Looking for fall-into-winter-haircut inspiration? Ariana Greenblatt and her ultra-layered, mid-length fairy haircut have got you more than covered. I’ve personally already scheduled my next salon appointment.
The Barbie star’s chic new chop is courtesy of celebrity hairstylist Marc Mena — also known as the man behind Madelyn Cline’s iconic beach bob — who shared a behind-the-scenes reel of Greenblatt’s transformation to Instagram. According to Mena, the inspiration behind Greenblatt’s wintertime metamorphosis came from the actor’s recent experiences on set as well as a best-selling book.
She says she spent two days reciting her speech about the “impossible assignment of being all things to all people”—but who’s counting?
“[Ariana Greenblatt] was filming Now You See Me 3 and wanted a new cut and darker-hair era,” Mena said to Glamour US. The fairy-tale element, however, was inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. Why? “Because it’s perfect for a princess updo,” Mena explains. (The novel begins as a riff on Beauty and the Beast.)
Regardless of whether you’ve read the book, Mena says that everyone’s going to be getting this type of chop come winter. “It’s mid-length and has loads of layers, which is trending,” he says, adding that he and Greenblatt see it as a “glow-up haircut.”
A major part of that is the ideal, in-between length of the style. “It’s for the girls who are tired of long hair,” he says — and apparently, that’s a lot of us. “It starts to feel heavy.”
But unlike a super-short chop like a pixie, bob, or lob, you can still wear the fairy cut up and style it into an updo. “What we’re calling the ‘fairy’ tail is basically a shorter ponytail,” he says. “It’s a ‘fairy’ tail for shorter hair, and a pony for longer hair.”
Mena and Greenblatt went with “fairy” as a name for the style not only because of the book but also because it’s so “cute and little.” However, it was important to them to keep it medium-length with layers. “That way, you still have all the fringe to frame the face,” Mena says. “It’s just so versatile.”
The result? It looks sweet, pretty, and romantic, but Mena says you have the added benefit of having “shed” a fair share of weight from your shoulders.
What’s more, it seems like everyone’s leaning into what Mena calls the “princess” updo these days. “It’s such a thing,” Mena says of what’s essentially a daintier, modern take on the Pam Anderson updo.
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“With this haircut, you get that look naturally,” Mena explains. “You can put it in layers and wear it up or down, and it will give you tons of movement and texture no matter how you’re wearing it that day.” Also of note: Mena says it’s great for all hair types. Although if your hair is super fine, Mena suggests adding a few Great Lengths extensions for fullness and thickness.
Feeling inspired? Same. When asking for a fairy cut at the salon, Mena recommends saying you’d like a mid-length chop with “lots of layers” and a face-framing fringe. “Ask for most of the layers to be around the face frame,” he says. “And always, always bring pictures of what you want so everyone’s on the same page.”
The haircut that means business.
When it comes to styling at home, Mena suggests starting with clean, wet hair, and applying mousse or texturising spray to give yourself a voluminous blowout. “I recommend blow-drying with a dry brush, or using a heat-styling brush like the Dyson Afirwrap,” he says.
For even more movement, you can also opt for rollers or hot rollers. “Just remember, you want more volume, movement, and texture,” he says. “So be sure to brush it underneath.”
This article originally appeared on GLAMOUR (US).
