Takisha Sturdivant-Drew Talks Alice Smith’s Stunning ’26 Oscars Ponytail

For singer-songwriter Alice Smith’s performance of “I Lied To You,” from the film “Sinners,” at the 98th Academy Awards, celebrity hairstylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew turned to biotech-backed haircare from Goddess Maintenance to create a high-impact ponytail moment.

Working with Smith ahead of the performance, Sturdivant-Drew prepped the hair using Goddess Maintenance’s BIOPROTECTION™ System, creating a sleek style that retained a certain softness on the red carpet and on stage. The final look balanced softness and movement with high shine and frizz control, anchored by smart prep that supports and protects hair without weighing it down.

Scroll for the exact styling techniques Sturdivant-Drew used.

Get the Look:

1. “To create this sleek ponytail look on Alice for her stunning Oscars look, I started by washing her hair with Goddess Maintenance’s Biotech Blowout Restorative Shampoo and followed up with their Biotech Blowout Restorative Conditioner to create a smooth, hydrated base that allowed the hair to lay flat and shine. 
2. After rinsing, I applied the Biotech Blowout Leave-In Restorative Hair Mask through her hair to add even more shine and moisture without weighing it down. 
3. I then blow-dried her hair straight so everything from the roots to ends were smooth and the lengths were fully elongated. I lightly ran a flat iron through everything to achieve that glassy, polished finish.
4. Next, I created a clean part and brushed the hair tightly back toward the middle of the back of the head where the ponytail would sit. I applied a small amount of Biotech Blowout Leave-In Restorative Hair Mask over the area I wanted to slick back, then used a dense brush to smooth everything into a sleek ponytail and secured it with a strong elastic. 
5. To add length and fullness, I wrapped TSD Hair Extensions around the base of the ponytail and secured them so the ponytail blended seamlessly with the natural hair. 
6. To finish the look, I created a twisted look on and around the ponytail, and wrapped a small amount of hair around the base of the ponytail to conceal the elastic. 
7. Then added one final touch of Biotech Blowout Leave-In Restorative Hair Mask for shine so the ponytail looked sleek, polished, and red carpet and performance ready!”

If you recreate this ponytail, (and why wouldn’t you?) we want to see it. Tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok.