Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph graced the 29th Critics’ Choice Awards red carpet Sunday night in a beauty look we can’t stop dreaming about. Ralph’s stylist, Ivy Coco Maurice, helped guide the hands of hairstylist, SherriAnn Cole, to sculpt a played-up bob to pair with her sandy jeweled gown– which was a look that trended all evening long. “The [bob’s] length was to highlight the neckline on her dress,” Cole tells ESSENCE. “We wanted her look to be classic with an added flair.”
And just like that, bobs were all over the red carpet– from Ayo Edibiri’s blunt cut to Taraji P. Henson’s bumped ends. As for Ralph, “the original inspiration was a sleek bob with a swooping bang, but we decided to play up the bang with lots of added height and body,” Cole says. But the secret to her Dreamgirl look? “The key technique used was the flip.” The hair stylist used a one-inch curved flat iron as her special tool, “slightly curving the hair under then flipping the hair outward once I reached her shoulders” for the style to perch right at the gown’s neckline.
With just flexible heat protectant hair spray, Cole was able to shape the hair, before locking in the strands with a high hold spray. “The hair complements the dress and makeup because of the length and placement of distinct pieces around the face,” she says. As for the full-bodied bang, “the hair mimics the dress with its structure and curves,” but “the placement draws the eye to Sheryl Lee’s sultry eye makeup, and the small sideburn piece draws the eye to her beautiful cheekbones.”
An elegant bang swooped over her classic winged eyeliner, elongating her eyes while a touch of blush carved out her cheeks. Her glamorous, old Hollywood look winked at the critics, with her playfully, posh flipped ends grabbing our attention. “My favorite thing about working with Mrs. Ralph is her elegance, gracefulness and kind spirit,” Cole says. “It’s a great time to add my own twist and create iconic moments,” and iconic it was.
