I dyed my hair Ken blond its made me look and feel younger

One of the joys of the relentless publicity campaign for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie has been hearing Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken, talking about embracing his “inner Ken”, exhorting other men to channel their “Kenergy”.

Only Gosling knows what that actually means, but my guess is he’s encouraging guys to be comfortable in their own skin, to not feel threatened by a partner’s success, and/or to have a looser approach and a sense of humour when it comes to their style and looks.

Key to Gosling’s transformation into Ken has been going full-on platinum bleach blond. In this regard, I’ve been embracing my inner Ken this summer too. Last month I bleached my own naturally dark hair, for the second summer in a row.

A few years ago, RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Bob the Drag Queen tweeted: “If a gay guy bleaches his hair… check on him. He is going through something tough.” Bob’s observation wasn’t totally wide of the mark in my case. I turned 40 in June 2021 and celebrated the occasion by being bed-bound and isolated with Covid.

By my 41st birthday, I thought, “To hell with it.” Any qualms I’d had before about it not suiting me, or what people would think, were gone. I realised I didn’t give a damn any more what anyone else thought.

I wanted to refresh my look, especially as my hair was increasingly falling prey to “nature’s bleach”, aka greying. I wanted to shock myself and surprise others. I didn’t tell anyone beforehand, so for months afterwards I got to enjoy the reactions of friends, colleagues and family, even when – actually especially when – I suspected they didn’t really like it.

The process of bleaching itself was quite straightforward. I went to a recommended hairdresser/colourist. I considered the self-bleach route but I couldn’t get past the visions of ending up looking like Rudy Giuliani. I wanted Just for Ken, not Just for Men.

It took about two hours and cost about £200, all in. There’s not much maintenance to it afterwards. I use a good purple shampoo from Redken once a week to prevent it from developing a brassy yellow look. My hair and scalp are dryer now, so I use Moroccanoil on it too.

The really fun part is, when you go for your next haircut, your original colour starts coming through in the roots and on the sides. You need to know in advance that this effect is inevitable and accept it – for me, it’s my 2000-era boyband frosted-tips moment.

I’m not sure yet if blonds do, indeed, have more fun, but I definitely feel lighter and sprightlier since I bleached. Some people told me I looked younger, which is always nice to hear. As it’s summer I have a bit more of a tan so, paired with the blond, I think I look healthier and less Uncle Fester-like.

I’ve noticed a definite uptick in being chatted up on nights out. I’ve even felt inspired to mix up my boring same-three-trousers-and-tops rotating wardrobe by going for more pastel or neon colours. That might not sound like life-changing stuff, but after a few years of feeling rubbish and worn out, it was just the kick I needed.

I hope the Kenergy in the air this summer inspires more men to play around with their appearance. They might be feeling more adventurous generally these days with brightly coloured suits and casual clothes, so why not extend that same sense of playfulness to your hair?

Dismissing this as a “London-centric” trend that wouldn’t fly in the real world? I’d encourage you to get out of your own head, and don’t worry what others think – I’ve learned that people really aren’t thinking too much about you and your choice of hair colour.

So if you’ve flirted with the idea of shaking up your look, I would suggest now’s your chance to do it. It’s time to be more Ken.

Going blond? 

Advice just for men: Tom Merner, a barber and stylist with Plug in Nunhead, south London, says: 

• Don’t try to cover grey hair yourself. It ends up looking anything but natural.
• Go bold; choose something loud and vibrant.
• Don’t use matte styling products, this will dull the colour.
• Lean into the regrowth – having a bit of root usually enhances the look.
• Use a colour-protection shampoo and conditioner to get the most out of your new shade.

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