From slick waves to dishevelled plait, celebrities have offered a plenty of hair inspirations this year. Stylist Richard Ward takes six of the most fantastic party hairstyles and describes how you can create them at home.
Michelle Obama’s voluminous blow dry
Wash and towel-dry your hair, then spray hair volumiser root booster to the first two inches of your roots.
Blow-dry your hair using a radial bristle brush. Start at the nape of your neck, and work your way up to the crown. Ensure that the hairdryer nozzle is on, and each section of hair is the width of the brush you are using.
As you dry your hair, curl each section up on to the brush and hold dryer underneath.
Apply large heated rollers in a brickwork fashion, spritzing each section with hairspray as you go. Leave in until the rollers have completely cooled (about 20 minutes) and then gently remove.
Tip your head upside down and spritz with shine spray, before raking your fingers through your hair to break up the curls a little. Create a strong centre parting and spray with a little more hairspray.
Alexa Chung’s glossy waves
Start with day-old hair and begin by blow drying it through using a radial bristle brush to smooth out any kinks.
Create a low-side parting.
Take horizontal sections of hair from in front of the crown to behind the ear. Spray each with L’Oreal Tecni Art Constructor, followed by hairspray. The section should be about 3 inch wide and 2 inch deep. Wrap the hair around a tong. Hold for 10 seconds, before gently releasing the hair.
Continue working up the head, towards the crown and repeat till the whole head has been tonged. Remember the thicker the section, the looser the finished wave.
Once complete, gently brush the curls through, though not too many times or they’ll lose their shape.
Zoe Saldana’s messy bun
This look works best with day-old hair, ie hair that was washed yesterday. Start by brushing it through and applying a taming and de-frizzing serum, taking care to focus on the mid-lengths and ends of the hair.
Using a bristle brush, comb your hair up into a ponytail that sits between the crown and the nape of your neck, and secure with a hairband. Or alternatively use your hands to give the hair a more textured finish.
Now, take the ponytail and twist it around itself before coiling it around the base of the hairband. Secure in place using plenty of hairpins.
Finish the look with a blast of hairspray. Gently guide the hair towards the bun with a comb as you are spritzing. Don’t place too much pressure on the comb, this method is purely to direct and tame any flyaway hair.
Jennifer Lawrence’s fishtail plait
To get this look, start with day-old hair as it will help the finished plait to grip better and stay in place for longer.
Damp your hair slightly and apply styling spray before rough drying it through.
Next brush your hair over one shoulder starting a few inches below the crown, begin to loosely plait using a fishtail plait technique. Divide your hair into two channels, and bringing small, even section of hair from the outside edge to the opposite inside channel of hair. Repeat this step until you reach the ends of your hair and secure with a hair band.
To create a dishevelled finish, simply tease the hair as you plait with your fingers, or use a tail comb to pull small sections of hair from the finished plait.
MIA’s messy chic
Start with day-old hair and begin by taking small horizontal sections of hair, (from the front of the crown to behind the ear), spray with a heat protector and tong. Hold for 10 seconds, before gently releasing the hair. The smaller the tong, the more curly your end result will be.
Continue working up the head, towards the crown, and repeat till the whole head has been tonged.
Once complete, apply serum to your hands and rub it over them like a handcream and pull out the curls section by section. You may want to tip your head upside down so you can rake the underside fully and ruffle the roots to create extra volume.
Once you have created the desired loose-shaped curls, simply create a deep centre parting and spritz your curls with a flexible hold hairspray.
Sienna Miller’s pink rinse
Lou Rose, technician at the Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa has the following advice for putting a touch of colour in your hair:
“There are numerous ways to create a similar effect, both at home and at the salon. If you are thinking of taking the plunge, do ask your hairdresser to initially opt for a more subtle effect. Start with a very soft shade, and then go more vibrant if you decide that you like it.”
L’Oreal’s new colour chalks, which need to be blow-dried into the hair, are a great noncommittal at-home option.
Start with day-old hair and begin by blow drying it through, to smooth out the hair line.
Create a strong centre parting using a tail comb.
Take random horizontal sections of hair from in front of the crown to behind the ear and spray with a heat protector followed by hairspray. Wrap the hair around a tong. Hold for 10 seconds, before gently releasing the hair.
Continue working up the head, towards the crown and repeat till the whole head has been tonged. The thicker the section, the looser the finished wave, but a variation of different sizes works best with this look, so use both ends on your tongs.
Once complete, gently pull out the curls with your fingers until they drop slightly, and apply Label M Shine Mist to the ends.
— Guardian News & Media Ltd
