Academy-award winner Mikey Madison brought her brand of modern Hollywood elegance to the 2026 Academy Museum Gala. Wearing a playful, plunging custom Balenciaga gown, and absurdly blingy jewels, Madison exercised restraint with her soft glam by Melissa Hernandez and hair dark cascading hair set in the perfect waves by longtime collaborator Rena Calhoun.
Calhoun tells The Tease, “For this look we went with a glamorous, timeless wave, but the softness and the center part kept the hair still feeling modern. The key was to maintain that natural softness and movement while really emphasizing the shine and health of her hair.
Keep reading to see how Calhoun created the look, including the exact K-Beauty brand, Healing Bird products she used.
Get the Look:
- “On clean, damp hair, I applied Healing Bird Revive No-Wash Treatment Damage Repair from the mid-lengths to the ends. I love this lightweight spray because it hydrates the hair while providing protection from heat styling.
- I started by rough-drying the hair until it was about 80% dry, then went in with a large boar bristle round brush to smooth the hair while over directing each section for added volume.
- Once the hair was completely dry, for that extra touch of softness and shine I sprayed Healing Bird Revive No-Wash Treatment Deep Moisture through out and brushed it through.
- Then, I defined the center part and went in with a 1.5-inch curling iron, taking large sections and curling them towards the face.
- I allowed the curls to cool completely before brushing everything out with a boar bristle brush. This helps soften the shape and blend the layers together, creating that beautiful, cascading movement through the ends.
- To finish, I applied Healing Bird light weight Repair Hair Oil through the mid-lengths and ends to seal the moisture in for that perfect polished finish.”
If you recreate Mikey Madison’s latest red carpet look using this how-to, let us know about it. Tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok.
