Golden Globes Exclusive: Marc Mena Talks New GL Tapes – Extensions

For the Golden Globes, celebrity hairstylist Marc Mena styled the first openly trans star to be recognized in the category of Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Musical or Comedy, Karla Sofía Gascón, using Great Lengths NEW Essenza and Aria Tape-In Extensions. 

These new GL Tapes variants offer a lightweight, comfortable alternative for clients who desire length, volume and texture without compromising hair health. Crafted from 100% ethically sourced human hair, the extensions feature an ultra-thin, durable adhesive strip that blends effortlessly with natural hair, ensuring a virtually invisible and long-lasting application. They have tapered ends and a natural density for an effortless look and feel, and are available in several colors and lengths.

“The new tapes make it easy, especially with limited time, to create a look that has the density where we want it,” Mena explains. “We only had to do very little blending.”

See Marc Mena’s breakdown for Gascón’s style below:

BREAKDOWN

1. To complement Gascón’s custom one-shoulder Saint Laurent dress, Mena started off by drying her hair from root to end with a large round ceramic brush.
2. Next, Mena carefully sectioned her hair and applied the NEW Great Lengths Essenza and Aria Tape-In Extensions in brunette colors 03 and 06 to create contrast, body and fullness throughout the hair.
3. Once the extensions were securely in place, Mena misted the ends with a touch of water before re-blowing the hair. This step seamlessly blended the extensions with Gascon’s natural hair for an effortlessly cohesive look.
4. To create long-lasting volume and movement, Mena sectioned Gascón’s hair and styled it with a large curling iron, applying a light mist of setting spray to ensure hold and bounce creating a natural, glamorous texture.
5. For the finishing touch, Mena created a sleek center part and tucked the hair back, allowing her shoulders and neckline to shine, followed by a light finishing spray to finish off the style.

As for his biggest tips for working on red carpet clients, Mena emphasizes that if you find a time-saving technique, product or tool that you feel comfortable with, you should use it.

“It also helps to find a style that you are both on board with beforehand,” he adds. “You’re not just working with that one person; you’re working with esthetics, makeup artists, craft services, a whole team. If something’s off, it can throw off the whole group. With the time constraints, it’s important for you to get on the same page.”

And finally, forming a good relationship with your client is paramount. “As hairstylists, we’re often their biggest security blanket because we spend so much time with them, and our hands are on them,” he explains.” It’s a very special bond.”

Mena created Gascón’s sleek look with effortless glamor in mind while showing passion and pride for being at the side of the actress for her history-making moment. He credits Great Lengths for always supporting him in styling stars from marginalized groups like Gascón, who are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve for their craft.

“For me, this is such a big, big thing because I’m a Hispanic gay man,” Mena shares. “To see someone like Karla be nominated, it’s bigger than me, it’s bigger than her, and it’s such a great message. Great Lengths stands for something bigger than just hair. It’s all come full circle, and I’m so honored to be supported by them.”

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.