Met Gala beauty: Tips and tricks to get Rachel McAdams and Diane Kruger’s looks

Date May 6, 2014

met gala hair — Photography by Larry Busacca and Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Last night’s Met Gala could easily be described as overwhelming—it’s easier to list who wasn’t there than name all the stars who were. (But our best dressed gallery does a pretty good job!) When it came to the beauty, gone was last year’s hyper-colour punk inspiration. For the 2014 Met Gala, simplicity in hair and makeup was best. Just moments after the event began, we spoke to celebrity stylists and Vidal Sassoon ambassadors Ben Skervin and Miki. They shared the secrets behind two A-lister looks, Rachel McAdams and Diane Kruger, as well as some tips and tricks for getting your own red carpet-ready look at home. (But if you get an invite to next year’s Met Gala, give us a call, okay?)

Ben Skervin was the creative force behind McAdams’ perfectly un-perfect blowout and the decision for something slightly messy was a calculated choice: “We could have gone that very ‘perfect’ route and done an updo—and we talked about that but the [Ralph Lauren] dress was so delicate and pretty, we wanted to kind of rock and roll it up a little bit.” So how exactly do you rock and roll a blowout? After applying Vidal Sassoon Boost & Lift Foaming Air Mousse, Skervin blow-dried McAdams’ hair with a medium-sized round brush, bending the ends of the hair under. Next, he popped in some hot rollers and spritzed the hair with Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Flexible Hold Hairspray. After letting it set, he brushed her hair out and added a blast of Sassoon Pro Series ColorFinity Dry Shampoo in “Rich Darks”to give McAdams’ shiny, polished hair some touchable texture.

Should a blowout not be your style, Skervin lent us his expert eye and scoped out a few other ladies at the Met Gala who mastered the art of the updo. Jourdan Dunn, Sarah Jessica Parker, Karolina Kurkova, and Amber Heard all top his list. (So if you’re in the mood to be inspired, click over to our Pinterest!)

Diane Kruger was another beautiful face at the Met Gala last night, who stunned in an ice-blue Hugo Boss gown. As for the hair, she ditched her usual bob for a surprising open chignon updo. “We didn’t want to do too retro. The dress was very sleek, very silhouette so we didn’t want to take too much with the hair,” said Vidal Sassoon celebrity hairstylist Miki. “It’s very simple in the front and in the back it’s got shape and movement.” Want to duplicate this sculpted showstopper? Miki guided us through his step-by-step process.

First, he applied Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Boost & Lift Foaming Air Mousse from the root to tip of Kruger’s slightly damp hair, followed by Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Heat Protect & Shine Spray. He and blow-dried Kruger’s hair using a round brush, attached 18-inch extensions to the dry hair and pulled it back into a very low ponytail, setting with a light spray of Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Flexible Hold Hairspray. However, extensions weren’t the only secret to Kruger’s look: Foam rollers were used to create the base of the hair sculpture, with the length of the ponytail wrapped around the foam. To complete the look, Miki secured the chignon with an elastic and sprayed with Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Heat Protect & Shine Spray to give it a polished finish.