: she had to bleach and redye her hair every single week. Sometimes every two weeks if she was lucky. For four straight years. Think about that for a second. Most of us feel a little crunch in our ends after one bad highlight session. Ariana was subjecting her follicles to a chemical war zone.
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By the time Sam & Cat rolled around in 2013, her hair wasn't just damaged. It was gone. She later admitted on Facebook—in a post that has since become legendary in the "Arianator" fandom—that her hair was so "ratchet" and broken that she literally had no choice but to wear it in that signature high ponytail.
"I had to bleach my hair and dye it red every other week... as one would assume, that completely destroyed my hair," she wrote.
That ponytail wasn't a fashion statement at first. It was a tactical maneuver to hide the breakage.
The 2026 Red-Tone Revival
Fast forward to right now. It’s January 2026, and the "red hair Ariana" conversation has been reignited for a totally different reason. We just saw her at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards on January 3, and she didn't show up in Glinda-blonde.
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Instead, she stepped out with what celebrity colorist Brandon Pietsch calls a "rich brunette," but if you look at the photos under the flashes, those red tones are screaming. It’s a warm, technicolor-worthy reddish brown. It’s not the "cherry soda" red of her youth, but it’s a sophisticated nod to it.
After years of being platinum for the Wicked films, this shift feels like a homecoming. She spent nearly three years as a blonde to find the character of Glinda. Now, with the press tour for Wicked: For Good wrapping up, she's leaning back into the warmth.
Why the "Cat Valentine Red" is Never Coming Back
You might see "leaked" photos or fan edits of Ariana going back to the fire-engine red, but don't hold your breath.
First, there’s the trauma. Ariana has spent nearly a decade rehabbing her natural curls. In 2020, during the lockdown, she finally showed off her healthy, dark brown texture for the first time in years. Going back to a high-lift red would mean throwing years of hair health down the drain.
Secondly, her aesthetic has shifted. The Ariana of 2026 is about "soft glam" and "ethereal" vibes. The 2010 red was a character. The 2026 auburn-brunette is a person.
How to Get the Look (Without the Damage)
If you're inspired by the current Ariana Grande with red hair vibe—the warm, reddish-brown she’s sporting this year—do not reach for the bleach. Learn from her 2010 mistakes.
- Opt for a Gloss: Instead of permanent dye, ask your stylist for a copper or mahogany gloss. It adds the red tone without opening the hair cuticle as aggressively.
- The "Dorothy Gale" Shade: If you want her 2026 Critics Choice look, ask for a level 5 or 6 warm brunette with red-gold undertones.
- Bond Builders are Mandatory: If you are going from blonde to red-brown like she did, use products like Olaplex or K18. Your hair needs the protein to hold onto the red pigment, or it'll wash out in three days.
- Scalp Care: Ariana’s biggest struggle was traction alopecia and scalp sensitivity. If you're using extensions to get her volume, give your hair "rest days" where you don't pull it back tightly.
The red hair era isn't just about a color; it’s a timeline of a girl finding her voice while her hair was literally falling out. Seeing her embrace those warm, reddish tones again in 2026 feels like the full circle moment we didn't know we needed.
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Next Step: Check your current hair porosity before committing to a red tone; if your hair is too porous from previous bleaching, the red will fade to a muddy orange within two washes. Use a color-depositing conditioner once a week to maintain the vibrancy without needing to visit the salon for a chemical refresh.