For Barbara Palvin, a Timeless Approach to Beauty Is Key

It’s hard to pick a favorite detail from Barbara Palvin’s wedding to Dylan Sprouse. There was the rural Hungarian setting, the Vivienne Westwood dress for the ceremony, and the custom Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini piece she changed into for the reception. Perhaps you ogled over the Tiffany & Co. choker the model wore, or the bow that adorned her hair and matched the back of her tea-length second dress. Despite all these sumptuous things, Palvin and Sprouse’s July 2023 wedding served as a sort of low-key alternative to the bonanza that was Sofia Richie Grainge’s Chanel-adorned nuptials three months earlier. Palvin’s big day seemed to fit her sweet, laid-back personality perfectly. She reminisced on the event over Zoom with W—her little French bulldog, Piggy, in her lap while she recalled how she worked with her hairstylist, Owen Gould, and Bumble and bumble to make her bridal hair dreams come true. Below, the model discusses the inspiration for her wedding glam, her favorite hair products, and the birthday gift from Sprouse that went awry.

You worked with Bumble and bumble to achieve your wedding hair. How did that relationship with the brand come about?

Bumble products have always been around me, ever since I started modeling, and it was always the best-smelling stuff. I used Bumble for the first time when I was 16, when beach waves were really trendy; I used their sea salt spray all the time. That’s how I fell in love with it. When I started working with Owen [Gould], my hairstylist, he showed me the best Bumble products. For the wedding, we wanted to do a little collaboration where we used my favorite products to create my dream hair.

What are some of your favorite products?

I love the Invisible Oil because it protects my hair and makes it look all shiny and soft. For day-to-day use, I love the Dryspun Texture Spray. It gives me good volume—and makes it seem like I washed my hair [laughs].

You seem to favor a more natural look when it comes to styling your hair.

For day-to-day life, definitely. If I was like Owen, I would do my hair every day. But I’m not that good, and I’m too lazy. But this way, I don’t damage my hair too much.

What were the discussions like ahead of your wedding when it came to your hair styling?

[Owen and I] both agreed that the keyword was “timeless.” If I look at the pictures in 50 years with Dylan, I don’t want to laugh. And I think that worked out well. I wanted to keep [my hair] classy and out of my face.

I loved the addition of the bow as well.

We had the little bow in the dress, and we were like, “We have to bring that back somewhere.” So we put it in the hair. It was my favorite part of the look.

What about the makeup? Were you going for a timeless look there as well?

Exactly. I didn’t want to hide my features. I wanted to bring them out and highlight the better parts of my face, focusing on the eyes, adding a very natural lip. I wanted Dylan to look at me and see me, not a doll. I wanted him to just marry Barbara, the one he knows.

Onto the Beauty Notes questions. What is your morning routine?

It’s very simple. I wake up because of this guy in my lap [lifts up Piggy]. I wash my face with cold water to help me wake up and also tighten my skin, and I moisturize. When I’m not working, I don’t put on any makeup—to let my skin breathe. Otherwise, I use the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation because it’s hydrating, not too thick, and it just gives me that natural glow. I contour to get a shape, then, I get a coffee and I sit outside with my puppies for an hour.

As you mentioned, you’ve had a lot of experience using different hair and makeup products as a model. What is one beauty or hair secret you’ve learned from your time in the chair?

I learned everything from the industry because I started when I was 13—[at that time,] I didn’t know anything. The best trick I learned was how to use a straightening iron to curl your hair. I thought that was so cool, and I taught all my friends when I was 16. Now, everybody knows how to do it and it’s in all the videos on Instagram and TikTok. But 14 years ago, I was like, “Well, look at me!” [laughs].

How has your definition of beauty changed over the past 15 or so years?

I don’t think it has changed much, and I don’t think it will. I’ve tried to follow the trends, but then I always end up keeping it natural. Of course, when I’m working, it’s a different story—because I always like to make a statement. We never repeat looks that are similar. For example, if I go to the Venice Film Festival and we have four looks, we make sure none of them are the same.

My mom always taught me to be natural and let my inner beauty shine through. So I don’t think I’m ever going to wear thick makeup in my day-to-day.

Is there a recent look you’ve sported that you found particularly memorable?

I loved the makeup look we did for the Mugler show in Paris. And I loved the hair we did for Vivienne Westwood: the really long and wavy, fairy-like style.

Do you have a beauty icon?

For events, we like to go back to the Nineties supermodel’s looks [for inspiration]. But I don’t think I have one specific person in mind.

What’s your nighttime routine?

I make sure I remove my makeup before I go to bed. That’s very important. And then I moisturize with a nighttime cream. It’s very simple. I don’t do a lot.

The thing is, I can’t even do a facial because my skin is so sensitive. I’ll break out. Dylan got me a facial as a gift for my birthday, and it was so nice and relaxing. But three days later, my whole skin around my nose was super dry—and it was burning! So yeah, I can’t do that.