Paramore’s Hayley Williams shares every great hair tip she knows
She’s in the business of vibrant colour
When people think of the rock band Paramore, Hayley Williams’ bright hair usually comes to mind. That, and belting out the lyrics to “Misery Business” well before Olivia Rodrigo showed up.
So it was really a no-brainer for Williams to join forces with her longtime hairstylist and makeup artist Brian O’Connor to create a range of dyes and colour care products that are vegan, cruelty-free and vibrant as hell.
And as the pair celebrate six years of their brand Good Dye Young (GDY), BEAUTYcrew chatted to Williams about her favourite styles over the years and every great hair tip she’s learned along the way.
What are your top tips for keeping new hair colour vibrant?
“You’re gonna hate me but washing your hair with cold water will preserve it the longest. Wearing hats in summer to keep it out of direct sunlight is also wise. [And] using the right hair care, like GDY's Wash ($42 at GDY) and Rinse ($42 at GDY)”
What are some of your favourite hair looks from over the years?
“One of them was cutting most of my hair off and dying it a teal/turquoise custom colour, which inspired our Narwhal semi-permanent shade ($29 at GDY). But the one that tops the list for me is the platinum ‘After Laughter’ (Paramore’s 2017 album) hair. It was fun and I needed the shock.”
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GDY's Narwhal semi-permanent hair colour
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What are your beauty essentials when touring?
“I’ve used EltaMD SPF ($75.27 at Amazon) since I was 16. There’s a reason it’s always trending nowadays… I wore it even when I was breaking out all the time. It’s just the best.”
What’s one hair look you’ve always wanted to try?
“I’ve always wanted to cut it into a little Mia Farrow moment. I’m not super precious about my hair but since I’m low to zero-maintenance with styling, I absolutely hate the pain of the grow-out, in-between phases. That’s for people with patience.”
Mia Farrow / Getty
How do you care for the health of your hair when switching colours/bleaching?
“Let’s just say if Brian O’Connor never came into my life, I’d have straw for hair. He has taught me so much. A good GDY Pre Wash ($48 at GDY) and a hair mask like DYEposit ($30 at GDY) once a week will get you far.”
What nostalgic looks are you hoping will make a comeback?
“I’ve kind of had the itch for some obvious highlights or lowlights. The way I remember them from old FRUiTS magazines and people’s Myspace photos.”
Main image credit: @gooddyeyoung
Feel the same about chunky highlights? The E-Girl hair trend might be for you.
Samantha McMeekin was BEAUTYcrew's Editor from January 2020 to June 2023. She has worked as a journalist in the beauty and lifestyle industry for over 10 years. In 2019, she was nominated for Best Digital Writer at the BSME Awards for her work on GLAMOUR UK. If you ever meet her in person, she'll probably try to guess which fragrance you're wearing (she's got a humble 60% strike rate).
