Is Lupita Nyong’o’s Birthday Hair a Twisted Fauxhawk or Voluminous Pouf?

TWIST AND ROLL Is Lupita Nyong’o’s Birthday Hair a Twisted Fauxhawk or Voluminous Pouf?Somehow, it looks intricate and simple at the same time. 

By Gabi Thorne

March 3, 2022

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On March 1, Lupita Nyong'o had the pleasure of celebrating her 39th birthday. That day, the Pisces actor posted an Instagram carousel of her smiling and twirling on the beach in a floral two-piece set. But she didn't give her nine million and counting followers a view of the official birthday outfit, makeup, and hair until the next day. And those couple of hours were worth the wait because, to celebrate her big day, she showed out with an intricate, twisted fauxhawk hairstyle.

Nyong'o shared a video and three photos of the new look. In the video, she twirls her hips back and forth in a short cerulean dress from Sergio Hudson, but you can't get a good look at the updo until the fourth slide. Hairstylist Zenda Walker twisted sections of Nyong'o's short hair — which seems to be styled into sister locs at the moment — into rolls that sit up high on her head, leaving the slides completely flat to form the fauxhawk style. These rolls aren't too tightly wound, giving the look some volume and texture. The rolls almost resemble a big pouf style. The back of this ornate hairstyle isn't fully visible, but on slide three you can see a peek of what seems to be a much tighter and smaller roll.

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She paired the structured hair with simple eye makeup and a bold reddish lip, painted by makeup artist Nick Barose. In an Instagram post he shared of the look, he noted that the dark lip is the  Lancôme L'absolu Rouge Drama Matte Lipstick, which is named after her (she's a spokesperson for the brand). The Mademoiselle Lupita shade is a burgundy hue. Though it is a matte bullet lipstick, there's a bit of shine on Nyong'o's lips, which leads us to believe that Barose added some gloss for the sheen.

Nyong'o tends to experiment with different hairstyles, whether it be with faux locs, Afros, or sculptural looks that are so abstract, you can't tell where they begin and where they end. So we expect that she would deliver some gorgeous hair inspiration for her 39th orbit around the sun. 

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Gabi Thorne is the associate news editor at Allure. Since graduating from Harvard University, where she received a student writing fellowship from The Nation to research political news and social media as they pertain to students and communities of color, Gabi has covered beauty, pop culture, news, and more... Read moreAssociate News Editor

KeywordslupitaLupita Nyong'otwistsfaux hawknatural hairblack beautyNewsHaircelebrity hair