Vanderpump Rules' Brittany Cartwright Wore a 34-Inch Pony to the People's Choice Awards: Go Behind the Scenes

Celebrity hairstylist Bradley Leake gives PEOPLE an inside look at how he created the Bravo star's major hair moment
By Colleen Kratofil and Andrea Lavinthal
November 11, 2019 03:00 PM
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The Glam Squad

Courtesy Bradley Leake

Celebrity hairstylist Bradley Leake and makeup artist Anais Cordova were the masterminds behind Brittany's glam look.

Leake tells PEOPLE that it wouldn't be a glam session with the star without her dog "Sissy" Monroe sitting in during the getting-ready process, and Friends playing in the background. (According to Brittany's Instagram story, she watched "The One With Joey's Award" before the People's Choice Awards red carpet.)

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Waves Ahead

Courtesy Bradley Leake

"We went for a natural wave which is a bit different than her typical beach or glam wave," says Leake. "I wanted the vibe to feel effortless yet fashion-forward so we added some major length using Hidden Crown Hair Clip In Extensions (color #612) to give her a major ponytail."

He achieved those natural waves by spraying generous amounts of Colorwow Dreamcoat Curly, a super light-weight styling spray that delivers shiny, defined "crunch-free" curls.

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Lots of Length

Courtesy Bradley Leake

Now time for some extensions!

Leake set the hairline using Basic B Beauty No Crease Clips to keep hair off the face and dent-free.

Then he parted the hair from behind the ear and pulled it back into an interior ponytail.

Next, he sprayed a boar bristle brush with R+Co Spray Oil and secured with a bungee and added texture using a GHD Curve Wand.

He created an interior braid and wrapped hair extensions around the braid for additional length. Then he pulled back the front sections of and secured them with a bungee elastic hair tie.

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Powerhouse Products

Courtesy Brittany Cartwright

He applied Leonor Greyl Éclat Naturel styling cream to add separation through ends, ColorWow Root Conceal Powder for the perfect hairline and Extra Shine Spray to polish the sides. Then locked everything in with R+Co Strong Hold Hairspray.

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The Pump'ed Up Pony!

Courtesy Bradley Leake

Leake made sure the hairstyle complemented Brittany's metallic House of Hadiyah gown.

"We like to base the glam around her wardrobe. Since this gown had such great shoulders and structure, I knew we wanted to do something clean and pulled off the face," Leake tells PEOPLE.

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Stylist to the Pump Rules Stars

Courtesy Bradley Leake

In addition to Brittany, Leake works closely with the cast of the hit Bravo show — and styled Ariana Madix...

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Stylist to the Pump Rules Stars Part 2

Courtesy Bradley Leake

... Kristen Doute ...

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Stylist to the Pump Rules Stars Part 3

Courtesy Bradley Leake

... and Lala Kent for the People's Choice Awards.

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Supportive Husband

Courtesy Bradley Leake

"Jax is usually in and out throughout the process," Leake says about Brittany's husband, Jax Taylor. "He lets us do our thing and take over. Typically he’s headed to the gym, working on the yard, or in the garage, but he will definitely let her know how pretty she looks if he comes in toward the end of our glam session."

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Red Carpet Ready

Courtesy Bradley Leake

"Brittany is a dream to work with not only for her gorgeous hair, but she’s truly the sweetest person on the inside and a true ray of sunshine," says Leake.

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By Colleen Kratofil and Andrea Lavinthal