Charli XCX’s Texturized Met Gala Hair Breakdown

Celebrity hairstylist Matt Benns worked with Charli XCX for the Met Gala, creating a texturized half-up style that stayed connected to her signature undone aesthetic while still delivering enough impact for the red carpet.

The look leaned into volume, texture, and shape rather than anything overly refined. Matt began by prepping Charli’s hair with Wavytalk’s Smooth Barrier Heat Protectant before diffusing the hair using the Wavytalk Turblow Pro hair dryer to enhance her natural texture instead of flattening it out. That decision is what keeps the style from feeling overly styled. There is still softness and irregularity throughout the finish, which suits Charli far more than anything sleek or overly sculpted would.

Once the hair was fully dry, Matt created the half-up structure by pulling the hair from the ears upward and securing it high on the crown for extra lift. The placement gives the style height while keeping the overall silhouette youthful and energetic.

To build out the texture, Matt alternated between the Wavytalk Power Wave and the Curlmaker Pro’s 3/4-inch and 1/2-inch irons, creating a mixed curl pattern that felt loose and intentionally imperfect. Rather than uniform waves, the finish has variation throughout, which stops the hair from feeling too “done” against Charli’s Saint Laurent gown.

Teasing through selected areas added fullness, while texture spray gave the hair a lighter, more airy finish. A final layer of hairspray locked everything into place without sacrificing movement.

The result feels aligned with Charli’s beauty identity from start to finish. The hair still has grit, volume, and that slept-in energy she gravitates toward, but elevated enough for fashion’s biggest night.

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