Meg Ryan's Hairstylist Breaks Down Her Iconic Hair, Then and Now (Exclusive)

Hairstylist Sally Hershberger, who has worked with Ryan since the '90s, tells PEOPLE how to get her iconic look

Fans of Meg Ryan’s iconic ‘90s haircut — lovingly known as “The Meg” — rejoiced when Ryan embraced her textured bob during her latest press tour this fall.

The actress appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers at the end of October, and fans quickly noticed that the actress' new hairstyle seemed to call back to her famous '90s hair. Ryan’s hairstylist Sally Hershberger tells PEOPLE she didn’t expect Ryan’s new look to bring back so much nostalgia for “The Meg.”

“I completely forgot about how big of a deal her hair was,” Hersberger says. “It wasn’t premeditated.”

But don’t think it’s a recreation of her ‘90s 'do. Hershberger says that the "effortless" hairstyle is unique to Ryan’s 2023 look. Hershberger breaks down the technique for PEOPLE, so fans of the iconic style can recreate the look.

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The secret to Ryan’s tousled hair is Hershberger’s 24K Supreme Body Volumizing Mousse and pin curls. Hershberger first wraps pieces of the hair with mousse in hand, lets them set in pin curls and gives some texture with a good scrunch, using her haircare line’s texturizing balm. The final touch comes from adding the brand's texturizing paste to areas that call for a little extra texture.

“The Meg” was born on the set of French Kiss in 1995, when Hershberger set out to create a disheveled look for Ryan’s character. Ryan’s tousled style in the film quickly gained popularity, as Hershberger says women resonated with the undone style.

“I go to the airports and see a million Meg ladies walking around,” Hershberger says. “So many women.”

Since the hairstylist met Ryan on a photo shoot for Harper’s Bazaar in the early ‘90s, the two have consistently teamed up for movies and traveled the world together. Hershberger says Ryan is someone who just “loves to laugh and have fun.”

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A far cry from those of us who sometimes stress in the salon chair, Hershberger says Ryan is pretty laid-back when it comes to changing up her look.

“She’s so into the script and into working when you’re on a set with her. She’s not like, ‘Oh, I love my hair!’ She sometimes goes, ‘Oh, my hair looks amazing. Great.’” 

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