Reese Witherspoon’s daughter Ava Phillippe dyes her hair a daring brown

It’s no secret that Reese Witherspoon and her daughter Ava Phillippe basically look like twins. From their sweet smiles to their iconic blonde locks, this couple’s genes run strong—but Philippe changed just one key feature to differentiate herself from her mom.

Earlier this week, Philippe debuted her new hairstyle on Instagram, officially kicking off her era of dark hair with the fitting caption: “Time to see how the other half lives.” Although Philippe traditionally wears her mother’s signature shade of blonde, this stark change is garnering attention and countless compliments – including a comment from Witherspoon saying the look was “a whole mood.”

“This looks like a beautiful neutral brown that has more neutral tones in it than anything else,” says Kim Kimble, celebrity hairstylist and creator of the Kim Kimble Hair Collection. “It’s a really beautiful medium brown and doesn’t lean towards either light or dark.”

Looks like we can tell the two apart a lot easier now! In love with Philippe’s brunette locks and want to try a walk on the dark side for yourself? Read on below for details on how to get the look.

How to become a brunette

Phillippe’s gorgeous brown shade was created by celebrity hairstylist Tucker Goodwine, who posted a before-and-after photo series on Instagram that further highlights the transformation. Not all of us can just walk into a celebrity hairstylist’s salon, so be sure to ask your local colorist for something neutral that isn’t too warm or ashy. This will help accentuate skin tone and complexion, while also giving the blonde girls a great way to transform and add moisture and shine to dull hair.

“If you’re starting with a blonde base and want to achieve this look, your hairdresser will typically apply two rounds of gloss,” says Renée Valerie, Education Director at R+COLOR. “The first, with warm tones, lays the foundation for your desired shade, while the second refines and perfects the color.” If you want to get a little more specific with your hairdresser, Valerie recommends asking for a mix of R+COLOR Stellar colors in shades like Beehive 6.3-G, Pony 7.03-NG, or Moon Shadow for a similar effect.

And don’t forget to bring inspirational images to your salon. We’ve heard from countless stylists that visual images of your desired look help them better understand expectations and goals. Time to take screenshots!