Drew Barrymore’s Hair Secrets

Photo: Getty Images

Giannandrea, the star’s longtime friend and stylist, reveals the inspiration behind her glamorous red carpet looks...

In the nearly three years he’s worked with Drew Barrymore, hairstylist Giannandrea has taken tresses to new heights (think ‘60s-inspired bouffants) and made bedhead look chic (see photo at left, from last week’s London premiere of Going the Distance). “She is like a chameleon, constantly evolving,” says the Italian coiffeur of his muse.

Photo: Carter Smith

ELLE’s August 2010 Cover

For the ELLE shoot with creative director Joe Zee and photographer Carter Smith, Giannandrea says Barrymore arrived to the set with her natural waves un-brushed and undone. “I was like, wow,” he recalls. “I wanted to retain the texture as much as possible because it was so beautiful.”

To prep Barrymore’s strands and make them “less raw,” Giannandrea began by misting them with water. Next, he parted her damp tresses down the center and twisted them into two buns, one on each side of the head (think Princess Leia from Star Wars). After letting hair sit for a bit, he then undid the coils and diffused curls with a blow-dryer. “It’s a simple yet effective technique for getting chunky waves,” he says.
 

Photo: Getty Images

Golden Globe Awards: January 2009

Barrymore’s supersized bob received a flurry of responses—some not so positive—but Giannandrea wasn’t daunted by the naysayers. “[The hairstyle] stirred up controversy, but I think it’s important to push the envelope and have fun,” he told us at the time. “You have to stay alive during these difficult economic times and take a chance.”
Looking back at the statement-making ‘do, Giannandrea only has fond memories. “That was a moment, I tell you!” he exclaims with a laugh. “Drew and I looked at each other before she stepped onto the red carpet and that’s when I realized it was actually happening—that we were doing this unconventional hair for a traditional event. I was so happy because she took that look and owned it. She felt sexy wearing it, and it became part of her.”
 

Photo: Getty Images

            

 SAG Awards: January 2010

Giannandrea revisited 1960s glamour earlier this year when he coaxed Barrymore’s tresses into a pumped-up French twist for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. “It was a combination of Monica Vitti and Brigitte Bardot,” he says of the style’s inspiration. “What made the hair modern were Drew’s short face-framing layers in the front—she had these long bangs because I’d just cut her hair in a bob.”
Getting the right look for Barrymore’s updo was no easy feat: As with any hairstyle, Giannandrea says that deciding which time period to draw from is just the beginning. “There are a multitude of styles within each era,” he explains. “You have to downsize until you find three or four looks that might be cool.”
Before consulting with Barrymore about a potential 'do, Giannandrea does extensive research on the Internet, culling hundreds of images as inspiration: “From the initial batch, I’ll select about 150 based on style, texture, and feel. Then I sit down with Drew and we look at them together.”

By Emily Hebert | August 25, 2010 9:00 a.m. 

You can read the entire article, uncover the inspirations behind Drew's glamorous looks, and discover the products used to achieve her styles at Elle Magazine!

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