From "Witchy Mermaid" to "French Girl in Italy": Molly Gordon's hairstylist shares insights about 3 Venice...

      The 82nd Venice Film Festival concluded last week, showcasing the same European elegance and allure as France's Cannes Film Festival, with its red carpet attracting A-list celebrities from around the world. This year, one notable attendee was Molly Gordon, recognized for her performances in The Bear, Booksmart, and Oh, Hi! During her visit to Venice, she made three exquisite appearances, including one in a vintage Armani gown on the Frankenstein red carpet. While the fashion was undeniably stylish, as beauty editors, we concentrated on her hair and makeup, crafted by Celebrity Hairstylist Barb Thompson and Celebrity Makeup Artist Melissa Hernandez. Who What Wear received exclusive insights into Thompson's behind-the-scenes photo diary and detailed looks. “We created three looks and aimed for a common theme in the glam, while ensuring each looked distinctive,” Thompson explains. “Inspired by the water surrounding Venice, we drew ideas from mermaid textures and embraced the natural elements.” However, the task was not without its challenges. Thompson noted that Venice is typically hot and humid, requiring her to come prepared with the right tools and products to maintain the perfection of Gordon's hair. Additionally, the city's unique mode of transport posed a risk. “Typically, you get the client ready at their hotel and then accompany them in the water taxis to the carpet,” she says. “Usually, the talent has arrived by boat! So as a hairstylist, you bring your essentials and hope a large splash doesn’t hit!” Below, explore all three of Gordon's elegant hair styles and discover the products Thompson relied on for each.

      **Look 1: Effortless Waves**

      The first hairstyle featured carefree, cool-girl waves. Thompson prepared Gordon's damp hair with Rōz Milk Serum ($52), applying it to the mid-lengths and ends for added shine and heat protection. “For the roots, Rōz Air Thickening Spray ($39) was used to give extra volume and hold.” To combat Venice's heat and humidity, Thompson used a “generous spray” of R+Co Bleu Smooth + Seal Blow Dry Mist ($66) before blow-drying. “After drying, I used the new GHD Chronos Curve Grand 1.25-Inch Curling Iron ($259) to curl the hair away from the face.” Finally, she tousled the hair and finished with Rōz Santa Lucia Oil ($45) for shine and texture. Thompson aimed to make the hair strands appear "almost snake-like."

      **Look 2: French Girl in Italy**

      Thompson introduced the concept of "French girl in Italy" to this look, characterized by a hair accessory—a black velvet bow. “Both Molly and I have a passion for bows and ribbons. It’s becoming a signature style.” This look was designed for a casual conversation with another actress, and Thompson considered how to make the profile view interesting during their chat. The result was a lovely, voluminous shape complemented by a striking accessory. The goal was to achieve a “loose and touchable” texture with rounded ends. Once again, she prepped Gordon's hair with Rōz Milk Serum ($52) and Air Thickening Spray ($39). She then added rollers at the crown to boost volume. Using the T3 SinglePass 1.5-Inch Curling Iron ($150), she curled the hair in alternating directions and let the curls cool. “Letting curls cool after curling is vital, especially for these subtle waves, to ensure the style lasts,” Thompson emphasizes. Once cooled, she gently brushed out the curls and secured them with Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray ($52), backcombing the crown to maintain volume. The final touch? Jennifer Behr's Adley Velvet Bow Barrette ($198).

      **Look 3: Natural Mermaid Waves**

      For her appearance at the Frankenstein red carpet, Thompson and Gordon decided on a natural look. “Molly has stunning natural wavy-curly hair, and we wanted to embrace it fully,” she notes. "This day was particularly busy, as we had created the 'French girl in Italy' look just hours before, so this was a complete reset." After a shower, Thompson carefully towel-dried Gordon's hair and applied Rōz Milk Serum ($52) through the mid-lengths and ends. She then added R+Co's Aircraft Pomade Mousse ($38) to lift the roots, using setting pins to enhance volume. Afterward, she blow-dried the hair with a diffuser. “Honestly, I wish we had more time to diffuse, but that's the nature of the business!” Once dry, Thompson utilized a 0.5-inch curling iron from T3's Switch Kit ($196) along with the GHD Chronos Curve Grand 1.25-Inch Curling Iron ($259) to create waves that complemented the natural texture. “We aimed for this look to feel genuine and unrefined,” she states