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"Hair is such a big way of expressing yourself, especially on the stage," says the man behind Jennifer Lopez's epic Super Bowl waves, stylist Chris Appleton. "What it does as you perform can really help tell a story." That story—the one that was broadcast to millions tonight from Miami as the singer took the stage at the 2020 halftime show—was the result of a week of trial and error as the pair narrowed down the winning style.
"We had some fun trying different looks," says the pro, who's been in South Florida all week getting ready with Lopez. While Appleton normally preps the superstar's hair for a two-hour performance—taking sweat, wind machines and daring head flips into consideration—tonight there was an extra layer of complication: humidity. "Miami is the worst place for hair," Appleton jokes of the city's consistent high humidity and heat index. "As effortless as it looks, it's a lot of planning to make sure the hair moves right in those six crucial minutes."
After testing out a few signature "J.Lo" styles (i.e. the Barbie half-up and the slicked high ponytail) the duo decided on a set of volumized waist-grazing curls, which are set with Appleton's two-prong method. "It's all in the curling of the hair," he says. "[First,] I curl the hair with a one-inch small iron to get a really strong foundation. Then, I brush it out and go back in with a larger two-inch curling iron." The stylist strives for a "bounce," he says. "As she moves, the hair moves, it has to be simultaneous." To achieve a dynamic shape, he places clips at the root, then hits the whole head with cool air from a blow dryer to set it in place.
To prevent Miami's humidity from getting the best of Lopez's lengths, Appleton prepped with his trusty Color wow Dream Coat—a hardworking serum that "puts a protective waterproof layer on top of the hair." However, no method is completely foolproof: "It helps, but when she performs, she performs like an athlete, every hair flip, every move, she is full out."
Appleton finished off the curls backstage at the Hard Rock Stadium with a shine spray to ensure the lengths looked silky from every camera angle. "People expect a look," he explains. "This is the Super Bowl, go big or go home!"