Award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis is a timeless beauty who never ceases to amaze us with her sophisticated style. For years, she’s rocked her signature short ‘do (inspired by Vidal Sassoon’s cut on Mia Farrow) that has inspired many women to take the leap and cut their hair as well. At the recent Oscars, Curtis turned heads with her chic crop haircut and we had the chance to catch up with her longtime hairstylist Sean James, who offered a step-by-step for recreating her red carpet look.

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James, an Australian hairstylist and men’s makeup artist who sees clients at Matthew Preece Salon in Santa Monica, has an impressive roster of A-list clients that includes Chris Hardwick, Eugene Levy, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, and Weird Al Yankovic (which has earned James three award nominations for hairstyling). James is also the founder of Beach Blvd, a line of luxurious hand sanitizers that are inspired by beaches around the world.

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“Most people wonder, ‘What do I actually do to get Jamie Lee Curtis hair?’” James says. “'How do I maintain and style a short crop haircut?’ It was so exciting to greet Jamie at her hotel and get her ready for the Oscars. We actually cut her hair a couple of days beforehand so it would settle a bit and Jamie usually lets it air dry before she arrives. It’s a bit more involved than what most people think, but that’s how we accomplished the look.”

How to Get Jamie’s Oscars Look:

• Use FHI Heat Stylus High Altitude Root Lift Spray at roots

• Take tiny sections of hair and go through the entire head with a small quarter-inch and ¾-inch round brush

• Using a blow-dryer (James uses a Dyson Supersonic), lifting it all up at the roots and give it a slight bend rolling backwards

• Stretch the front out and fan the top back a little bit to fill in any open areas, making sure the hair doesn’t separate too much (this adds volume to hair and creates texture)

• To add a little bit more texture, dimension and shine to the hair, add a tiny bit of TIGI’s Bed Head Manipulator to the ends, then spray with Phytolaque Spray

• Do a final spray of FHI Heat Stylus Stay Finished Hairspray to set the look in place, ensuring that it will have longevity

For more information and to book an appointment with James, call Matthew Preece Salon at 310-907-4022 and follow him on Instagram: @seanjameshair. To purchase Beach Blvd products, visit the website.

Matthew Preece Salon is located at 1122 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA.

[Photos by Sean James]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk