Kelsea Ballerini’s 'Patterns' Tour Glam Hides a Nod to Her New Album
'Marie Claire' got an exclusive look backstage with makeup artist and hairstylist Kelsey Deenihan.
If you were lucky enough to secure tickets to Kelsea Ballerini’s sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Oct. 29, you’d likely also memorized every word to Patterns—within four days of its release last week. I personally treated the evening like a cathartic sing-a-long to Ballerini’s fifth studio album, which the artist describes as a "brutal look into myself and the people I love most."
Surveying the crowd, every attendee was clad in fringe and cowboy boots or studs and glitter. The occasional concert-goer wore merch for Ballerini's hits like "Cowboys Cry Too" or DIY tributes to "Rolling Up the Welcome Mat." But my main takeaway was that roughly one in five of the 19,000 attendees—across hair textures and colors—sought to recreate Ballerini’s go-to tousled beach waves.
With that all in mind, it wasn’t a surprise when the CMT Award Winner appeared on stage (sitting atop a monster pile of luggage) with that exact hairstyle, which was just as much a signature as a nod to her song lyrics. “The texture and style aims to evoke the emotions tied to her music and the duality of her being pulled between sandy beaches of South Carolina and New York,” Ballerini’s long-time hairstylist and makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan exclusively tells Marie Claire.
To execute a look that balanced the desired level of movement with enough hold to withstand jumping and running around on stage (Ballerini keeps things active), Deenihan “focused on using products that could withstand the energy or live shows.” The key, she says, was the Pantene Pro-V Volume and Body Mousse to maximize lift, a one-inch curling iron for soft, textured waves, and a light spray of the Pantene Pro-V Flexible Hold Alcohol-Free Hairspray for a tousled finish.
Ballerini’s makeup took a similarly “fresh and relatable” approach, with an impeccably long-lasting glitter eye. (Seriously: I stared at her for an hour and a half and did not witness one crease or speck of fallout.) The product responsible is only $11.99.
"We didn’t want the glam to be dark and heavy, but rather warm neutrals that radiated and sparkled from the stage. I used the Clean Color Eye Shadow Sticks in shades Icy Frost, Sunrise Beam, Gold Dusk, Rose Copper, Dreamy Pink, and Golden Toffee," Deenihan shares.
To shop Ballerini’s Patterns tour look, and scoop up some extra beauty tips from Deenihan, keep scrolling.
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"I applied evenly throughout the damp hair, concentrating on the roots to maximize lift," says Deenihan. "I love working with this mousse because it is a non-sticky formula that helps lock in body, not stiffness, for touchable movement with volume."
"These high impact, shimmery colors last all day, and for our case, all night performing on stage. The ultra creamy round tip glides effortlessly for the easiest application and blends flawlessly for a shimmer that sparkles under the stage lights," Deenihan says.
"I lightly misted the hair to lock in volume and shape," she says. "The best thing about this hairspray is that it keeps your hair in place, even in high humidity, without a stiff, crunchy, or sticky finish, leaving it weightless, bouncy, and always brushable."
Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.
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