Greta Gerwig, the woman behind the highest-grossing global release of 2023 (and 15th of all time!), looked like a billion dollars and then some for Hollywood’s biggest night. Rudely snubbed from some of the Academy’s top honors, again, nothing could keep Gerwig down at this year’s Oscars. If you saw the screenwriter-director-actor singing along with Ryan Gosling during his performance of “I’m Just Ken,” you know… Wearing a custom, champagne colored Gucci gown, massive diamonds and a bright blonde bixie cut, styled to perfection by celebrity hairstylist John D, Gerwig was firmly in her power.

John used Navy Haircare styling products and Kristin Ess Hair tools to create this enviably piecey style. “The inspiration for [the] look was Greta herself. I wanted to make sure Greta felt like the absolute best version of herself for [the] festivities,” said John. He added, “her short style is so much fun. So we wanted to capitalize on that energy. Incorporating natural movement in the hair and a piece-y texture. Cool and effortless, with an edge.”

Keep scrolling for detailed steps directly from John’s team as well as his insights about product performance.

Get the Look:

1. John D began with clean, damp, hair by adding a few spritzes of NAVY Hair Care’s Style Navigator: Prep & Finishing Spray (to detangle and add heat protection), layered with a dollop of Whirlpool:  Argan Oil and Green Tea Powered Styling Foam (to add lift and movement), along with a pea sized amount of the Swell: Styling and Thickening Cream. He brushed through using Kristin Ess Hair Style Assist Detangling Brush to ensure the product was evenly distributed. 
2. He then gave her hair a rough blow dry using the Kristin Ess Hair Iconic Style Professional Blow Dryer. John moved the hair around to build lift and develop Greta’s natural texture and movement, completing the blow dry with the Kristin Ess Hair Style Assist Detangling Round Brush to smooth and finish ends. Once hair was dry, John let the hair relax until cool.
   • Pro Tip: John feels the trick to styling short hairstyles like Greta’s is to not “overdo” it. Try not to over style, let the products settle in and do their thing. 
3. After the hair cooled, he used the Kristin Ess Hair Nano Black 3-in-1 Flat Iron. John loves the optional heat settings to customize to each person’s needs. With the flatiron on the medium, he further smoothed the ends to add texture to the style. This process is more freeform and looser. Not heating every strand of the hair but using the iron to smooth the ends creates a natural texture that is touchable and soft while maintaining lift at the root. 
4. Once flat ironing is complete, John let the hair cool before building in the final style. He applied Pebble Beach: Dry Texture Spray by shaking the can well prior and applying throughout. John noted, “I love this spray, it smells amazing and does just what it says; it builds fullness, body and texture.”
5. The final style is lifted, piece-y and cool… He finalized the look by moving the hair around and letting it fall into place just so. Once hair was set where he wanted, he locked in the look using Skipper: Flexible Volumizing Hair Spray all over for a soft, touchable, hold that doesn’t feel sticky or stiff. “I love hair styles that offer effortless glam, and these tools and products REALLY came through to make this style shine,” John added. 

If you recreate Greta’s Oscars hairstyle for your short-haired clients, or for yourself, be sure to tag @readthetease on Instagram or TikTok. We want to see!