It’s official: figure skater Alysa Liu is the first American to win the gold medal in the women’s figure skating event for the first time in 24 years—and she did so while being the most authentic version of herself. The athlete originally announced her retirement at 16, but wanted to return on her own terms—complete with a frenulum piercing and her signature halo hair.
“My hair has so much meaning,” Alysa exclusively told Cosmo ahead of the Olympics. “I started doing halos on my hair two years ago. I do one for every year because I like to think of myself as a tree. You know how they have a new ring? It counts their age!”
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Alysa has had no problem breaking the mold of the sport’s traditional tight buns and slicked-back styles. “I made a deal with my coaches: no one tells me how my hair is gonna be, and no one’s gonna try to change me,” she said upon her return to the ice. “If [judges and higher-ups] tell me to dye my hair back, I will quit. If I change my hair, it’s gonna be because I wanted to.”
Lucky for us, she not only kept her golden streaks, but also brought home a gold medal while rocking them (in a gold dress, no less). If Alysa’s performance and hair look have you inspired, here’s everything you need to know about the halo hair trend. I spoke with hairstylists Kelsey Miller (the colorist Alysa went to ahead of the Olympics) and Vale Landro for their tips on how to achieve halo hair, plus pulled all the salon-ready inspiration you need.
What is the halo hair trend?
The halo hair trend is an angelic-looking technique that places a lighter color at the top of the head, creating a halo-like effect that adds dimension and brightness. In Alysa Liu’s case, her halos are a milky blonde tone, painted over her naturally darker base, and multiple rings cascade down through her brunette strands.
“Her halo sits on the top of her head, the way a crown would look being placed on someone’s head,” says Miller. Which is very fitting for her champion status. “You could move the placement around or angle it differently, but we liked it right on top. Her style is so alternative and rock star vibes, so the dramatic high contrast just makes it so bold and unique.”
How to achieve halo hair
“The key step in halo hair is the placement,” says Landro. “This design is all about creating a circular shape around the top of the head that gives that soft ‘halo’ effect, sometimes even resembling a ring of sunlight hitting the hair.” For a halo that really pops, you’ll want to start with brunette or black hair and go lighter blonde throughout. This contrast is what allows the halo to appear radiant and multidimensional, giving the illusion that the hair is catching the light naturally.
There’s no single technical way to create the halos themselves—Miller went for a freehand approach when elevating the existing stripes that Alysa DIY’d herself. “I just painted directly onto her hair without any foils, this is what worked for me because I’m a visual person,” says Miller. “It helped me break it down piece by piece and actually see the halo effects throughout each section in her hair as I was going.” You want to paint on every single layer across the hair and throughout the head, not just on top. “So, even if the hair moves, the design remains visible,” says Landro.
Miller explains that the process took about five hours to create the three signature stripes that define Alysa’s halo. If you’re doing just one classic halo at the crown, “the length of the entire process depends on the hair texture and color, but entire process can be achieved in a few hours,” assures Landro.
What makes halo hair different from traditional highlights or balayage?
“Halo hair is a completely different concept from balayage or traditional highlights because it focuses on a very specific area,” says Landro. “While traditional highlights are distributed throughout the entire head to create a more blended and natural look, halo hair creates a more defined shape and a more eye-catching result.”
Halo hair inspiration
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Meet the ExpertsKelsey Miller is a St. Louis-based hairstylist who specializes in color and extensions. She painted and defined Alysa Liu’s iconic halos ahead of the Olympics.Vale Landro is a professional hairstylist who specializes in hair coloring, hair art, balyage, and more.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
