Nicole Richie Looks Even More Stunning Without Hair Extensions

Nicole Richie has been very open about her journey with hair extensions. Nicole Richie has worn some iconic hair looks throughout her career, but it's hard to argue her most notorious isn't the super long extensions she wore during her "The Simple Life" days with Paris Hilton. The reality star famously donned a combination of XXL blond and brunette strands (at the same time!) in the early 2000s, but admitted years later her penchant for the accessories stemmed from low self-esteem. 

"When I look at my photos of myself in my 20s, the first thing that comes to mind is just how much I thought I needed between extensions and makeup. I would say, 'I can never let anyone see me without extensions, not even my animals [because] my hair is so thin,'" she told People in 2024. "While I loved all that, and I think it's so much fun, I didn't need it, and I do think that I was still in a stage where I wanted to look like something else," she said, sharing it took up to six hours to install her extensions. Though there's nothing wrong with wearing them for a confidence boost (just ask Jennifer Lopez, who looks totally different with her natural hair), the "Candidly Nicole" star learned to be comfortable in her own skin — and she looks even more stunning because of it.

In 2020, she revealed her un-aided mane in an Instagram selfie while posing in front of a mirror. Richie's tresses started straight but evolved into a curl, skimming her shoulders while holding plenty of volume. "So beautiful," one fan commented on the upload.

Nicole Richie also shared a look at her true hair's length in another 2020 Instagram selfie. In addition to looking almost unrecognizable without extensions, Richie wore minimal makeup as she posed in a green, floral pattern jacket. Her healthy-looking blond hair — which she wore in a flattering center part — fell over her shoulders in a pretty, tight curl. "How are you that naturally gorgeous?" one comment read, while another wrote to the reality star, "Loving your curls."

Richie's personal transformation has involved learning to love the curl pattern she was born with. She told Coveteur she would religiously straighten her locks when she was younger. "I've gone through a very complex relationship with my hair over the years, always wanting it to be straight," she said. "It wasn't really until I was in my thirties when I was like, 'Wait a minute. I love my hair. I love my curly hair. I don't know why I have been trying to hide it this whole time.'" Richie is at her most gorgeous when she's truly happy and it seems she's most confident without extensions, which is why natural is her most beautiful hair look.