“How are her S-shape waves so uniform?”, ”Which curling iron barrel size was used?”, “What’s keeping her hair frizz-free under that bucket hat?”… Those were just some of the questions I asked myself as I binge-watched all 10 episodes of Emily in Paris.
Just like Emily Cooper’s (played by Lily Collins) divisive sense of fashion, her hair wasn’t exactly French—it was a romanticised, but no less gorgeous, version of it. Her locks were mostly styled to perfection, with immaculate S-shape waves cascading down her back with extreme precision, a clear juxtaposition to the tousled, decidedly undone tresses of her Parisian friends. Her look did evolve as she picked up the language and a little more je ne sais quoi, but the appearance of looser waves still sat pretty perfectly underneath a side-tipped beret, or elegantly half-tucked without a strand out of place.
Her secret? Celebrity hairstylist, Mike Desir. The man behind those signature spirals spoke to Vogue, sharing his tips and techniques on exactly how to get Emily in Paris’ far-from-ringarde tresses.
1 / 7
Hair sections determine the size of curls
“The smaller the section, the tighter the loop pattern, and the larger the section, the looser the waves. For Lily Collins’ (aka Emily Cooper) curls, I started with sections of the same size as my curling iron, the one-inch ghd Curve.”
2 / 7
Tips to prep hair before styling
“Always make sure hair is completely dry before using a heat styler. I spritz hairspray on each section of damp hair before drying it using Dyson’s Supersonic. I had to style Lily’s hair everyday during filming but this hairdryer didn’t cause any additional damage, and kept hair smooth and shiny.”
3 / 7
Direction of your wand determines the shape of curls
“I always start from the back, with the curling iron held horizontally for more defined waves at the back before moving vertically for the sides. I also twist the hair before twirling each section around the curling iron (away from the face) to create more of a wave instead of a curl.”
4 / 7
The art of ultra-uniform S-shape waves
“I first used a large comb to brush out the curls so that they meld into waves, then I spray the comb with Bumble and Bumble’s Does It All to further define and hold their shape.”
5 / 7
Products set and lock in curls
“I use pins and clips after using the curling iron on each section to cool and set the wave in place. My go-to styling products are Bumble and Bumble’s Does It All hairspray and Schwarzkopf Professional’s Collagen Volume Boost Mousse for thinner hair types.”
6 / 7
The secret to frizz-free hat hair
“To keep Lily’s hair tidy and frizz free, a subtle texturising finish mist of Oribe’s Imperméable Anti Humidity Spray did the trick.”
7 / 7
On the importance of haircare
“The products you use at home are key to maintaining gorgeous hair. I love Virtue Lab’s line, including their Recovery and Smooth shampoos, Recovery conditioner and Restorative treatment mask.”
