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.