Dames of Thrones

Sophie Turner Talks About Going Back to Blonde — and Her New Favorite Hair-Care Products

LOSophie Turner attends the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles California.
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My name is Sophie and I'm obsessed with Game of Thrones — along with a large percentage of the Allure team (we actually have a channel on Slack, our instant messaging app, called Dames of Thrones where we gush about the show...or gushed, rather). And yes, I share the same name (well, nickname) as Sophie Turner, the actress who plays Sansa Stark on the show. So you can imagine my extreme excitement when I found out I'd have a chance to interview Turner at an event for Wella, the haircare brand for which she's now a spokesperson. It's no secret that unlike Sansa, Turner is not a natural redhead. She's been dyeing her hair for the role since she was 13. But with Game of Thrones coming to an end (tear), Turner has transitioned back to blonde with the help of her hairstylist, Christian Wood, hair colorist, Sonya Dove, and Wella's newest launches: Wellaplex, and in-salon bond repair treatment, and Fusionplex, and line of four products that all contain a potent blend of amino acids and micronized lipids that help to repair worn out hair fibers, protect the cuticle, and add a major dose of hydration. Traumatized from a previous attempt to go back to blonde, Turner couldn't say enough good things about her most recent experience. "The last time I bleached my hair it felt like straw," she said in our interview. "I didn't have the Wella products and my hair was like elastic — when I brushed it, it would just snap." This time around, there's no snapping, no straw-like texture — Turner's hair is soft and shiny, even after having to film in the cold, wintery weather of Belfast, Ireland. That is, if she can hold onto the products. Below, the now British blonde shares her hair tips, tricks, mishaps, and who's stealing all her bottles of conditioner.

Allure: How do you keep your hair healthy while filming in cold climates like Belfast and Iceland?

Sophie Turner: It's honestly thanks to the products we're talking about today. Like you say, I'm in cold climates and I'm dyeing my hair so much and curling it, so right there you've got the three main things that damage your hair: chemicals, heat, and environment. Really, the only way to help with that is Wellaplex, which is an in-salon service that repairs the bonds in your hair while you're having your hair dyed. The colorist just puts the Wellaplex in with the color so during the process of dyeing your hair it's already healing it. Then the Fusionplex is like a take-home thing, which is shampoo, conditioner, and mask. I use the products every day and my hair is so healthy and strong despite all the things I've done to it to go from red to blonde, especially since red is the hardest dye because you have to bleach the shit out of your hair to get it out. But my hair is in really good condition right now and it wouldn't be if I wasn't using this product. It's my favorite product. Every other launch they ask me, "What's your favorite product from the launch?" I'm like, "This is really great, but oh my god the Wellaplex." Because it's just that amazing.

I also always use their heat protection spray. I was on holiday very recently and one of the things that you realize is you always use heat protection spray when you're curling or straightening your hair, but when you go on holiday, you only put sunscreen on and you forget about your hair. So now when I'm traveling or at the teach, I always put heat protection spray on my hair before I go outside.

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Allure: What is the one thing that you would never do to your hair?

Turner: I feel like I would do anything, I really do. I'm very experimental, and having been a redhead for so long and not being allowed to do anything to my hair, now I'm like, "I just want to do everything!" It's like when you're told not to push a button or play with knives, all you want to do is push a button or play with knives.

Allure: So then what would be the craziest thing you'd do to your hair?

Turner: I'd be kind of down to dye it a crazy color like blue, or gray, or gunmetal. I definitely want to cut my hair shorter and just dye it a crazy color at one point. Like this sparkly pillow, this would be a cool hair color, all sparkling. How do I get glitter hair?

Allure: You had to workout quite a bit for your role in X-Men. What's your go-to gym hairstyle?

Turner: Oh my god. My gym hairstyle ... It's really tough going to the gym because I have these baby hairs that when I work out they just go out like this and I get devil horns.

Allure: It's OK, I have a rattail at the back of my neck when I put my hair up.

Turner: Me too and it curls when I go to the gym. It goes like, "Boink." So, I have to smooth down the hair and just keep it in a ponytail or a bun. That's my gym style; I don't do anything creative with it.

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Allure: OK, so from Instagram stalking you and Maisie [Williams], I've kind of sensed that she's a beauty person, or at least seems to really be into products and doing her makeup. Has she given you any tips, or advice, or tricks, or product recommendations?

Turner: Nothing verbally, but honestly, Maisie is one of the most creative people I know when it comes to beauty or hair. I remember when she was 13 or something and she styled her hair up and she made a bow out of her own hair, it was crazy. She does crazy red eye shadow and insane stuff. It's really cool, so I'm very inspired by her. When I was a redhead I felt like I couldn't experiment crazy amounts with color because the color was [on my head] and I wanted [the color] to be subdued everywhere else. Now that I'm a blonde, I'm like, "Maybe I'll experiment?" So, she's inspiring me like that.

The only way I think I inspire her is she uses my Wella products. She's just like, "These products are so fucking good." She just steals all my Wella.

Allure: I talked with people like Christina Hendricks who go red and then never go back to their original color. Did you ever think you'd stay a redhead?

Turner: For a while I definitely thought I would stay red, but the thing is, because I've been on the show for so long and I'm playing a character for so long, I want to differentiate myself and separate myself from that period in my life and from my character so I can be seen as versatile. I don't think I could ever commit to one hair color for a long amount of time. Maybe when I'm older and I'm retired, then I'll decide to be red for the rest of my life. But, right now I know that I'm probably gonna be ever changing.

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Allure: Have you ever had a hair mishap while filming?

Turner: Not while filming, but I had a hair mishap when I was five. I was literally just telling someone about this. I was five and my mom was like, "Go to bed." So, I ran up to bed. I had really dry lips so she put some Vaseline next to my bed, and then I was like, "Huh?" So, I just took a handful of the Vaseline and ran it all over my hair and it took days and days and days for it to come out. Or when I cut bangs for the first time when I was in seventh grade and I did not know how to style my hair. I had this really short bob and it was super frizzy, and then I cut these big, fat bangs and they were really frizzy and I was just like, "Great." I definitely had an awkward phase.

Allure: Who on the Game of Thrones cast do you think has the best hair? I asked Carice van Houten the same question when I met her, but I can't remember who she said.

Turner: Carice has pretty good hair, but it's probably Kit [Harrington]. I just don't want to inflate his ego anymore, but yeah, it's probably Kit. He does have amazing hair and it is naturally ringlet-y and glorious.


Turner isn't the only actress who has gone red for a role. Discover more fiery-haired celebs below:

Julianne Hough Is Now a Redhead — and She Looks Gorgeous9 Famous Red-Haired Celebrities Who Aren't Natural RedheadsJulia Roberts Brings Back Her Iconic Pretty Woman Red Hair Color


Take a peek at what's inside the February Allure Beauty Box: