Glamorous hair that looks great for hours is the goal, but achieving it? That’s harder than it sounds.
There’s nothing worse than spending ages and significant bicep strength wrangling a hairdryer, clips and combs, to only see your hairdo drop or frizz up before you step out the door.
Those of us with fine hair can relate to stepping out with flat, lifeless locks when what we really want is a supermodel ’do. If you have thick or curly hair, you might be more familiar with the time it takes to achieve a smooth and glossy or bouncy and defined style.
Beautiful hair is the goal we can all agree on. Yet the experts are quick to remind us that what we see on the red carpet has often taken hours, multiple products and even multiple people to achieve. That’s without mentioning the stylist running alongside the star, just out of view of the camera, constantly adjusting, smoothing and spritzing to ensure that the A-lister is always looking their movie-star best.
It’s not said to burst your bubble, but the stylists we spoke to say it’s something that helps to remind people, so they can adjust their expectations accordingly.
So what’s the best approach for a great-looking hair style that lasts?
It starts with good foundations
Caring for hair consistently with good- quality shampoo and conditioner will ensure you’re starting with a great base.
Hotter weather typically often comes with drier air, more direct heat and less moisture, which has a detrimental impact on your hairdo. But annoyingly, the flipside is also true: a humid atmosphere can also wreck your styling and leave hair looking fluffy, frizzy or flyaway.
“The main cause of frizz is a lack of moisture in your hair,” says Kelly Manu, L’Oréal Professionnel Artist and director of Auckland’s UNA salon. She suggests switching to hydrating daily products like those from Pureology’s Hydrate range to
replenish thirsty hair.
Damaged hair can also be more prone to frizz, too, particularly with daily heat styling. The protective cuticles on the outside of a strand of hair that normally lay flat – and are normally able to keep too much water out of the cortex or fragile core – can become roughed up with damage from heat and other challenges like rough brushing.
This allows more external moisture to move in and out of the strand, uplifting the cuticle, disturbing those bonds and making hair less smooth.
Working to keep hair in healthy shape and without damage is the main way to ensure strands look sleek and defined.
L-R: Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer; Lady Jayne Thermal Radial Brush; Color WOW Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer; Oribe Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray; Cloud Nine Airshot Pro hair dryer
Choose the right tool and styling product
“Not using the correct temperature on your styling tool for your hair type, not using the correct products for your hair, and humidity are the things that make a hair style, blowout or curls drop out or go flat faster than necessary,” says stylist and Cloud Nine Education Manager Marie Nieuwoudt.
She says the former can be checked by using an online calculator offered by Cloud Nine, given its dryers, straighteners and curling tools have variable temperature control that can be adjusted to suit your hair.
Her second point is one that is worth taking some expert advice on: if you have fine hair, an oil or serum may weigh it down, but give beautiful style and definition on thick hair.
Light products such as mousse, foams and sprays often help give root lift and volume, whereas creams are useful for smoothing and lasting hold.
Any styling products should also contain heat-protective properties to shield locks from damage. Ensuring you’ve got any moisture out completely is also crucial.
“Then, make sure your hair is 100% dry before you start styling,” advises Nieuwoudt of using an iron or tong. She also suggests clipping sections or curls up to cool before brushing through and spritzing with a light hairspray before stepping out the door.
View this post on Instagram
How to get volume in your hair and a smooth finish
Dyson ambassador and top editorial stylist Michael Beel of Salute Hair and Day Spa is a big fan of big hair for a big day or night out.
“For creating beautiful volume, start with damp hair and tip your head upside down and blast dry at the roots with a dryer until it’s 70-80% dry to get that maximum root lift,” he says.
Then, with your head back up the right way, when you’re blow-drying, he advises using a move hairdressers call ‘overdirecting’ the hair.
“This is when hair is directed away from the position it naturally falls in in the opposite direction with a brush and hot hair. When hair falls back into its natural place, it’s got lift to it.”
Rushing about is best avoided, according to Beel.
“If you want great party hair, set aside the time to either go into a salon and get it done. Or ensure you have a good hour or two to dry and style with a tool like a straightener or Dyson Airwrap, then allow it to fully cool while you’re doing you makeup or getting dressed,” he says.
If you don’t have that time, he suggests considering something that’s quick and easy but still looks chic. “I love a sleek ponytail or a ballet-style bun for an event, anything with a nice clean parting.”
He advises using a dense-bristle brush like a classic Mason Pearson brush to pull it back without lumps.
“Another trick is to use a toothbrush spritzed with hairspray to smooth down the hairline and get rid of any flyaways.” Beel’s favourite finishing spray for any style is an oldie but a goodie.
“Nothing beat’s L’Oréal Elnett,” he says of the flexible hairspray that has been around for decades.
Essential touch-up tips
On a night out, carrying a brush or wide-toothed comb in your bag is one way to reshape hair part-way through the evening, but it does depend on what you’ve been up to.
“Moisture or sweat will make your hair fall, so if you’re out dancing until the wee hours, take a hair tie!” says Beel.
“The other option is to prep hair really well before styling using products that have humidity-protecting ingredients.”
Beel likes the Chitosan Post-Style Serum, one of Dyson’s new styling products, that gives flexible control and has anti-frizz properties. Joico, Oribe, KMS, Moroccanoil and more also offer lightweight anti-humidity mists to finish your style with before leaving home.
“Taking a wee purse pack of dry shampoo is another option for a late night hair pick-me-up,” says Beel.
“Heavens, if you’re worrying about your hair mid-party it’s time to find yourself another party!” jests Nieuwoudt, though she tips Cloud Nine’s cordless iron is great on the go. She also suggests the brand’s wide-tooth wet hairbrush is great for brushing through your blow-dry or your curls just to add that little more volume mid-party.
Celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton, who regularly styles Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian’s hair, and works with the brand Color Wow, says that he relies on one main styling product if he wants an ulta-sleek, all-night result.
Appleton applies Color Wow’s Dream Coat Supernatural Spray to damp hair before drying and calls it “the equivalent of wearing a raincoat on your hair”.
It contains a heat-activated polymer that works to compress, tighten and seal hair strands so it retains a smooth finish and quickly banishes frizz. “It transforms the texture of the hair and blocks out humidity, to give you that mirror-like, liquid shine,” says Appleton, who used it on Lopez’s hair to fight off Miami’s next-level humidity during the star’s Super Bowl half-time show performance.
Finally, another way to distinguish a party look from your usual style is to add an accessory. Jewelled pins, slides and bows are all hugely popular right now.
