HJ REPORTS: EUROVISION 2023 WITH MOROCCANOIL

Official Eurovision Presenting Partner Moroccanoil hosted HJ in Liverpool to experience the Eurovision madness – and to celebrate their professional colour range

Final touches for the Australian act

With Moroccanoil Professional hair colour rolling out across Europe, the Moroccanoil team was in a mood to celebrate at this year’s Eurovision. Moroccanoil styled the hair of Eurovision contestants and delegates both during and in the run up to the final of the music contest on Saturday 13 May, with a team of 28 stylists who worked tirelessly backstage and in the press area.

Responsible for some of this year’s iconic looks, (personally HJ loved Finnish act Käärijä’s bowl cut), we spoke exclusively to Kevin Hughes, International Artistic Director for Moroccanoil. He explained the role of the stylists and the Moroccanoil ‘Styling Bubble’ – adedicated, home-from-home styling area for the performers, delegates and Eurovision workers.

The Styling Bubble

Kevin said: “Our main job is to make the performers feel comfortable and confident. That’s always the key when working on a live show. We have 28 stylists from a whole host of different countries, so all the performers have someone in the Moroccanoil team who can speak their native language.”

When HJ asked what the secret was to working with live performers and musicians, Kevin revealed, “The trick to keeping performers calm, is to be calm yourself.” He continued: “We actually have a Look Book with each artist’s finished look in it. Antonio [Corral Calero, the Moroccanoil Global Creative Director] and three lead stylists worked with the acts three weeks before the finals to finalise the looks.

The Look Book is our bible, but we have to be adaptable too. For example, the Czechia band Vesna have waist-length braids that contain synthetic hair. Over the past weeks the hair underwent many transformations, sometimes we add a little more, sometimes we take away, but every night we pack it all away carefully ready for the next performance. So much can happen in rehearsals, and they might decide to change their hair based on their dance routines or staging. We’re here for the performers when they come off stage too.”

The Eurovision Stage

The Colour Party

Famed Liverpool salon Collinge & Co hosted an exclusive press event, which included guests from across Europe and Moroccanoil Brand Ambassador Georgia Toffolo, to hero the colour range.

Moroccanoil Professional Colour in real life

The evening saw Robert Ham, the Vice President of Global Education for Moroccanoil explain the formulation, followed by presentations of three models one of which was styled by Global Ambassador Gareth Williams. “The star ingredient in the Moroccanoil Professional Colour range is ProArginine, a type of Amino Acid naturally found throughout the existing structure of the hair fibre,” explained Robert. “The focus of the professional colour range, in line with the Moroccanoil ethos, is care and protection.”

As well as the Color Rhapsody Permanent Cream Color range (which contains 68 shades), there is also a High Lift Permanent Cream Color (5 shades), Color Calypso, a demi-permanent cream colour range with 47 shades, an Oxidative Cream Developer, Color Infusion Pure Color Mixers and Blonde Voyage Powder Lightener & Clay Lightener.

Moroccanoil Professional Colour

Despite the UK act Mae Muller placing second to last, Eurovision 2023 was a sequin-filled spectacle that did not disappoint. It was great to see Moroccanoil Professional Colour taking centre stage and the stylists working collaboratively and creatively to support the teams that work so hard on Eurovision.