Chris Appleton On The A-List Oscars Hair You'll Want To Recreate ASAP

If there's one man that knows a thing or two about next level, red carpet-worthy hair, it's celebrity hairstylist and the man behind Dua Lipa, JLo and Kim Kardashian's enviable looks, Chris Appleton.

Sought after by all of Hollywood for his face lift without the face lift 'snatches', his unrivalled expertise with a set of XXL hair extensions and a discerning eye that dictates what's hot ahead of the rest, the Global Creative Director at Color Wow knows what makes a headline grabbing hairstyle.

So, when it comes to the Oscars aka the biggest red carpet event of the year, who better to judge the winners of our very own 'Best In Hair' category? Read on for Appleton's pro verdict on the best A-list hairstyles from the Oscars 2021 and how he'd add a little Chris Appleton magic if it was him styling instead...

Vanessa Kirby's 2-In-1 Snatched Bun

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'The key to this look is that it looks really simple, but it's actually two styles in one. I'm not a mad fan of when you have a centre-parted bun and you just pull the hair to the lowest point of your neck because it can bring your face down - the secret to the snatch is pulling it up high so it lifts your face.

'What I love about this look is that there's actually an underneath section that's been pulled up and follows the line of her cheekbones and eyes. Then she's got the classic-ness of a low middle-parted bun over the top. I love that she went for that little tweak.'

Pool

'The snatch gives you that fierceness that's always very flattering which is what you want on the red carpet. It's the liquid eyeliner of hair!'

The Chris Twist

'Nothing, it was perfection.'

Halle Berry's Ultra Modern 'Anna Wintour' Bob

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'I love how daring this is and the fact that she's not afraid to try something different. I've always been a fan of Halle Berry with short hair, when she won her Oscar with that pixie crop, that was so iconic. This isn't an easy look to pull off, especially in a gown lots of people want to wear a softer look, but this is really edgy and Halle totally pulls it off. It was really fun to see her go for something short and fresh again.

'With this kind of style, the pros are that it kind of styles itself. Even if you have wavy, textured or curly hair once you've got that very tight cut crop and fringe, it kind of sits how it sits. The downside of it is that it can be hard to make it versatile. You've definitely got to be committed to wear this look.'

Pool

The Chris Twist

'I possibly would have taken it even shorter and away from a bob. Or, tucked it behind her ears and she could bring it forward for a different look just to give a bit more versatility. Sort of like Michelle Williams or Charlize Theron's shorter cuts.'

Margot Robbie's Easy, Breezy Ponytail

'This was very relaxed for the Oscars which is surprising because most people really go for it. It's like the wedding of red carpets where everyone goes for a 'do, so it's actually really nice to see a more casual, relaxed approach that's still gorgeous and effortless.

'It's not a look for everyone. When you close the face off like that it can be a bit less flattering on certain face shapes. I love when you can really see a woman's cheekbones and eyes and with this style you can't really see them as much. I think Margot pulled it off really well by having it pulled back in a ponytail so there was the face framing in the front without the rest feeling too overbearing. That made the whole look a thumbs up.'

Pool

The Chris Twist

'I love the way this look is done but if I was doing it I might take the back up a little higher, so instead of it being a low pony, I would have lifted it so you could see a bit of the back of the neck. Still really soft, but with a bit more of an edge.'

Zendaya's XXL Mermaid Waves

Pool

'I love the colour, I love the texture, the undoneness of it, I love the length. I always look forward to seeing Zendaya because she always does a look, she's not afraid to try something different. I love the way the wind just caught her hair, it looked really romantic and breezy.

'It's not an easy look to pull off though, because that long hair can look quite heavy and quite a lot. The key is to not have too much hair - sometimes when you add extensions in you can add too much and it can be a little overbearing and you just look like a walking head of hair. When you're going for a longer length keep it a little bit finer and natural. You need the wispiness on the ends, if they're too blunt it can end up looking a bit school girl and less cool.'

Pool

The Chris Twist

'If anything, possibly a little more gloss towards the ends. It's nice to have the dry wave but sometimes if you put a little more gloss into it, it can look a little more luxe, especially for the red carpet. I'd use a little Color Wow Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray - it's like diamonds in a can and just makes hair look a little richer.'