Kate Mara's Waterfall Braid

InStyle: The Sexiest Holiday Hairstyles

At first glance, Kate Mara's side-swept curls look simple, but intricate details like her low bun and thin plait added a feminine touch. "We wanted her hair to feel young, romantic, and airy," said her hairstylist, Christopher Naselli, who used Oribe's Foundation Mist ($22; oribe.com) to give the updo staying power. He added texture with a curling iron, then start braiding a piece along the right side of Mara's head, stopping at her neck. Naselli pulled a section of hair to the left side, and twisted it into a low bun.

(CREDIT: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

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Kate Hudson's Bo...

Is it just us, or does Kate Hudson's look have a slight floral vibe? Babaii channeled the beauty of Italy to create the star's breezy, yet polished, style. Rather than juggling multiple tools, he used his fingers as a comb so he didn't disturb the natural texture of Hudson's hair.

(CREDIT: David Fisher/Rex Features/ZUMA; Dominique Charriau/WireImage)

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Zoe Saldana's Un...

Despite its effortless texture, Zoe Saldana's low ponytail maintains a dressed-up appearance, and even gets a touch of retro glamour with the added volume at her crown. Her hairstylist, Mara Roszak, used John Frieda's Frizz-Ease Mousse ($5; drugstore.com) on Saldana's damp strands, then rough-dried them to add movement. "To create the perfect natural wavy texture, I loosely braided her hair and let it dry," Roszak said. "I took out the braids, and misted a hairspray all over her head to add extra volume and texture." The Bardot-esque height was made by gentle backcombing at Saldana's crown. Taking sections from either side of the star's head, Roszak overlapped pieces of hair down the back until she formed a low ponytail shape, then fastened the style with hair pins. And remember—the tousled appearance is part of the appeal. "Allow pieces of hair around the face to naturally fall out for a soft, feminine look," Roszak added.

(CREDIT: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Padma Lakshmi's ...

Va-va-voom! Not only did Padma Lakshmi's strands stay full and bouncy throughout the duration of the 2012 Emmy Awards, the style also had some animated inspiration. "The look is a modern-day Jessica Rabbit-influenced wave," said Lakshmi's hairstylist, Michael Duenas. He used OSiS Ultra-Strong Cream Mousse ($19; drugstore.com) on dry hair to give the style hold, before blowing out horizontal areas. Duenas then wrapped one-inch sections around a curling iron, directing the spirals away from Lakshmi's face. After adding extra ringlets throughout the style, he misted hair with a flexible hold hairspray. Duenas finished by spritzing OSiS Freeze Finish Hairspray ($19; drugstore.com) onto a boar-bristle brush, and combed out each curl to impart a soft wave. "It's sexy, understated, and ultra-feminine."

(CREDIT: Joseph Gotfriedy/Broadimage)

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Heidi Klum's Buo...

One part Farrah Fawcett, one part haute couture, Heidi Klum's bouncy waves at the 2012 Emmy Awards make a statement without appearing overdone. "This look is new for Heidi because it is so soft and sexy," said celebrity hairstylist Oribe, who created the style. "I was inspired by French fashion photographer Guy Bourdin, whose models always looked so glamorous." Oribe blow-dried Klum's hair using Volumista Mist ($34; oribe.com) to create body, then used a curling iron to add pin curls. Once the spirals were completely cool, he brushed through the style and misted on Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray ($38; oribe.com) to lock out the elements.

(CREDIT: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Mindy Kaling's T...

Although she keeps us laughing on "The Mindy Project," a loose, wavy style like Mindy Kaling's is guaranteed to bring serious glamour. Her hairstylist, Luke Chamberlain, drew inspiration from Bianca Jagger to play off of the '70s feel of the star's gown. He used Matrix Biolage Volumizing Mousse ($16; matrix.com for locations) to bring out Kaling's natural wave, then wrapped small sections of hair in a figure-eight pattern around a curling iron. While her strands were still warm, he placed them in one-inch velcro rollers to set. Once cool, Chamberlain used a brush to loosen the curls and spritzed on Matrix Amplify Hairspray ($15; matrix.com for locations) to finish.

(CREDIT: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

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Kate Mara's Wate...

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Florence Welch's...

Who says your neckline should have all the fun? While hair jewelry can be a risk, the simple gold chain Florence Welch added to her updo hit all the right notes. Welch's hairstylist, Nikki Providence, used Davines Defining Texturizer ($18; drugstore.com) to make the star's hair less slippery—a must if you opt for a braided style. She divided Welch's strands into two sections, and began twisting a braid on each side, right above the ear. Providence wrapped each plait across the top of the singer's head, and secured with hair pins before adding the final gilded touch.

(CREDIT: Karen Curley/ZUMAPRESS)

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Rose Byrne's Bea...

There may be a chill in the air, but Rose Byrne's beachy waves get a dressed-up appearance thanks to the lack of frizz. Her hairstylist, Harry Josh, applied John Frieda Mousse ($5; drugstore.com) to damp strands, and after drying her hair, he loosely wound pieces around a curling iron to further define the style. "Curl the hair away from your face—from roots to ends. Then, break up the ringlets by running your fingers through them," he advised.

(CREDIT: Justin Campbell/Startraksphotos)

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Jennifer Lawrenc...

Lawrence's hairstylist, David Babaii, wanted to create a "high fashionista look" for the star, and judging by the graphic part and high-shine finish, we think he succeeded! The key to an ultra-sleek style that won't quit is to create a good foundation. Babaii used a few drops of IT and LY's Pure Water Drops ($30; sleekhair.com) on Lawrence's hair before blowing it completely straight with a round brush. Be sure to work in sections so you can make each area as smooth as possible. After parting hair to the side, Babaii locked in the straight texture by giving the style a quick pass with a flat iron.

(CREDIT: Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)

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Sarah Hyland's C...

It's not just for prom anymore! While updos similar to Hyland's are usually accompanied by a corsage and a photo session, the low-key texture and subtle flyaways made the style modern. Plus, it's a great option for second day strands—Hyland's hairstylist, John Ruggiero, even advised her not to lather up. He prepped her strands with Bumble and Bumble's Classic Hairspray ($23; bumbleandbumble.com) before forming corkscrew curls. Then, he twisted her hair into a low bun. Two sections behind Hyland's ears were braided and pinned into the updo to give off a Grecian vibe.

(CREDIT: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Kat Dennings's C...

She may be the star of Two Broke Girls, but Kat Dennings's gorgeous curls and subtle Jennifer Behr accessory look like a million bucks. Roszak added movement using Rene Furterer's Volumea Foam ($23; renefurtererusa.com for locations), then hit Dennings's strands with a one-inch curling iron to form feather-weight ringlets. Gentle teasing at the crown gave the style height, and after sliding the luxe headband into place, Roszak finished with a veil of hairspray.

(CREDIT: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Landov)

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Olivia Munn's Sw...

"We were going for a low, Spanish style bun—something effortless and chic, but that looked like she could have done herself," said Olivia Munn's hairstylist, Kristen Shaw, and luckily, Munn's coiff is easy enough to recreate. Shaw gave the star's hair a subtle wave with Oribe's Maximista Thickening Spray ($26; oribe.com), then used a curling iron to further define her strands. A dollop of Creme for Style ($34; oribe.com) was raked through Munn's mid-lengths and ends, then Shaw began loosely pinning one-inch pieces into the shape of a bun, allowing her soft, loose layers to frame her face.

(CREDIT: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images; Adriana M. Barraza/WENN)

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