Alysa Liu x ESPY Awards: Look Breakdown

For the 2026 ESPY Awards, Anh Co Tran styled Alysa Liu’s hair into a soft, textured French knot that felt elegant yet effortlessly cool. The evening became even more memorable when Alysa took home the Best Breakthrough Athlete award!

Here’s a closer look at how Anh created her hairstyle, step by step.

Step 1: Prep the Hair

Starting with damp hair, Anh applied approximately two palm-sized amounts of Milbon&’s Monochromatic Froth Blowout Foam from roots to ends. This created a perfect foundation for styling with body, heat protection, and tamed flyaways. He followed the primer with Milbon’s Anti-Frizz Humidity Blocking Oil through her mid-lengths and ends for softness, shine, and frizz control.

Using a wide-tooth comb, Anh ensured both products were evenly distributed throughout the hair before beginning the blow-dry.

Step 2: Blow-Dry & Smooth

Anh used the L’Oréal Professionnel AirLight Pro on medium heat and medium airflow to rough dry Alysa’s hair until it was about 50% dry.

Next, Anh attached the smoothing nozzle, sectioned the hair, and worked from the bottom upward, smoothing the hair in the direction of the future updo. The AirLight Pro’s controlled heat helped smooth the hair efficiently, while maintaining natural shine without flattening or over-drying the hair.

Pro Tip: One of Anh’s biggest blow-dry tips is to avoid over-drying the hair, which can reduce body and movement in your style. Learn more of his blow-drying tips in Anh Explains: Why Your Blowout Falls Flat.

Step 3: Build Texture

To build the foundation for the updo, Anh sectioned the hair from the bottom up and created Lived In Waves throughout.

With the waves complete, he applied Milbon&’s Monochromatic Puff Finishing Paste directly at her roots. This built airy body, texture, and grip, creating the perfect base for pinning the updo.

Step 4: Create the French Knot

Anh then divided the hair into four soft sections before beginning the updo.

Working from the back toward the front, he gently twisted each section upward toward the crown, forming a relaxed French knot. He intentionally left the ends exposed to maintain an effortless, modern finish.

Step 5: Pin & Detail

Rather than pinning every strand into place, Anh selectively secured sections while allowing a few pieces to remain softly loose. This relaxed finish gave the hairstyle a signature Lived In aesthetic.

Step 6: The Finish

To complete the style, Anh blow dried Alysa’s bangs using the AirLight Pro. He established a center part and left her front side pieces out to maintain the soft French knot style.

For the finishing touches, he worked a small amount of Milbon&’s Monochromatic Velvet Texturizing Cream to the ends for definition and hydration. He followed this with Milbon’s Flex Memory Hairspray 7 to lock in the look with workable hold and movement. Finally, Anh finished her style with a light mist of Milbon’s Weightless Dry Texture Spray 4 for extra bounce and effortless texture.

The Results

The finished look balanced soft texture, natural movement, and an effortless French knot silhouette. By pairing polished details with intentionally undone texture, Anh created a timeless style that felt touchable and unmistakably Lived In. The style was a perfect complement to Alysa Liu’s elegant appearance and winning night at the ESPY Awards.

Hair: @anhcotran
Makeup: @emilychengmakeup
Nails: @makinaill
Styling: @nicolasghesquiere, @katieqian
Photos: @offthecheng, @allure

For more styling tips, red carpet look breakdowns, and hair inspiration, follow @anhcotran on Instagram.