22 Celebrity-Inspired Updos

Jen Lowery/Startraks Photo

Updos

1 of 22

Charlize Theron

Jason Merritt/Getty

THE LOOK Face-framing bun
HOW-TO This sleek look, created to balance the grandness of Charlize Theron’s Oscar gown, needed "a very smooth texture and lots of natural-looking shine," says stylist, Enzo Angileri. To achieve that polished surface, he applied Moroccanoil Light to Theron’s damp locks before blowing them dry. Leaving the front section free, Angileri pinned her hair back into a low bun and finished the style with a mist of shine spray, for a bit of “fairytale extra sparkle.”
INSIDER TRICK When applying any hair product, especially a concentrated formula like that used on Theron’s hair, follow the instructions. "When they say a drop, they mean a drop!” says Angileri.
BUY ONLINE NOW Moroccanoil Light, $39; moroccanoil.com.

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2 of 22

Anna Kendrick

John Shearer/Getty

THE LOOK Loose, low chignon
HOW-TO Inspired by the off-the-shoulder style of Kendricks’s soft Elie Saab Oscars gown, stylist Craig Gangi created an effortless, elegant updo. To create texture and waves, he added Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream to the actress’s hair, to create texture and waves. Gangi curled her hair with a medium-barreled iron and pulled it back in a small ponytail, but left some tousled strands free. “I wanted loose waves around her face,” says Gangi. “The effect was a style that could almost look like she did it herself.”
INSIDER TRICK For a dramatic addition, Gangai wrapped a braid around Kendricks’s bun for a relaxed, ropey accent.
BUY ONLINE NOW Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream, $32; moroccanoil.com.

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3 of 22

Anna Paquin

Frazer Harrison/Getty

THE LOOK Classic Brigitte Bardot
HOW-TO Stylist Jenny Cho doused Paquin's strands with Fekkai Volumizing Mousse and blew dry with a round brush for "bounce, bend and volume." Next, she divided the hair-half up half down-and teased the roots around the crown for the "Bardot bump." Cho gathered and twisted the top section of the hair, and secured with U pins. She finished with a mist of hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK When smoothing out the teased sections, “make sure it’s not too perfect,” says Cho. “Slightly disheveled is a good thing!”
BUY ONLINE NOW Fekkai Volumizing Mousse, $20; sephora.com.

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4 of 22

Sandra Bullock

Chris Pizzello/AP Photo

THE LOOK Wavy Side Bun
HOW-TO Stylist Adir Abergel parted Bullock’s hair at an angle and worked in Fekkai Coiff Perfecteur Anti-Frizz Silkening Creme before blow drying. With a 1” curling iron, he twisted hair away from the face and created texture by backcombing the bottom layers. Abergel then tucked the hair under to create an asymmetrical faux bob. He set the look with a mist of sheer hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK "Use a styling wax to separate pieces of hair and add shine," he says.
BUY ONLINE NOW Fekkai Coiff Perfecteur Anti-Frizz Silkening Creme, $25; fekkai.com.

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5 of 22

Katie Cassidy

Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos

THE LOOK Voluminous high bun
HOW-TO Stylist Lea Journo worked pomade into Cassidy’s wet hair, then dried and pulled it into a high ponytail on the top of her head. Next, the stylist separated the ponytail into five sections, loosely curled each piece, and misted with hairspray. Journo tucked each strand under the ponytail and bobby pinned in place. For the final touches, she misted Lea Journo Lumiere Illuminating Moisturizer all over the star’s hair-and body.
INSIDER TRICK If you want to add even more volume, Journo suggests using a tail comb to gently lift the pieces of hair that are tucked in.
BUY ONLINE NOW Lea Journo Lumiere Illuminating Moisturizer, $32; leajournoshop.com.

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6 of 22

Lauren Conrad

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

THE LOOK Messy bun with little braids
HOW-TO "To achieve Lauren's look, I curled her entire head with a one-inch barrel curling iron, used Redken Outshine on her ends, then pulled the back section of her hair into a messy bun leaving out some side pieces," says Christine Symonds, celebrity stylist at Warren-Tricomi Los Angeles. "I then used bobby pins to randomly pin parts of the bun to create a loose messy texture. Then I took the side pieces we left out and braided some random pieces and incorporated them into the look by pinning them back into the messy bun." She set the look with a coat of Redken hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK Keep this look romantic! "We left everything really loose and soft and made sure not to pull anything too tight," says Symonds.

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7 of 22

Jennifer Aniston

Sara De Boer/Retna

THE LOOK Simple and elegant
MAKEUP ARTIST Angela Levin
HOW-TO To work with Aniston's ponytail and black suit, Levin wanted "simple elegance" with the makeup. She started with the eyes (except mascara) by covering the lid with beige shadow, adding bronze shadow to the outside of the lid and lining the upper lashline with brown liner. After eyes, she moves to cheeks (a bright pink shade of lipstick applied lightly), then concealer and lips (pretty pink lipstick). "After it's all done, I do mascara," says Levin.
INSIDER TRICK "After Jennifer's dressed, I apply finishing touches like more lips if needed or cheeks. Once the look is completed it's easy to see if any areas of the face need adjusting," says Levin.

8 of 22

Leighton Meester

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

THE LOOK Soft and imperfect
HOW-TO "I gathered Leighton's hair at the nape of the neck and created a ropey ponytail by taking two sections and twisting them in opposite directions so they'd wrap into each other," says stylist Charles Baker Strahan. Alternating from the left and right sides of the head (like you would when French braiding) he added loose twists to the ponytail. He finished with pins and a mist of hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK "Instead of twisting all the hair back, leave out some face framing tousles to soften the look," he says.
BUY ONLINE NOW Herbal Essences Set Me Up Hairspray, $3.99; drugstore.com

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9 of 22

Eva Mendes

Sara De Boer/Retna

THE LOOK High ponytail with sideswept bangs
HOW-TO Blow-dry hair with your head upside down. While head is still flipped, pull hair up into a high ponytail-don't pull too tightly from the front-and secure with a rubber band. If you have bangs, pull them out of the ponytail. This look works with or without bangs, however.
INSIDER TRICK Stylist Kevin Mancuso recommends the Velecta Paramount TGR 4000 hair dryer because it cuts drying time in half.
BUY ONLINE NOW Velecta Paramount TGR 4000, $209.95; beautystorepro.com.

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10 of 22

Christina Applegate

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

THE LOOK Classic French twist
HOW-TO Stylist Ken Paves aimed to give Applegate an effortlessly glam look. Use his steps to create it: spritz volumizing spray on wet hair and blow dry, using your hand to tousle the hair. Just before the hair is completely dry, finish by using a Spornette brush. Spritz on more volumizing spray, part hair and brush hair back and twist up from the nape. Secure with hair pins. Finish with hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK Blow-drying with your fingers creates lift and texture, says Paves.
BUY ONLINE NOW Ken Paves Volumizing Spray, $24; at beauty.com.

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11 of 22

Becki Newton

Gilbert Flores/Celebrity

THE LOOK Loose updo
HOW-TO Apply a light styling gel to damp hair and blow-dry with a medium round brush to create movement and curl at the ends. Tease hair at the crown and then run a Mason Pearson brush over the hair gently to smooth it out, says stylist Patrick Melville, of the eponymous N.Y.C. salon. Twist hair into a low knot or French twist and secure with bobby pins. Finish with hair spray.
INSIDER TRICK To get the pieces in front to stay in place at the sides, pin in place and hairspray. Let set for 10 minutes and remove pins.
BUY ONLINE NOW Peter Hantz Hydro Form Shielding Gel, $9; www.spiralhaircase.com.

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12 of 22

Angelina Jolie

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

THE LOOK Half-up with curls
HOW-TO Stylist David Babaii started by scrunching his WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray into the hair and then sectioned the hair into three parts (top and two lower sides). "At the crown area I sprayed Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier from root to end and dried the section to add lift and volume," says Babaii. Once hair was dry, he wrapped a section of hair around a curling iron and repeated around the entire head. "At the crown area I back-brushed the hair at the scalp, sprayed more root amplifier and smoothed the surface. Then I brushed the sides up and back and secured with pins."
INSIDER TRICK To finish, Babaii says, "I ran my fingers up several curls to create volume and variations in texture."
BUY ONLINE NOW David Babaii for WildAid Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier, $13; at db4wildaid.com.

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13 of 22

Sienna Miller

Joy E. Scheller/LFI

THE LOOK Updo with straight face-framing pieces
HOW-TO The first steps are to add volumizing mousse, blow-dry, and tease the crown to create the volume. Make a two-inch center part, and leave the pieces on either side of the part down. With a fine-tooth comb, pull the rest of the hair back, twist it and secure with bobby pins, or an elastic if you do a ponytail or chignon. With the palm of your hand, push the hair up from the back to give extra height at the crown. Secure the whole head with hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK To get the front pieces smooth, use a flat iron.
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14 of 22

Halle Berry

SplashNewsOnline.com

Weekend
GET THE LOOK: Halle Berry has more than boyfriend Gabriel Aubry swept away with her effortless style. To get Berry's bushy bun in an instant, pull long hair into a ponytail. Twist the ponytail into a tight rope until it buckles into a loop. Then use a clip or barrette to hold the loop in place at the back of your head with the ends fanning upward.
INSIDER TRICK: Add elegance to the look by making a side part (using the end of a rat-tail comb) before you start.

-Polly Blitzer

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15 of 22

Gwen Stefani

Doug Peters/ All Action Digital

THE LOOK Retro curly updo with flower accessories
HOW-TO: Curl entire head with 1½-inch hot rollers. Spray a fine-tooth comb with hairspray and comb each side of the hair and gather as you would a ponytail (but don't secure). Twist hair up and pin, leaving out half the length of hair.
INSIDER TRICK Use flowers to cover and hide bobby pins.
BUY ONLINE NOW Revlon Ionic Professional 20-Roller Hairsetter, $22.99; ulta.com.

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16 of 22

Kate Hudson

Steve Eichner/Corbis

THE LOOK Soft messy pinned-up curls
HOW-TO Stylist Mario Russo (of the eponymous Boston salon) recommends using a large-barrel curling iron to create the soft, subtle curls. Wrap sections of hair holding the iron vertically and wind wrist, and hold for five seconds. When entire head is curled, create a deep side part, then shake the curls loose and pin sections of hair around the head, creating an undone bun look. Pull out a few face-framing pieces and secure the entire head with a light-weight hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK If you have a wide face, avoid a deep part and create one that's more centered.
BUY ONLINE NOW Perfect Heat Curling Iron, Revlon, $15; harmondiscount.com.

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17 of 22

Carrie Underwood

Stephen Shugerman/Getty

Carrie Underwood

18 of 22

Marisa Tomei

Lester Cohen/WireImage

THE LOOK Wavy side style
HOW-TO Stylist Adir Abergel started with Fekkai mousse on the roots for body. Then he blew hair dry with a natural boar bristle brush. "With two-inch sections of hair, I wrapped it around the round brush and let it cool," says Abergel. "I repeated that around the entire head and then hand-tousled the hair. I lifted sections of hair and pinned it up, letting it twist organically and then secured with a hair clip." When he had created the look he wanted, he replaced the silver hair clips with brown bobby pins and set the look with hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK "Using the hair clips is an easy way to get the shape first and then you can replace them with pins," says Abergel.
BUY ONLINE NOW Frederic Fekkai Full Volume mousse, $20; at skinstore.com.

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19 of 22

Jennifer Love Hewitt

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Jennifer Love Hewitt

20 of 22

Politics of Hair

21 of 22

Vanessa Hudgens

Jen Lowery/Startraks Photo

THE LOOK Curly, pulled-back layers
HOW-TO "Spritz the hair with a thermal protective spray, and then curl the entire head with a large barrel curling iron," says hairstylist Bruce Wayne, who created Vanessa's look. He ran his hands through the curls to break them up, pulled the hair into a ponytail, and pinned the spirals up on the back of the head with bobby pins. To finish, he sprayed glossing serum on his fingers and coated pieces around the face for texture and definition.
INSIDER TRICK "Backcomb around the crown for extra height and volume," says Wayne.
BUY ONLINE NOW Barex Italiana Gloss Hairspray, $16.00; ariva.com.

Try on Vanessa's hair now!

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22 Celebrity-Inspired Updos

1 of 22

Charlize Theron

1 of 22

2 of 22

Anna Kendrick

2 of 22

3 of 22

Anna Paquin

3 of 22

4 of 22

Sandra Bullock

4 of 22

5 of 22

Katie Cassidy

5 of 22

6 of 22

Lauren Conrad

6 of 22

7 of 22

Jennifer Aniston

7 of 22

8 of 22

Leighton Meester

8 of 22

9 of 22

Eva Mendes

9 of 22

10 of 22

Christina Applegate

10 of 22

11 of 22

Becki Newton

11 of 22

12 of 22

Angelina Jolie

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Sienna Miller

13 of 22

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Halle Berry

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Gwen Stefani

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Kate Hudson

16 of 22

17 of 22

Carrie Underwood

17 of 22

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Marisa Tomei

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Jennifer Love Hewitt

19 of 22

20 of 22

Politics of Hair

20 of 22

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Vanessa Hudgens

21 of 22

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