Lucy Boynton might not be a household name just yet, but we're predicting she will be before the year is up. The 24-year-old, who had minor roles in Sing Street and Murder on the Orient Express, is making waves for her portrayal of Mary Austin, Freddie Mercury's long-time love, in the recent Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. But even with an iconic role in the books and a rumoured relationship with co-star Rami Malek, there's another reason people can't stop talking about the breakout star: her haircut.
Sure, blunt bobs are — and always will be — cool, but there's something about this choppy, unfussy version that makes us want to copy it immediately. The hairstylist to credit is Jenny Cho, the same woman behind Emilia Clarke's post-platinum pixie and Jennifer Lawrence's '80s waves. Not only is Cho the one who talked Boynton into her now-signature look, but she's also the genius behind Boynton's weekly red-carpet styles we've been saving on Instagram. We tracked Cho down to give us every last detail — and she didn't hold back. Check out the secret behind the spontaneous chop, her favourite products for styling it, and more, ahead.
The Kitchen Chop
"I met Lucy last year, around January or February [2018], on a photo shoot. I looked at her and thought, Oh my gosh. She just reminded me of old Hollywood, someone who would exist in the era of Mia Farrow or Nastassja Kinski in Paris, Texas with that little bob. I said to her, 'We've got to cut your hair like that!' She said, 'I love it! Let's do it!' She ended up being in the middle of a show for Netflix at the time that required continuity [for her look]. A few months later, she was ready and we ended up cutting her hair in her kitchen."
Keeping It Classic
"Lucy's bob is a very blunt, strong bob — there’s no other way to put it. When you complicate it with other words, it becomes something else; sometimes, going back to a simple, classic bob is best. If you want to keep a blunt bob at the exact length between the chin and jawbone, trim it about every six weeks."
Short, But Not Stuck
"Lucy is a dream muse. She’s so open [to trying new styles] within her comfort zone, like when we did braids for the Critics Choice Awards. But her hairstyle really depends on her makeup and wardrobe. She's very playful and whimsical with how she dresses, so there's a lot of room to play. Unless Lucy is feeling something specific [for makeup], then I make sure the hair has a big presence. There's a stigma about having a shorter haircut, like a bob or pixie, that you can't do much. But you can do so much."
The Styling Lineup
"Shampoo and conditioner are the foundation for everything else that follows. I usually start Lucy's hair with Suave's Rose Oil Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner; she has fine hair, so it adds a lot of body. (Editor's Note: Cho is a Suave celebrity stylist.) I usually apply a lightweight mousse that thickens and plumps the hair. While her hair is still damp, I then apply a tiny bit of anti-frizz cream, and let her hair air dry a little before blowdrying.
"Her natural texture does have a slight bend in it, so I usually see what her hair doing after it's dried before I decide how to curl it. If you blow dry [her] hair before you curl it, the curls will look too done. You want to bring out your own natural texture as much as possible — I'm never going to erase what's naturally working for her.
"For the Golden Globes, I used the Harry Josh curling iron. On other occasions, I've used the Kristin Ess flat iron and Hot Tools curling irons. I usually wrap the hair around the wand, but don't close the clamp. Then, I stretch out the new curl while it's still hot so it loosens up. I also always leave the ends of the hair out of the iron so they're not too curly."
Also try the T3 Singlepass Professional Curling Iron, and ghd Platinum+ Styler.
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