Nicole Curtis has been a mainstay on HGTV since her series “Rehab Addict” premiered in 2010. However, her journey to television fame was no walk in the park. Curtis has undergone many transformations in her life, both inside and out. Even though Curtis is no stranger to tragedy and obstacles, she managed to work her way to the top. And her appearance reflects that. The successful, albeit sometimes controversial, HGTV star is proud of her past, something she shows with her frequent throwback photos on social media.

In her younger years, Curtis favored a natural honey blonde hair color, but today she sports a lighter shade, adding a touch of sophistication to her appearance. Her confidence was evident even in her early days, something she proudly recalls from her time working at Hooters. “I cleaned houses during the day and served wings at night. Soon enough, I had saved enough for a down payment on my first house,” she shared on Instagram. Curtis’s transformation, both in looks and achievements, showcases her remarkable growth over the years.

Curtis also wears her hair in a lighter shade of blond, whereas she preferred her locks in a more natural honey tone in her adolescence. She may look more mature and elegant now, but the young Curtis still exuded confidence. That’s why she is still proud of her Hooters days. “I was cleaning houses by day and serving wings at night. In no time at all, I had enough money for the down payment on my first house,” she captioned the Instagram post. Curtis has come a long way, and her evolving looks show it.

In a 2018 Instagram post, Curtis fondly remembered her Hooters experience, expressing empowerment from working there. “If anything, I felt empowered. There’s something magical about looking around and knowing you bought it your damn self,” she remarked. Curtis’s evolution mirrors her life’s journey, a path driven by necessity and ambition. “I got interested in rehabbing because I was poor. Nothing motivates you to learn how to do something like not having the money to pay to have it done,” she revealed to AZCentral in 2015.

Before she started her job at Hooters, Curtis felt similarly about working the late shift at IHOP (seen above in her uniform). “POV: You’re 17 & have no idea that pushing pancakes at IHOP dreaming of saving old houses could lead to 100s of [houses saved] and your most iconic [restoration],” she captioned an October 2025 Instagram post. She emphasized her gratitude for the opportunities afforded by her previous employers. “Special thanks to IHOP — midnight shifts paved the way,” she wrote.

In her 2018 post about her Hooters days, Curtis also showed pride in her connection with the sometimes looked-down-upon establishment. “If anything, I felt empowered. There’s something magical about looking around and knowing you bought it your damn self,” she wrote. Curtis’ transformation in the years before and since her fame reflects her personal trajectory. “I got interested in rehabbing because I was poor. Nothing motivates you to learn how to do something like not having the money to pay to have it done,” she told AZCentral in 2015.