Rei Ami x Oscars Hair: From Red Carpet to After Party
It was a monumental night for K-Pop Demon Hunters at the Oscars, bringing in two Academy Award wins for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song. Rei Ami took the stage performing HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” making it essential for her hairstyle to hold for multiple appearances throughout the evening at the 2026 Oscars.
Anh Co Tran created subtle yet impactful hair transformations for Rei, taking her from the red carpet, to onstage, and into the Vanity Fair After Party. Here’s how he created each look.
Look 1: Red Carpet
1. Prep
Anh began by applying three palmfuls of Milbon&’s Monochromatic Froth Blowout Foam throughout Rei’s hair. He allowed the hair to air dry to build a natural, slightly rough texture that would give the style extra grip and longevity.
He then established a clean middle part and left out the front pieces, pinning the bangs away from the face to prepare for styling.
2. Base
Anh then gathered the hair into a mid-high ponytail using a wrap ponytail technique.
To ensure a sleek updo, he used both a Denman brush and tail comb with an additional palmful of Froth Blowout Foam to gather the hair into a smooth finish. To lock down any flyaways, Anh generously misted her hair with Milbon’s Flex Memory Hold Hairspray 7.
3. Bun
From there, Anh twisted the ponytail into a bun, leaving some ends out to create texture and a spiky look. He secured the shape using a combination of bobby pins and hairpins.
Then, returning to the front sections, Anh smoothed some sections back and softly twisted them into the bun while leaving their ends out to accentuate the bun’s dimension.
4. Details
For face-framing details, Anh left out Rei’s bangs and select front pieces, smoothing them with the Dyson Corrale straightener. He finished the pieces with Milbon’s Matte Texturizing Paste 8 and locked them in place using Milbon’s Firm Hold Shielding Hairspray 10.
To exaggerate the fanned-silhouette of the bun, Anh added three two-clip extensions in the Color 1B from The Hair Shop Pro 7 Series and clipped them into the back of the knot, placing them just so for a fan-like arrangement.
He then straightened these pieces using the Dyson Corrale once again, shaping the ends into the final fan effect.
5. Finish
To refine and hold the style in place for the red carpet, Anh finished Rei’s look with the Flex Memory Hold Hairspray 7 to seal everything in place.
Look 2: On-Stage Performance
For Rei’s quick look change for her live performance on stage, Anh refreshed her hair by slicking back her bangs away from her face in a swooping motion using a combination of the Froth Blowout Foam and Milbon’s Wet Shine Gel Cream 8. To secure them in place, he pinned them down behind her ear.
Keeping select side pieces out for dramatic effect, Anh then sealed the entire look using the Firm Hold Shielding Hairspray 10.
Look 3: Vanity Fair After Party
For Rei’s final and most bold look yet, Anh retained the base of her sleek bun updo and made some last polishing details.
To reset her face framing, Anh wet down the bangs and side pieces using a spray bottle and pushed them all the way back using the leftover Wet Shine Gel Cream 8 already in the hair from the performance. To reinforce the hold, Anh used a final mist of Firm Hold Shielding Hairspray 10 to seal everything in place for the night.
The Final Result
Rei’s sculpted, sleek bun featured a bold, fan-like silhouette. The style transformed throughout the evening, as Anh gradually brought the soft bangs and face-framing pieces toward the back, amplifying the strong, edgy presence that Rei brought to the 2026 Oscars. Which look was your favorite?
Hair: @anhcotran
Hair Assist: @mikameoki
Makeup: @sandynichamakeup
Makeup Assist: @jaclynbmakeup
Styling: @ayumiperry
Photos: @offthecheng, @rei.ami, Getty