Inside the simple hairstyling kit Laini Reeves brought with her to create Emily Blunt's Met Gala bun

• Emily Blunt attended the 2023 Met Gala on Monday night in a custom Michael Kors ensemble.
• She also wore a laid-back bun created by her longtime hairstylist Laini Reeves.
• Ahead of the event, Reeves walked Insider through her go-to products and minimalist kit.

Imagine traveling to New York City to style a celebrity's hair for the biggest fashion event of the year. What would you bring?

For Laini Reeves, the answer to that question is simple: as little as possible.

Insider caught up with the hairstylist, who created Emily Blunt's laid-back Met Gala bun this year, hours before the event. She said she's known for showing up to hairstyling sessions with "only a comb and a hairspray," and she took that same approach to this year's Met Gala.

Reeves walked us through her minimalist hairstyling kit, the go-to items she reaches for, and explained why she doesn't go overboard when packing hair products.

What celebrity hairstylist Laini Reeves brought with her to NYC

"For me, it's about having just enough stuff to get myself through the actual day," Reeves told Insider. "I don't take a lot of stuff with me. I keep it very minimal because I don't like carrying everything. There's no need."

Using Monday's Met Gala as an example, the hairstylist explained that she knew she'd be doing a textured updo on Emily Blunt, so she only brought items necessary to create that type of look.

"Everything's in clear bags so I can just grab it when I need it," she said. "I've got all different types of pins and ties and stuff like that in there. My other see-through bags have combs, brushes, and different types of products in there."

Specifically, those products include tools like round hair brushes and a selection of items from John Frieda's Frizz Ease line, which she used on Blunt's hair.

She also packed a blow dryer, curling iron, and straitening iron — but only one of each.

"Let's say one breaks or one doesn't work, I can still get what I want from something else," she said. "For instance, if my curling iron doesn't work, then I can get a texture from my flat iron, and vice versa. If the flat iron doesn't work, I can make it work."

At this point, you might be wondering how Reeves feels so calm working on such a big event. The hairstylist says it's her years of experience and close relationship with her clients that push her forward.

"I think I've been in enough tough situations that I never get myself into one where I can't produce something," she said. "Something will always come out of the bag."