Ramona Singer has got a new look!
The Real Housewives of New York City star, 61, chopped 8 inches off her signature blonde waves — debuting the cut exclusively with PEOPLE.
“I was shocked by how good it looks!” Singer says of the cute, piecey bob. “This rocks! I look really hot. It’s like a new me.”
Her transformation comes from hairstylist to the stars Julius Michael, who had previously chopped the locks off of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Danielle Staub and Real Housewives of Orange County stars Tamra Judge and Peggy Sulahian.
He’s also the man responsible for giving Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna long hair for the first time in 19 years.
“I haven’t had short hair probably in about 7 years,” Singer says. “For me, I sometimes get nervous about short hair, thinking that it’s hard to maintain. But with this cut, Julius promises me it’s easy to maintain and sexy because it’s all layered. It’s not a blunt cut and it has a lot of movement to it.”
Michael, who owns Julius Michael Salon in Scarsdale, New York, tells PEOPLE he wanted to give her an “edgier and more modern” cut to have “a fresh look for the summer.”
“Ramona’s out on the market, dating and having fun. I wanted her to have hair that reflect that and wasn’t dragging her down,” he says. “She’s 61, but she looks 41. This is the perfect, light look for her.”
To get Singer’s new lob, Michael used SharkFin shear scissors and razor.
Singer’s color changed too; Michael deepened her roots with L’Oréal Majirel professional color and popped her highlights with L’Oréal Blonde studio multi technique lightener.
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For styling, he started with Seven shampoo and conditioner, and then used Seven texturizing cream for that lived-in look. A Babyliss Rapido blowdryer helped for the perfect blowout, while a Goody paddle brush gave Singer volume at her roots and texture throughout her hair. To add soft waves, Michael used the BeachWaver self-rotating curling iron, and finished everything with Oribe soft-hold hairspray.
And though her hair was short, Michael still added Hidden Crown clip-ins. “When we get older, our hair texture changes and so does the thickness,” he explains. “I always like to add a few clip-ins for extra volume. They’re super easy to clip-in and clip-out — and easy way to make a big impact.”
Celebrity makeup artist Priscilla DiStasio was also on hand to give Singer a beauty look that matched her new do. The pro used the Farsali rose gold elixir and LaMer moisturizer to hydrate Singer’s skin before perfecting it with the Era Beauty foundation and Tarte Shape Tape concealer.
On her eyes, she applied the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eye Shadow Palette and Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, which she paired with a nude liquid lipstick from Rincon Cosmetics. To finish the look, DiStasio gave Singer a glow using the Guerlain Bronzer Trio, Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy Highlighter at the tops of her cheekbones and the Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow palette on her cheeks.
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All in all, Singer is happy with the transformation and says she feels better than ever. “They say with age comes wisdom, but it’s also, with age comes confidence,” Singer says. “You erase your weaknesses. I feel more secure in myself and my appearance now than ever. I happen to think I look better now than I did 10 years ago!”