Hair and make-up artist Florian Hurel reflects on creating a ‘challenging’ look for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: ‘Caused anxiety and stress’

In this interview, he opens up about his big Bollywood break, creative clashes, and his most challenging assignment—a look he created for Rai that caused “a lot of anxiety and stress.”

Q. Tell us about your journey from France to Bollywood

Florian Hurel: I moved to India about 11 years ago after working with some of the biggest hair brands in the world. My journey here began with a hair brand collaboration that led to my first shoot with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for L’Oréal. That kickstarted my career in India and introduced me to Bollywood.

Q. Do you remember your big Bollywood break?

Florian Hurel: My Bollywood break came with Shraddha Kapoor during the promotions for Half Girlfriend. We created hundreds of looks, with two, three, or even four daily changes. One of these looks went viral and was picked up widely by the media. That experience gained me thousands of followers every day while working with her, and it was a pivotal moment for me in Bollywood.

 

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Q: You’ve worked with all top leading ladies of Bollywood. Who do you enjoy collaborating with the most, and why?

Florian Hurel: Working with all of them is exciting because they are always on-point with their looks. They love creating looks, and their appearances set trends in the industry and are widely discussed in the media. So, it’s incredibly interesting to stay sharp and work closely and strongly with them.

Q. Considering everyone has personal preferences, who has been the hardest to work with or the most flexible?

Florian Hurel: No one is hard to work with—it’s more about understanding their preferences. Every actor has specific dos and don’ts, and as a professional, my job is to respect that while ensuring they look their best. The key is to align the look with the event, outfit, and their personality. Keeping that in mind, we can create the best looks and deliver the best results for them.

Q. Has any celebrity ever shared apprehensions about their skin tone?

Florian Hurel: No. Mostly, celebrities take good care of their skin and don’t have any complex about skin tone. I believe they all have worked on their skin and kept it super clean. So, I’ve never faced anyone saying their skin isn’t right. I’ve seen many of them icing and caring for their skin overnight.

Florian Hurel with Fatima Sana Shaikh. (Photo: PR handout)

Q. Who has the best skin in Bollywood? What, according to you, is the secret to a healthy glow?

Florian Hurel: They all have beautiful skin. But of course, Deepika Padukone is one of the healthiest and most accurate when it comes to her skincare routine with the brand she has under her name.

Q. The most challenging look you have ever created — and why do you call it so?

Florian Hurel: One of the most challenging looks I’ve created was for Aishwarya Rai during the promotions for Maleficent. She was the voice of the character and wanted a distinct, bold look. I styled a double hair bun for her, which was complex to execute and brought a lot of pressure. Given her stature and the spotlight on her appearance, it did cause a lot of anxiety and stress to get the look just right. But we pulled it off, and the look was shared widely on many platforms.

Q. Have you ever had to completely redo a look because a celebrity didn’t like it?

Florian Hurel: There have been times when I’ve created a look that wasn’t in sync with the client’s vision. And yes, I had to redo the look, but that’s no problem. I think this is something we encounter regularly—where we create a look, and if it doesn’t work, we go back and redo or adjust one part of the look to create a stronger look. So yes, this happens quite often.

 

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Q. What inspired you to open your salons in Mumbai, a city already brimming with beauty spaces?

Florian Hurel: Of course, there are hundreds of salons in the city, but nothing like our hair couture and spa. This is a house of beauty where we are not just focused on business but also on empowering the right people—hairstylists and beautician therapists — working closely with them, training them, and ensuring they become the best in the industry.

Q. A look you consider your personal best.

Florian Hurel: One of the best looks I’ve created was for Tamannaah Bhatia at the Cannes Festival. It was fun, elegant, and sharp, and I consider it one of my finest works.

Q. What’s the longest you’ve taken to create a look?

Florian Hurel: I usually don’t take too much time to create a look. However, the process can take time because it involves multiple departments, and together, these departments might take up to three hours. Special, character-based looks take longer, but red-carpet appearances take just 90 minutes.

Florian Hurel and Mira Kapoor for a shoot. (Photo: PR handout)

Q. What is the most prominent skin and hair care mistake Indians are guilty of?

Florian Hurel: One big mistake is leaving oil on the scalp or skin overnight. Since the scalp is skin, this can lead to breakouts and boils. I always advise against it.

Q. What happens when there’s a clash of ideas between your vision and the actor’s preferences?

Florian Hurel: Clashes of ideas are great—they’re necessary. We need to share and exchange ideas, even if they differ, to achieve the best results. So, I welcome a clash of ideas.

Q. You have also styled actors like Katrina and Nayanthara for their weddings. Tell us about that.

Florian Hurel: Both were incredible experiences. I’ve worked extensively with Katrina on films like Thugs of Hindostan and Zero, and contributed to parts of Jagga Jasoos and Tiger Zinda Hai. Her wedding look was all about subtle elegance. On the other hand, Nayanthara’s styling was for her brand collaborations, and it was equally fulfilling. Both have unique styles, and it’s always lovely working with them.