How to Get Lizzo's Hairstyle From the 2019 BET Awards

Hairstylist Shelby Swain tells us how to master Lizzo’s wood-inspired hairstyle.One performance — and twerk — at a time, Lizzo is quickly taking over the music industry. And at last night’s BET Awards, she certainly did not disappoint. Performing her hit song “Truth Hurts,” Lizzo and her gang of body diverse backup dancers performed a wedding-themed rendition of the song that was so good and fresh that even Rihanna gave it a standing ovation. Of course, it wouldn’t have been complete without a surprise appearance by none other than Lizzo’s iconic flute. But before the performance even begin, Lizzo was already stunning fans with her gorgeous wood-themed outfit.Yes, you read that right: wood-inspired. From her dress to her hair, Lizzo made it clear from the start that she was sprouting roots at the BET Awards. Her hair, though, might just be our favorite part of the look! How did she achieve its perfection? It was only possible with the help of stylist Shelby Swain who’s worked with Lizzo many times before, telling Teen Vogue that she loves working with the artist “because I get to create! The sky is truly the limit.”

Lizzo’s hair for the BET Awards was two fold: First there was her actual hair. Then there was her wooden hair piece. “I wanted to compliment her woodgrain wardrobe choice, so I hand painted and created a wood grain head piece,” Shelby said. Before she could get to placing the headpiece, however, she needed to focus on getting Lizzo’s hair just right. She began by using the Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Sulfate-Free Cleansing Shampoo and Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Conditioner. Then, after washed, Shelby applied the Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Nourish & Strengthen Leave-In Conditioner before forming Lizzo’s hair into a base for the headpiece, pulling the “hair back and tie it up into a ponytail by gathering all the hair and wrapping it around with a hair tie.” Once formed, she proceeded to paint the hair to match the color of the headpiece, dress, and shoes. As a finishing touch, she used the Suave Professionals Firm Control Finishing Hair Spray to lock it all into place.

Next step: the headpiece. To keep it secured for the evening, Shelby sewed the headpiece into the braided base of Lizzo’s hair. Really, it was just that simple! Want to recreate the hair look at home? Shelby suggests that “the easiest way to take this look from runway to real life is with a well structured side pony laid to the GAWDS, with Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Define & Shine Gel Serum. You can also use colored hair spray and hair safe paints to create a fun design on your base.”