ICYMI, Maude Apatow is the May cover star of Who What Wear, and I’m going to take a glam look at the hair and makeup details behind each of her gorgeous looks. According to makeup artist alexandra frenchThe aesthetic was meant to be “ethereal, intelligent and quietly sensual”. Soft skin and hair, subtle structure, and enough definition to hold up against the styling and photography (without overpowering Maude), that was the goal. Below, French and Apatow’s hair stylists rena calhoun Tell me about their process, essential products, and favorite moments from the day of the shoot. Keep scrolling!
According to Calhoun, the inspiration for Apatow’s various hair looks was a true product of the team’s collaboration. “With each look, we took a moment to connect with what felt right in that specific context, allowing things to naturally unfold,” she shares. “It was about moving forward together in a shared spirit of creativity.”
“Collaborating on set is always one of my favorite parts of the process,” French agrees. “With a shoot like this, everything has to feel cohesive, so, from the beginning, there was a constant dialogue between hair, styling, nails and makeup – the goal is to work together to create the same emotional tone and visual language, rather than isolated standout moments that feel isolated.”
Since the style struck a beautiful balance between softness and graphic structure, French wanted to replicate this in the makeup by adding subtle sculptural elements around the eyes and cheeks while keeping the skin soft. “Rena and I didn’t want anything to feel too ‘done’,” she explains. “Every adjustment was made with lighting and photography in mind.”
Artistic restraint was also important. “Sometimes the most impressive beauty comes from knowing when to stop adding,” she tells me. “Maude naturally brings so much atmosphere and emotion to an image, so the makeup was really about supporting her rather than competing with that energy.” If the final images seem timeless, soft and a little dream-like, according to French, that was exactly the intention.
On shooting days, especially when she’s creating multiple looks as she did here with Apatow, Calhoun likes to keep the product use light so the hair stays flexible throughout the day and is easy to change. “It’s all about maintaining momentum and being able to move faster without building up,” she explains. but that’s a product does It always starts with Virtue Labs Create a Style-Setting Hair Volumizing Primer ($40), which she applies to her clients’ wet hair. “It gives me the perfect base; it’s lightweight, workable, and has enough memory to support the composition of whatever direction the shoot takes us.”
In addition to Virtu Labs Volumizing Primer (the “loft” of each look), Calhoun also recommends Oribe Superfine Strong Hold Hairspray ($46), which she calls “the best hair spray” because of its incredible versatility and strong, yet feather-light hold. If she’s trying to inject a shot of quick texture into a look, she’ll reach for Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion Sea Salt Spray ($36). “A good salt spray works on multiple textures to give the hair a lived-in feel – it helps negate that freshly ironed or styled look I sometimes want to avoid.”
For this shoot, French told me she wanted the makeup to feel cinematic and emotionally restrained — polished but still intimate and human. “Maude has such delicate, expressive features, so this process was really about enhancing what’s already there rather than changing it.” Vintage fashion editorials also served as inspiration. “Think of that dreamy, slightly surreal feeling when looking at soft analog photography and old magazine campaigns,” she explains. “One image felt very worldly and romantic, while the other felt more graphic and experimental with color and lighting. The makeup had to sit beautifully in both worlds.”
It’s not surprising that skin preparation was a big part of French’s process as she wanted to ensure that Apatow’s skin looked hydrated, vibrant, and almost light-reflecting without looking overly shiny. As for makeup, she kept the actress’ complexion extremely clear by using a light skin tint mixed with moisturizer, which she applied to the skin with a damp sponge and small buffing brush. To keep the skin dimensional and natural, concealer was applied only where it was needed, mostly around the center of the face. “I gently set only the areas that needed longer coverage, while allowing the high points of the face to maintain their natural glow,” she says.
For Apatow’s eyes, French started minimal with some fun, spike-y lashes to get a ’60s-inspired look and transitioned into a more dramatic smokey-eye vibe later in the day. “My favorite features to emphasize on Maud are definitely her eyes and bone structure. She has an incredible ability to convey emotion very subtly, so I never want makeup to distract from that.”
“For the lips, I used a neutral pink tone by pressing it into the lips with my fingers instead of applying it directly from the tube,” shares French. “This created a softer, more vibrant effect – the overall application process was very layered and diffused, with most of the product pressed into the skin rather than heavy brushing.”
