2016 Red Carpet Hair Predictions
Hairstylist Jenny Cho makes her 2016 red carpet hair predictions, including the loose knot. (Photo: Zoltan Tombor)
The nominations are rolling in, stylists are putting together looks, and celebs are gearing up to hit the red carpet. Award season is officially here! While most of the buzz has to do with the actual awards, there’s a lot to be said about the red carpet beauty looks — it’s the time when the best of the best in hair and makeup come together to create inspiring and trendsetting beauty looks. And when it comes to red carpet hair, no one knows it like Jenny Cho. She’s the woman behind all of Jennifer Lawrence’s Hunger Games premiere ‘dos, Carey Mulligan’s red carpet waves, and Dakota Johnson’s Elle cover. We asked Cho what we could expect to see on the red carpet and she broke it down into three major looks: the undone French twist, the modern wave, and the loose knot. Here she walks us through how how to master each look.
The Loose Knot
The fall runways where full of cool knots: super polished buns with a textured end pulled out to add interest. “The point of focus is the end,” says Cho. “I really love the idea of everything being super clean and then where you have the knot, it’s random.” Prep hair with a pomade or cream-based styling product to help aid in creating a polished finished. Cho’s go-to tool is a Mason Pearson hair brush because the bristles are closer together than those on a paddle brush or comb, meaning you’ll get a super smooth look. Once you’ve secured a sleek ponytail with a hair tie, twist into a bun, leaving the end loose. Your loose end can be at the top or bottom, making it a look you can really play with. “You can flatiron the ends with hairspray and then separate them and make them textured or you can just leave it really crisp,” she says.
Carey Mulligan with a modern wave look by Jenny Cho. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Modern Wave
Cho created this modern wave look on Carey Mulligan at the NYC premiere of Suffragette back in October — and we can guarantee you’ll see a lot of copycats on the red carpet this year. The good news is you can also copy the look at home; all you need is a flatiron. Cho creates this look by using a flat iron to “bend” waves into the hair instead of a curling iron. Before you get started, she recommends spraying hair first with a lightweight hairspray to hold the bend and avoid touching or shaking out your waves until after they have completely set. Try a lightweight hairspray, like Suave Touchable Finish Lightweight Hairspray ($6).
Cho created this youthful French twist for Lawrence at the Berlin premiere of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Undone French Twist
“It’s disheveled, it’s messy, and it’s loose. I think anything loose and undone creates this modern youthfulness that looks effortless,” says Cho of the French twist style she knows will dominate the red carpet. If you want to perfect the look, you’ll need to get your product arsenal prepped. Dry shampoo, salt spray, hairspray, and a handful of bobby pins are key — oh, and second day hair. “You don’t want to do it on fresh hair,” advises Cho. “Day old hair is always better because it requires fewer pins.” If you don’t have day old hair, the dry shampoo and salt spray will help to create a lived in texture. Start with a low ponytail and twist hair while pulling upwards, securing the ends with pins at the top of your twist. Pull out a few pieces for a loose, modern look and finish with hairspray.
Related:
Get the Look: Jennifer Lawrence’s ‘Hunger Games’ Premiere Beauty
