Simply put, Jennifer Hudson’s spectacular tower of a hairdo was one of the most exciting parts of the Oscar telecast! To get the lowdown on how she created this stunning style, we went straight to the source: Emmy-winning hairstylist Kiyah Wright. Here, she lets us in on the secrets behind Hudson’s ‘do:
ESSENCE.COM: What was the inspiration behind Jennifer’s hairstyle?
KIYAH WRIGHT: That bright orange Versace dress! When I saw it, I thought “hot, sexy, Barbie doll!” And Jennifer said she wanted to look like a supermodel. So, I decided on an updo… but I kept it young with a low ponytail.
ESSENCE.COM: What products did you use to create the look?
K.W.: First, I used the Golden Hot Quarter Sized Curling Iron ($29, amazon.com) to create curls all over. Then I used the body and fullness of the curls to tease and sculpt her hair into the dramatic chignon. And since Jennifer’s glam squad couldn’t go on the red carpet, so I used L’Oreal Professional Elnett Satin ($14.99, drugstore.com) to keep the look in place all night.