Florence Pugh’s May Cover Still Lives Rent-Free in My Head—Here’s Every Hair and Makeup Detail I’m Daydreaming About
I’ve been in the editorial industry for roughly nine years and have seen many sparkling celebrities doused in head-to-toe glam. I know makeup artists’ tricks like the back of my hand and have witnessed my fair share of jaw-dropping hair transformations, including floor-length extensions, Technicolor dye jobs, and more. Thus, having witnessed practically every type of look under the sun, it’s rare that I see a hair-and-makeup moment that’s so beautiful and so perfectly executed that I quite literally get butterflies.
You probably know where I’m going with this, but when I saw the first shots emerge from Who What Wear’s cover shoot with Florence Pugh, I was completely transfixed. The makeup and hair might be described as “polished” or “minimal,” but every detail is perfectly catered to the stunning variety of designer looks worn by the actress—from that powder blue Dolce & Gabbana dress to a lavender Proenza Schouler number dripping in fringe.
Obviously, I needed answers, so I asked hairstylist Bridget Brager and makeup artist Alex Babsky to share their process and must-have products. Keep scrolling—you’ll want to save these tips for months to come.
If you talked to anyone who worked with Florence Pugh on set, the resounding adjective you’d hear over and over again would be the word “magnetic”—a descriptor the actress is known for when it comes to her work onscreen but also emanates through her IRL aura as well. “We didn’t want anything too ‘done’ or loud,” Brager tells me. “Our goal was to balance everything with some simplicity and create interest that really allowed Florence’s natural beauty to shine through.”
Since the location and wardrobe for the shoot were so decadent and rich with color, textures, and styling, Brager worked with the photographer to come up with a plan where Pugh’s hair would feel effortless yet continue to evolve naturally as the shoot wore on. “We started with a low-maintenance look that built into a more textured, piece-y wet style for later shots,” Brager explains. “Then, for a few images, we pulled the hair back to keep the focus on Florence’s face. Between the clothes, the location, and the muse … I think all of the artists on set intuitively knew what had to be done. We were all just nodding our heads like, ‘Yes, yes!’ when we saw what we were working with. These are my favorite sets to be on.”
To begin the styling process, Brager started with Pugh’s freshly washed hair and prepped the lengths to ends with Hair Rituel by Sisley Paris’s Precious Hair Care Oil ($120) to add an extra dose of shine and heat protection. For volume and lift, Brager used the brand’s Volumizing Spray ($115) specifically at the crown and hairline.
Next, Brager dried Pugh’s hair into shape using the L’Oréal Professionnel AirLight Pro Dryer ($475) and Hair Rituel by Sisley Paris’s Radiance Brush ($120), which, she explains, helps smooth the hair while still maintaining lots of body. Once the hair was dry, Brager added some extra smoothing magic via T3’s SinglePass StyleMax Professional Flat Iron ($160), which further enhanced shine and an ultra-sleek finish.
For moments during the shoot when Brager wanted to add a bit more texture to the actress’s hair, she applied Rōz’s Evergreen Style Cream ($32) before clipping the hair into place using Jill Buck’s Creaseless Hair Clips ($12). Brager says this is a must if you want to maintain the shape of the hair. To finish, she used R+Co’s Dart Pomade Stick ($25) to tame any flyaways and locked everything in with Hair Rituel by Sisley Paris’s Invisible Hold Hairspray ($115) for extra hold and polish.
When asked about the inspiration for Pugh’s makeup, Babsky echoed Brager’s sentiment, throwing out words like “fresh,” “polished,” and “minimal.” “A glowing, healthy-looking complexion was the basis of Florence’s beauty look for this shoot, so I really concentrated on prepping her skin prior to applying any makeup,” he says. Before double-cleansing Pugh’s skin with a rich, creamy cleanser, Babsky spent time giving the actress a thorough, lymphatic massage, which he says really helps to define and sculpt the face as much as possible.
When it came time to add product, Babsky started by dotting a liquid luminizer on all of the high points of Pugh’s face. This, he says, really helps to embellish the natural glow of the skin before you go in with foundation and concealer, which he only likes to add in very targeted areas where more coverage might be needed.
To create a beautiful and natural-looking flush, Babsky custom-mixed a blush-toned cream color and patted it lightly over the actress’s eyes and cheeks. For Pugh’s lips and lashes, he smudged a natural-tinted lip pencil over the contours of the actress’s lips for invisible definition and curled her lashes (leaving them mascara-free) for freshness.
“No Florence makeup would be complete without a good brow, so I filled them in and brushed them upwards for a ‘boyish’ finish,” says Babsky. “My key products on set were Valentino’s V-Lighter Illuminating Face Primer and Highlighter ($59), which gives skin the most beautiful luminescence. I mixed shades Rosa and Ambra and used this over Florence’s body as well.”
Another Babsky staple? Valentino’s Brow Trio Eyebrow Liner ($40), which contains a brow pen, pencil, and spoolie. (It allows you to build a good, substantial brow.) “Later in the day, we moved outside and shot some richer-toned outfits on Florence, so I substituted her natural lip for a deep berry tone, which would be able to stand up to the other strong colors that would be in the shot,” he concludes.
