For this year’s Academy Museum Gala, Sydney Sweeney delivered another standout red carpet moment—this time with an elegant, modern updo that perfectly balanced polish and ease. The vision came to life at the hands of her longtime hairstylist, Glen “Coco” Oropeza, who wanted the look to highlight both Sydney’s beauty and the sleek lines of her gown.
“I knew I wanted to do something up for the event because the dress had a halter neckline, and I really wanted to complement that,” Glen shares. “At the same time, I was excited to do something a little different with her hair, something that elevated while still feeling undone and effortless. The updo gave us that perfect balance of showing off the dress while also creating a moment with the hair.”
The Academy Museum Gala has become one of the most glamorous nights of the year—drawing stars, designers, and industry tastemakers from all corners of Hollywood. For an event of that scale, the beauty direction had to match the red carpet’s energy.
“For this year’s Gala, the goal was to create a look that felt timeless and effortlessly glamorous,” Glen explains. “We wanted something that felt polished and refined but still modern and fresh.”
Behind the Look
(Courtesy)
To build the foundation, Glen reached for two of his most trusted tools: SRI Labs’ DryQ Blow Dryer and StyleQ Flat Iron. “The SRI Labs DryQ Blow Dryer and StyleQ Flat Iron were my go-to tools for this look because they deliver such smooth, professional results while being really gentle on the hair,” he says.
“These tools are key for achieving that ultra-polished, red-carpet finish without compromising the health of Sydney’s hair. The DryQ uses advanced infrared technology, which helps dry the hair quickly while locking in moisture, so you get that smooth, frizz-free result without excessive heat damage. The StyleQ Flat Iron has floating ceramic plates that glide effortlessly over the hair, adding shine and sleekness while minimizing breakage.”
(Courtesy)
The updo itself was both classic and subtly playful. Glen started with damp hair, applying an anti-frizz glaze before rough-drying with the DryQ to 80% dry. He then smoothed each section with a round brush and blow dryer for a glossy base. To build texture and movement, he twisted the StyleQ fully around each section of hair, alternating directions to create soft, natural curls.
Once the hair was curled, he pulled it into a high ponytail, split it in two, and twisted the sections over one another, gently pulling out pieces for a softer finish. The final step: pinning the bun into place and shaping a few face-framing pieces with the StyleQ to complete the look.
“My pro tip is to keep it soft around the face,” Glen says. “For that effortless touch, I left a few delicate pieces out around the hairline and gently shaped them with the flat iron. It softens the look and makes it feel less structured, more romantic. In general, one of the most important things when doing Sydney’s hair is the finishing touches. Making sure the right flyaways are tamed, the face-framing pieces feel balanced, and everything is brushed into place—that’s what makes something feel elevated.”
Instagram Glen Coco Reel – the LOOK
The result? A look that felt both fresh and timeless—a perfect match for the high-glamour evening.
When asked to sum up Sydney’s beauty vibe for the night, Glen doesn’t hesitate: “Effortless, modern, elegant.”
(Courtesy)
Read Glen “Coco” Oropeza’s full interview here:
Q: Let’s start with the inspiration. How did you and Sydney decide on the direction for her hair look for the Academy Museum Gala?
A: “I knew I wanted to do something up for the event because the dress had a halter neckline, and I really wanted to complement that. At the same time, I was excited to do something a little different with her hair, something that elevated while still feeling undone and effortless. The updo gave us that perfect balance of showing off the dress while also creating a moment with the hair.”
Q: “The Gala is such a high-profile, high-glamour event — what kind of vibe or mood were you hoping to achieve with her red carpet look this year?
A: “For this year’s Gala, the goal was to create a look that felt timeless and effortlessly glamorous. We wanted something that felt polished and refined but still modern and fresh.”
Q: You used the SRI Labs DryQ Blow Dryer and StyleQ Flat Iron to create her look — why were these your go-to tools for this moment?
A: “The SRI Labs DryQ Blow Dryer and StyleQ Flat Iron were my go-to tools for this look because they deliver such smooth, professional results while being really gentle on the hair.”
Q: How do these tools help you achieve that ultra-polished, red-carpet finish while keeping Sydney’s hair healthy and shiny?
A: “These tools are key for achieving that ultra-polished, red-carpet finish without compromising the health of Sydney’s hair. The DryQ Blow Dryer uses advanced infrared technology, which helps dry the hair quickly while locking in moisture, so you get that smooth, frizz-free result without excessive heat damage. The StyleQ Flat Iron has floating ceramic plates that glide effortlessly over the hair, adding shine and sleekness while minimizing breakage.”
Q: Sydney’s hair always looks effortless but elevated. Do you have any pro tips or tricks you used here that fans could recreate at home using the same tools?
A: “My Pro tip is to keep it soft around that face, for that effortless touch, I left a few delicate pieces out around the hairline and gently shaped them with the flat iron. It softens the look and makes it feel less structured, more romantic. In general, one of the most important things when doing Sydney is the finishing touches. It’s what makes something feel more elevated is making sure the right flyaways are tamed, the face framing pieces feel balanced, and everything is brushed into place.”
Q: Finally, how would you describe Sydney’s overall beauty vibe for the night — in three words?
A: “Effortless, Modern, Elegant”
How to get the look, step-by-step:
- I started off on wet hair spraying the kerastate anti-frizz glaze milk throughout the hair, brushing to distribute product evenly.
- I next go in with my SRI Labs DryQ and rough dry until the hair is 80% dry.
- I section the hair and go back in with my SRI Labs DryQ and a smoothing brush to blowdry until full dry.
- I next go in with my SRI labs StyleQ and twist the flat iron fully around to create a tight curl, to create texture for the hair I alternate directions with each section I curl.
- Once the hair is fully curled I place it into a high pony tail.
- I take the pony and split it into two sections, twisting each section over each other, pulling hair strands out as I go.
- I then twist the hair into a bun formation, pinning it into place as I go.
- Finally I style the front two pieces that I left out with my SRI labs StyleQ to frame her face.
In Partnership with APG
