E!/Jenna WilliamsIf you're into Oscars hair predictions, we've got something better than a crystal ball.
We went behind the scenes with celebrity hairdressers and E! Style Collective members Marc Mena and Nikki Lee at their Pantene shoot to get the inside scoop.
The pair couldn't disagree more on what hair trends will take the night. These two are Hollywood hair heavyweights with lead actress Oscar winners under both of their belts. Marc has worked with Hilary Swank, and Nikki has styled Charlize Theron, so it can really be anyone's match.
Marc Mena is no stranger to working with red carpet-worthy clientele. His hair creations have also been seen on actresses like Olivia Munn, Mary-Louise Parker and Tina Fey, to name just a few. So far, he has been spot on with his hair trend predictions this award season, and he's pretty confident that his winning streak isn't going to end with the Oscars.
He believes that we will be seeing a lot of "playful, tousled hair" on the big night. His ultimate pick is a messy undone braid because it's "edgy, but you can wear it to any big event," he said.
The hairstylist demonstrated his red carpet trend prediction by showing us a few easy steps to create the effortless tousled look.
After giving the hair a volume-boosting blow-out, the stylist simply back-combed or teased the hair at its roots before spraying in some dry shampoo.
He then grazed his hands over the sides of the hair to pull it back into a loose braid. The model looked like she was ready for both her red carpet debut or a night on the town.
In contrast, Nikki is the co-owner of Hollywood's hair haven, Nine Zero One salon in Los Angeles. It's known to many celebrities as the go-to spot for cuts, color and extensions. You definitely should not be surprised to see stars like Charlize Theron, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato or Britney Spears marked down in her appointment book.
Nikki's expectations for the Oscars red carpet couldn't be more different.
The hairstylist to the stars is expecting to see more modern spins on old Hollywood glam.
"A trend I'm really loving is sleek, polished looks—very clean and elegant," she said.
Given what we have been seeing on the red carpet up to this point, she might be right.
Nikki's look was a smooth contrast to the controlled chaos of Marc's model.
To show us her glamorous prediction, Nikki did a deep side-part on her model and kept the hair close to the scalp. Using a large-barreled curling wand, the hair maven opted for soft bends at the ends of the hair instead of curls for an updated version of the classic Hollywood look.
To top off the trend, Miss Lee misted on hairspray for a versatile yet brushable finish.
Though the pair disagreed on what the reigning trend of Oscars night will be, the vibe on set was super playful. When asked what he thought of working with Nikki, Marc compared them to another fun loving duo.
"We are the Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos of the E! Style Collective," he said jokingly.
We couldn't agree more, but as who's right about the hair, we'll just have to tune in to E! Live From the Red Carpet to see which hair trends will dominate Oscars night!