Tonight, I had the privilege of chatting with and getting my tresses tamed by Dove celebrity stylist and Jennifer Lawrence’s hair guru, Mark Townsend, at the Sally Herschberger LA. We talked Oscar hair trends, styling tips, funny on-set moments (by no fault of his own, he had a bin of bobby pins thrown at him by a silver screen icon!) and he even gave me a sneak peek of what he thinks he will be doing to Jennifer’s hair on Sunday. Although I am sworn to secrecy, I can say that it will be full of texture and very beautiful, which isn’t a stretch for this uber-talented hair tamer. In fact, with a few twirls of the hair curler and a some sprays of Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo, he transformed my mane into a modern, sexy “Bardot” which I instantly loved.
photo: Getty Images
RCR: As far as hair trends go, what do you think we are going to see on Oscar Sunday?
MT: I am really into the more natural wave that is happening right now. It’s not like such perfect “barrel curls.” But I like natural texture. Like the new Chanel campaign. That wave is what I dream about! So, I am hoping we see a lot of that on the red carpet. But I do love a great up-do because it shows off the dress and the neck and when you are wearing millions of dollars of jewelry, show it off! So when the hair is pulled back I like it to be soft. And we’ve seen a lot of the trend going that way, and I hope it continues.
RCR: Do you know how you are going to style Jennifer Lawrence’s hair on Oscars Sunday?
MT: We are between two dresses right now, but I do have an idea for each dress. If I get my way, it’s probably going to be up-ish. This awards season she is showing her versatility and her personality is coming out. She is a great collaborator. She talks to me, her makeup artist and stylist and says, “What do you think? What is the best look for me in this dress?” We don’t just look at the dress, we really look at her, and say “how is she going to look best in the dress?”
RCR: That’s cool. So she is very involved in the process?
MT: She will say, “Mark, I might be totally crazy, but can we pin my hair to the side?” And I say, “There’s a way we can do that.” And that is how her SAG Awards look happened. We’ve also worked together for three or four years now, so she is totally trusting. We laugh when we are getting ready. We are having a really good time. She has fun with it. She isn’t taking it too seriously, which is a dream for me.
RCR: And it makes your job so much more enjoyable!
MT: It’s gotten to the point where everyone is a critic. And we kind of look at it as if the Fashion Police likes it, then we’ve done something wrong. Let’s do something new. FP like to see the same thing every week. We try to take a risk. And Jennifer is an actress and she has to show her versatility. The red carpet, these days, is a casting session. Producers and directors look at that red carpet so much. And she has to keep that in mind that it has to be about her and her versatility and how she looks best. It’s not just about what’s the hot trend or what does the designer think would look best. She is an individual which is a dream come true for us!
RCR: For the everyday woman, what is the best hair tip that you can give her?
MT: Making sure that you are using your hair products in the right way. I see women not know how to distribute hair product in the right way. Also, learning about what your hair texture is and how to work with your natural texture. Once you master that, you can do anything to it.
RCR: If a woman is trying to get ready in a pinch and only had 5 minutes, what would you tell her to do to her hair?
MT: Take some dry shampoo, hold your head upside down, and spray the dry shampoo all over. Then brush it from underneath, so you are brushing out the bottom, not necessarily the top. And the flip your hair back right side up. It’s the best way to freshen your style. It;s the best styling trick that you can do in so little time. I also love a low ponytail, and its a trend we are going to be seeing a lot of. They are also getting very dressy now. Even if you had your hair in a ponytail all day long, before you go out to that party, take two minutes, and take a little piece of hair out of your ponytail, wrap it around the base and secure it with a bobby pin. It makes it look professional, and it’s so small. The small details are really what matters. I’ll even take small natural bristle toothbrushes, and I spray hairspray on them, and then take down any flyaways with them, instead of spraying your whole head with hairspray. Or you can use a disposable mascara wand. That is my big trick for women with bangs, because the hairline is the hardest part. You don’t want your bangs glued in place because that is the worst when they don’t move. So you can use the mascara wand to brush them in the direction that you want them to go and you are getting them from the root. So you can direct which way you want the hair to go.
Red Carpet Roxy and Mark Townsend
RCR: That is such a good tip for women with bangs because they are so trendy right now.
MT: And it isn’t a trend that going to go way. We aren’t seeing those straight across, heavy bangs that we were seeing for awhile. I even did those on Lea Michele, those really severe bangs, but hers are much softer now. I think we are seeing more piecey-ness with bangs, and they are much softer.
RCR: And what do you think about Michelle Obama’s bangs?
MT: I love them! She’s going to have a heck of a time growing them out, but she should enjoy them while she has them. I love them though. And they can give you an instant hairstyle. If you only have two minutes to dry your bangs, you can throw the rest of your hair into a messy ponytail, and it still looks done. And bangs give such versatility. You can wear them straight down one day, pushed to the side another day. It’s a bit of a commitment, but they give you such versatility.
RCR: What is your must-have Dove product?
MT: The Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo. I cannot go one day without using it.
RCR: Have you used this dry shampoo on Jennifer Lawrence?
MT: Every time.
RCR: The morning after the Oscars, you are going to be heading to Moscow and then London?
MT: Yes, to work with Michelle Williams for the Oz premieres and press days. Then back to LA for a day, then NYC for two days!
The life of a celebrity stylist!
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