The mood last night inside Ella Balinska’s Paris hotel suite before the Balmain show was “like a family reunion,” says celebrity hairstylist Nai'vasha. The Curl Queen founder met Balinska ahead of the actor’s Charlie’s Angels success: “After years of collaborating, we just get each other—so it never feels like work!” Nai’vasha enthuses. For this fashion week occasion, Balinska was immediately into the idea of an “edgy Balmain Barbie” ponytail to flip around the neon-and-navy embellished velvet minidress that stylist Jason Bolden brought to the table.
Lounging in a hooded terry robe and surrounded by pink roses, Balinska sipped frothy espresso from her coupe à champagne as Vincent Oquendo created a clean cat-eye and high-beam skin to let the head-to-toe Balmain moment sing—if you could hear it. “The music was fun and loud—early 2000s vibes,” says Nai’vasha of the team’s soundtrack as they let loose a bit with “laughter like never before” and a slew of inside jokes. “It was bestie behavior the entire time!” she says. Still, they got down to business on the look, which required “pre-styling” like a rinse with Curl Queen Moisture Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner before Nai’vasha blow-dried Balinska’s hair and applied Royal Nectar Hair Oil as a replenishing heat protectant before smoothing with hot tools.
The secret to this ponytail, according to Nai’vasha, is a stealth double-duty updo. “I sectioned her hair into two parts—two ponytails—to create one,” she explains. “That’s a trick I like to use to get the ‘snatched effect’ we all love.” After applying a bit of edge control around the hairline and a curling wand to lengths for “a spiral effect” that left ends slightly straight, Nai’vasha grabbed a wide-tooth comb. “It separates the curls and creates additional texture simultaneously,” she explains. A spritz of old-school Elnett hairspray locked in the “Balmain baddie” look before Balinska buckled her stilettos and headed to her front row seat. “It’s really a good time, from when we walk through the door to the last finishing touch as Ella heads out,” says Nai’vasha.
Below, the star hairstylist takes us behind-the-scenes of Balinska’s beauty prep in Paris:
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos1/9“The pre-show prep!”
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos2/9“The showtime arsenal ahead of Balmain’s runway show includes a complete Curl Queen setup for my love Ella Balinska.”
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos3/9“That smile, that glow…”
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos4/9“These shoes! Jason Bolden never misses.”
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos5/9“The beautiful details.”
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos6/9A playful moment.
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos7/9“OMG, Ella! Snatched!”
Photo: Courtesy of Nai'vasha8/9“It’s a family affair whenever we link up—tons of laughs, love and, of course, impeccable glam!”
Photo: Courtesy of Vincent Fandos9/9“Ella, about to walk into the show to take in Fall 2022.”
