Kristi Noem Looks So Different Ditching Her Hair Extensions

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is almost as famous for her looks as her controversial opinions. The vocal supporter of Donald Trump is always gussied up in full glam on social media and during public appearances, with her super long, brunette, curled tresses becoming a staple part of her aesthetic. Her thick and full mane appears to be the result of hair extensions (which several celebs have suffered a few cringey fails with), which are great for adding volume and length to natural locks, making hair look healthier.

Just like the hair look Noem should've thought twice about, though, there was a time she wore a shorter 'do, sans extensions, that made her look completely different. In a 2014 Facebook post, the political figure showed off a red and white novelty top with a gnome and the words "Gnome for the Holidays" written across her torso, but we were more taken aback by her dramatically different dark 'do.

Instead of using extensions, Noem created volume in her short locks via choppy layers. She framed her face with swooping side bangs, which were trendy at the time, and opted for rounded ends turned in towards her face that helped soften her features. But that was far from the only cut she's tried that made her look drastically different.

In the same way Carrie Underwood looks so different with hair extensions, we also barely recognized Kristi Noem in a 2012 video that showed the Republican with a tousled, long pixie cut. The former governor of South Dakota addressed controversy about young people carrying out chores on farms in the clip, but, unfortunately, we couldn't stop looking at her hair. The unique, choppy cut aged her (Noem was in her early 40s at the time) and didn't flatter her face shape the way her more modern, longer look does.

It makes sense that getting hair extensions has helped Noem dial back the years. As hair expert Inanch Emir told Express, adding the accessories can give the appearance of youth because they add bulk to the tresses. "If your hair is getting wispy and you want long hair, you get hair extensions and then it's not aging because it's thicker," Emir explained. "Gone are the days where we used to say anyone over 40 should cut their hair short," she added, an idea reinforced by the celebrities over 40 who refuse to give up their amazing long hair.