Hey everyone!
Want to send a little shout-out to my friends at Blonde and Co for creating this really fabulous video for me! Thought I’d share a bit more of my life and work with everyone. I’m touched by all the support and love I’ve gotten and this is just a big thank you to all of you!
Hi guys!
I also had the pleasure of styling Kate Beckinsale’s hair for the Met Ball 2013.
Ms. Beckinsale is a truly stunning woman and it was such fun working with her! Kate wore a gorgeous red-fuchsia Alberta Ferretti dress with a lot of structured paneling and geometric shape to it and we went with a quirky, punk-inspired quiff to complement the dress!
It’s a very 50s-meets-punk look and there’s a lot of edginess to the look, but also a lot of Red Carpet-diva in there too, a perfect look for someone as versatile and fun as Kate Beckinsale!
If you’d like to try Kate’s look on yourself, here’s how you can do it:
Start by spreading a golf ball size amount of Wella Professionals Styling Extra Volume mousse through your hair. The mousse will help add some body and hold to your hair, and is a great way to set the style in. It’ll also make your hair more pliable, so it’s going to be easy to work with.
Take a blow dryer (really like the one from the Braun Satin 7 Series ) and start drying your hair: use a skeleton brush or work with your fingers to create the wanted Volume.Once the hair is fully dry, separate a horseshoe shaped section ( the part between both temples & your crown area ) and clip it away.
Pull the remaining hair into a high sitting ponytail and coil & warp the tail into a messy bun. Secure it with a few bobby pins.
Take the hair from the top section and backcomb the roots to maximize the volume and create a slightly disheveled texture.Mist the hair with Wella Professionals Styling Stay Firm Finishing Spray and define a single strands and secure with a few more pins.
Spray overall with hairspray for long-lasting hold, and you’re good to go!
What a great day it has been!
Just finished styling the hair for Anne Hathaway for the Met Ball in NYC.
She looked absolutely stunning in her breathtaking vintage Valentino dress.
When you’ve got a theme like ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’ to work with, you know you’re going to have a lot of fun!
We went with a really fun, strong Punk look that contrasts with Anne’s delicate structure perfectly! To enhance her Punk look further we decided to take her hair to the next level: A new cool Platinum blonde colour and the sharp slightly boyish finish with loads of texture were the perfect match.
Drawing inspiration from unforgettable punk icons like Poly Styrene from X-ray Spex and Joan Jett, I decided to go for a look that’s glam, edgy and yet very youthful and fun. We kept the style much shorter for Anne and had a lot of fun playing around with it.
If you want to recreate this look start by applying a golfball amount of Wella Professionals Styling Extra Volume mousse to damp hair and distribute evenly. This is the perfect start up product and will give your hair the foundation, hold & volume you want.
Then blow dry the hair into shape: ideally you should do this by using your fingers or a skeleton / fishbone brush.
Dry the longer hair on top back & upwards by gently pulling the hair away from the scalp to boost the volume and some lift to it.
Push, brush & dry the sides flat to the head backwards allowing them to set narrow to the head.
Once the hair is completely dry use a small amount of Wella Professionals Styling Bold Move styling paste. Spread the paste evenly between the palm of your hands and work the product through the mid length and ends to create a deep, slightly messy texture and really bring out the wanted break and disconnection between to long volumous top and the narrow sides and back.
Once you are happy with the overall shape, mist your hair with some Wella Professionals Styling Stay Firm Finishing Spray, this will ensure that your style will last all night.
Have fun recreating this look!
Hi everyone!
Hope you’re all doing really well!
I’m so excited to share my latest result of my work in New York City. We shot a fashion special for Givenchy for British GQ Style with ace photographer and artist extraordinaire Matthew Stone!
The collaboration was a wonderful experience, and I absolutely loved working with the super talented crew on making this really unique and multi-layered project come to life! Everybody’s done such an amazing job and I’m so thrilled with the results!
I hope you guys love the spread as much as I loved working on it!
Milan Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013: Top Hair Trends
The Milan Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Week turned up a bunch of lovely hairstyles and trends. I was really impressed with the diversity on the runway: the hairstyles at the Milan Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Week had a little bit of everything: flirty curls, slicked back hairdos, elegant updos, soft natural bobs and more! No matter what your personal style statement is, you’ll find something to recreate from the Milan Fashion Week files!
I picked my top 3 favourite hair trends to include the best of the variety that we saw on the runways. These are three distinct styles that are great for different occasions.
So whether you’re stepping out for a lunch date with your girlfriends or attending a gala this evening, there’s something for everything!
1. Bottega Veneta
Volume is going to be a major trend this year, and the Bottega Veneta show had a fabulous spin on how to rock voluminous curls. For all of you who’re looking for a flirty, retro hairstyle to add some glamour to your look, this one’s a winner!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Firstly, get your hands on some good quality foam rollers for this look. You know the kinds that have plastic clip holders that you can snap shut? Foam rollers are a great, no-heat way of curling your hair and they’re so comfy you can go to sleep in them too!
Wash your hair and when it’s around 70% dry, create a medium side parting and brush your hair through. Take the foam rollers and roll all your hair in two-inch sections.
Make sure you place the rollers over each section and start rolling upwards. If you place the roller under the hair and then tuck it in, the plastic clip will leave very strong linear creases in your hair and those won’t look nice!
Don’t roll your hair all the way to the top: the retro look is known for a smooth, soft crown giving way to a riot of curls! Roll your hair till the tops of your ears and then clip the rollers in.
Let them stay overnight.
Next day, undo the rollers and you’ll have a beautiful bunch of tight, springy curls. Gently run your fingers through your curls to loosen them out a bit and to add some volume.
Now, if you’re happy with just this much, you can stop here, but for a really retro-inspired hairstyle, we’ve got to add lots of drama and volume.
Take small sections of the curled hair and tease it using your fingers. If you don’t know how it’s done, don’t fret: from the section you’ve taken, just pull a tiny bit of hair really straight and then pinch the rest of the hair using your other hand and push it back upwards along the straight shaft.
This creates a lovely, teased effect and adds masses of volume to your curls. Repeat this step with all the curls around your head.
If you’re having a tough time teasing your hair this way, just use a rattail comb and backcomb each section gently, but be careful and make sure you don’t undo the curls.
Take a bobby pin (or even a bejewelled clip if you like) and add it to one side, just above the curls. This will help highlight the dichotomy of the style and separate the straight tops from the curled ends.
2. Dolce & Gabbana
The models at the D&G show had beautiful, classic updos. The style combined a very soft bouffant with a gorgeous twisted chignon. The feminine bouffant detail is undoubtedly one of the most timeless hair styles ever. It’s such a dainty and glamorous way of dressing up your hair for a special day!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Begin by blow-drying your hair straight. Remember to use a heat protectant product. Also use a little bit of volumising hair foam to add some soft bounciness to your hair.
Create a small, one inch part that’s just a little bit off centre. Take the sections of hair that fall on either side of this part (the one inch on both sides will immediately separate from the rest) and tuck them behind your ears or pin them out of the way for now.
Now, take a rattail comb and trace an arc from ear to ear. This will separate your hair into two sections. Secure the lower section in a ponytail for now.
Start with the upper half of the hair. Remember not to disturb the part, so start lifting hair from behind the part and spraying it with a little bit of hairspray or dry shampoo to create stronger texture.
Hold each section up for a moment to let the product dry and then back comb it gently. This is to create the beehive look. Don’t backcomb too heavily, we want a very soft bouffant.
The top section should be backcombed from the front to the back. Once it’s all backcombed, gently pile the teased layers on top of each other and fan the bouffant out in a horseshoe shape. It should extend in a lovely, soft U-shape over your head. Pin the sides of the bouffant onto your hair using bobby pins.
Once you’re happy with the height and the shape of the bouffant, coil the bottom of the section (the ends that stick out of the beehvive) into a small chignon just above the ponytail. Use bobby pins to hold it in place. Cross them over each other to really keep the style together.
Use a soft bristle brush to very gently smoothen out the tops of the bouffant. Don’t brush through; just even out the surface of the ratted hair.
Take the two front sections from either side and smooth them over from the front to the back. They should form two strips framing the bouffant. Pin these into place.
Now undo the ponytail gently, careful not to upset the rest of the hair.
You can arrange the hair in a small chignon covering the other sections. If you’d like more drama, you can first braid the hair and then wrap it over the other sections and pin it into place.
Use a gloss-boosting spray to add some shine to the look. Finish off with a hairspray.
3. Prada
The models at the Prada show wore their hair in the runway-favourite edgy style: wet-look slicked back strands. Now, this isn’t an everyday look and it might be too severe for a lot of people, but if you’re open to trying something new, this is one sharp look!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
When you wash your hair use a good conditioner to boost your hair’s softness and shine.
Let the hair get almost-dry, naturally. When it’s about 80% dry, take a styling product like a hair gel or a mousse and rub it between your hands.
Run your fingers through your hair and use your fingertips to push your hair back from the front to the nape of your neck. Use a styling product with gloss-enhancing properties so that you can add some shine to the look.
Make sure you don’t push your hair back neatly: this wet-look emphasises the “just out of the shower” effect by roughly combining some strands and loosely breaking up others.
If you want to add a little height at the sides, just lift your hair and spray a little hairspray at the roots and hold the section up for a few seconds before letting it fall down. Pat it down a little and push it back with the rest.
Don’t forget the hair that falls down your back (if your hair’s longer than shoulder-length). Use some gel/ mousse and run your fingers through this section as well. If you want to roughen it you can rub it between your hands to make it slightly scruffy.
Avoid using a comb because that’ll make it a neat, slicked back surface and we want a messy, natural one instead.
Use a shine-boosting product like Argan oil to create the wet-look effect. Rub a few drops of the oil between your fingers and gently touch your hair all over to transfer the product onto it.
Add a hairspray, and you’re good to go!
I hope you guys like these three styles! I can’t wait to review the hair trends from the Paris runway!
Paris Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013: Top Hair Trends
Paris is such an absolutely breathtaking city, and it’s one of the most culturally vibrant places in the world. Fashion takes on a new meaning in Paris, and the City of Love does nothing halfway! Which is why, the Paris Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Week is always such a delight to watch.
I’ve picked my favourites from the Paris Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion. I hope you all like them as much as I did! If yes, follow the instructions and get ready to sport some seriously stunning trends this season!
1. Balmain
I loved the look at the Balmain show because it’s always fun to step out of your comfort zone and try something a little bit edgy, a little bit dramatic.
Most women tend to opt for regular, “girly” hairstyles when they’re trying something new, but why not walk down the funky route just this once? You might find that you really like it!
The haircut combines a slicked back pompadour style, with an almost-undercut effect to the sides giving way to regular, open hair down the back. The slicked, wet-look effect’s been used only for the hair at the front and the sides, and it’s an interesting way to combine textures and finishes.
Here’s How You Can Get It:
This style works best on second-day hair because freshly washed hair will be too soft to hold this style up properly.
Take a brush and brush your hair towards the back, covering your natural parting. Comb your hair moving from the forehead to the back so that it’s all brushed back properly, and free of any tangles.
Take a long-tailed comb and draw an inverted arc from the bottom of one ear to the other, cutting your hair in a soft U and dividing it into an upper layer and a bottom layer.
The upper layer has to be styled into the pompadour and the slicked sides, so secure the bottom layer out of the way in a low ponytail.
Now, take a little bit of styling mousse and run your fingers through the upper layer. Don’t go lower than that: we only want the hair around the crown to be slicked back.
Finger-comb your hair backwards using mousse: this will add some texture and also allow you to style your hair properly.
For the pompadour, you should style only the hair directly at the front and top of the crown. Don’t style the hair at the sides: that has to be shaped into the slicked, faux-undercut later.
Start picking up small sections of hair from the front and backcombing them. Once you’re done with one layer, backcomb the section directly behind it. Layer these sections over each other to make the pouf.
Once you’re happy with the height and shape, pin the pouf into place using bobby pins.
Smoothen the surface of the pouf with a soft brush. Don’t comb through; just even out any roughness on the surface.
Now, take some styling gel, spread it onto a comb and brush the sides back, and slicking them down as you go. The sides should lay really flat on your head so that they create the impression of an undercut style.
You don’t have to slick the sides all the way to the back, just till behind your ears.
If you want to emphasize the look even more, add a pin or a clip vertically just behind your ears. This will help hold the slicked back portions in place.
Spray/ add some shine-enhancing serum onto the sides for a wet look. You can even add a few drops of Argan oil.
Now, undo the hair in the ponytail and gently brush the ends of the top layer (what’s left over from the pompadour) and this bottom layer together to blend them in with each other.
You can pull a few strands over your shoulders.
Spray some medium-hold hairspray, and you’re ready to rock-and-roll!
2. Viktor & Rolf
The models at the Viktor & Rolf show wore their hair up, with a cute version of the milkmaid braids in slightly mussed up hair. It’s a really interesting look because it’s feminine, and yet the braids in this particular style add a slightly rustic, quaint touch to the style too!
And because it’s a tad bit scruffy, you don’t really have to worry about getting your hair very sleek and smooth; which makes it a fabulous option for a day when you’re out and about and don’t want to worry about touch-ups and regular restyling.
It’s also the kind of look that would work equally well with t-shirts and jeans and with feminine, flowing dresses and skirts!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Begin by brushing through your hair properly. Make sure you get all knots and tangles out.
Trace a middle parting in your hair, dividing it into two sections: the left and the right. Brush through them again. Make sure there aren’t any overlapping sections; these will make braiding difficult later.
Pull a few strands loose on both sides to frame your face. Let these be for now. Make sure you don’t end up braiding them in.
Let’s begin with the hair on one side. Start from around ½ an inch into the parting (½ an inch upwards from your hairline) and around 1½ inches away to the side. Start braiding the hair down the side in a waterfall braid, moving from the front towards the back and the end of the section.
A waterfall braid is a mix between a regular braid and a French braid, and it allows you to incorporate hair from the sides as you move down the side of your head. If it’s too tough for you just yet, try braiding the regular way.
Braid till the very end of the section and then secure the braid with a transparent hair-elastic.
Repeat this step with the other side.
Tug on the braids a bit to loosen them up. This will make them more pliable for the next step.
Now, take one braid and wrap it around the nape of your neck and behind the other ear and over to the other side, such that it lays next to the braid coming down that side.
Keep pinning it into place with bobby pins. Push each pin vertically into the braid and then press it flat on its own side and push it into the hair.
Now take the other braid and bring it over to the side of the first braid. Pin it as you go along.
Make sure you add some extra pins at the nape of your neck, where both braids overlap. This will give strength to the style and make sure that it stays up.
You should have two parallel braids running up and down each side now.
You can curl the tendrils at the front to frame your face or just leave them as is.
Add some shine-boosting, medium-hold hairspray, and you’re all styled!
3. Thierry Mugler
A dressy ponytail is always a great addition to any look: it’s a fuss-free style that lets you get your hair away from your face, so it’s practical, but it’s also fancy enough to spice up your look.
The models at the Thierry Mugler show sported voluminous low ponytails set off with a large bouffant-style crown. It’s quite a stylish take on an everyday ponytail, and depending on just how much you like to play around with style, you could rock this look on an ordinary day or dress it up for an occasion.
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Blow-dry freshly washed hair. Don’t worry about making it very straight, but do smoothen it out as much as you can.
Take a brush and brush your hair back away from the hairline. Make sure you cover up your natural parting. Keep combing your hair until it’s completely smoothed and all of it is brushed properly towards the back.
The major focus of this ponytail is the large volume at the crown. It’s not exactly a bouffant so much so as an all-over pouf.
The key to getting all the volume is in backcombing properly. You’ll have to backcomb all the hair around the crown, so start by backcombing the front, the top and the sides in horizontal layers, moving from side to side.
Pick up one-inch sections in one horizontal line, back comb all of them and gently flip them forward, over your face. Then backcomb the layer behind it and once you’re done, tip it over too. Do this with all the hair till the middle of the back of your head.
Then very carefully flip all your hair back, such that the backcombed sections fall on top of each other and form a large, voluminous dome-like bouffant.
Use your hands and a soft-bristle brush to shape and arrange the teased hair. Gently arrange your hair in a height and shape you’re comfortable with. Use the soft-bristle brush to even out the surface of the teased portion.
You’ll have to flatten out the sides a bit to get them to flow towards the back properly.
Pin the teased hair at the back, near the nape of your neck.
Gather the hair from the neck into a low ponytail and secure it in place. You can brush through this again to smoothen it out. You can also add some curls to it for added drama!
Hope you like these three styles! The Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Weeks have been an absolute blast! I can’t wait to see which of these styles go onto become worldwide trends in the coming season!
London Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013: Top Hair Trends
The London Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Week saw a lot of really great hair trends and styles. We had big, voluminous hair that harked back to the old glamour days of Hollywood; we had soft, natural, everyday looks that are just the right balance of practicality and style; and we had some fabulously elaborate, sleek styles that are just what you need for a special occasion.
I’ve put together a list of my 3 favourite hairdos from the London Fashion Week and tips on how you can achieve these looks!
1. L’Wren Scott
The hairdos at the L’Wren Scott London show were absolutely stunning! There was a lovely, retro feel to the big, wavy and unabashedly bushy hairstyles. If you’re looking to dramatically change your look one of these days, or you want to do something striking for a special day out, give this style a whirl!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Begin by washing your hair and then adding a texture-enhancing product to it once you’re done. Let your hair dry naturally, but don’t let it get absolutely dry: we need it to be somewhat damp for the style to set.
When it’s just lightly damp, comb your hair and part right down the middle. Separate your hair into two sections, one on each side.
To get this look, you need to add a very natural-looking crimp to your hair. Using a crimping iron can also get you good results, but to be really able to reproduce the exact look, you should do it the natural way: braiding!
Braid your hair in tiny braids and pin them onto the head. You should start braiding about an inch or two away from the middle parting so that the contrast between the smooth tops and the rest of the hair is heightened.
To get distinct, tight waves you can use the snake-braiding method. If you don’t know how to do that, just braid your hair the regular way in small braids and pin them all over your head so that they don’t come loose.
Add a hairnet to your hair to hold the braids in place and keep the style overnight if you can. If you can’t just spray on a very tiny amount of hairspray to hold the waves and wait until your hair is absolutely dry before proceeding.
For added hold, you can also always lightly run a blow dryer over the braids. This will help in fastening the waves.
Undo the braids carefully, while maintaining the middle part. You’ll have a lot of tight, tiny ringlets spiraling down right about now. Loosen them up a bit by running your fingers through your hair.
Now, take a rattail comb and pick up small sections of hair and start backcombing inwards, towards the scalp. Tease your hair in small strokes so that you don’t end up completely breaking the waves.
Work your way from the bottom to the top, moving from the tips to the tops of the curls, as you keep teasing. Keep arranging your hair while you tease so that you can get a shape that suits your face structure.
If you tease your hair properly, you’ll get a LOT of volume without loosing the waves. They’ll definitely get opened up but the overall effect will be distinctly wavy, crimped hair.
You can add pins at the tops, right where the smooth hair gives way to the crimped hair. This will help enhance the contrast and add a certain “widening effect” to the look.
Add a hairspray and you’re done!
2. Burberry Prorsum
The Burberry woman is always chic, always stylish and always effortlessly glamorous. This year’s Burberry Prorsum show was no different, and we once again saw how the brand takes simple, classic looks and adds an undeniably sophisticated touch to them.
The basic, shoulder-length bob is not a new look, if you really think about it, but with the right styling and products, even this simple style can look amazing! What’s more is it’s so easy to recreate and would look stunning regardless of the occasion.
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Dry your freshly washed hair with a diffuser. If you have very wavy or curly hair, use a natural bristle, round brush and a blow dryer on the cool setting to dry your hair. This look works best on medium length, straight hair.
It’s not a very fussy style, so don’t tire yourself out trying to blow-dry your hair poker straight. In fact, you should blow-dry it to give it some volume and natural lift.
Rotate your hairbrush and move from your roots to the tips to add some body to the hair while you dry and smoothen it out. Don’t straighten the ends; let them fall naturally.
The Braun Satin Hair Senso Care styler would work really well on a style like this.
Take some styling mousse, rub it between your palms and then dab it onto the hair lightly. Rub some of the strands between your palms to add a little texture to the hair. This will keep it from looking to sleek or falling flat.
Part your hair slightly to one side: this is not a deep side part, more like an inch off your natural middle part to one side. We want a section of hair to fall over one eyebrow and frame the face.
Don’t make a very neat part; just flip your hair over to one side. You can even do it with your hands for a very natural look.
Use a thin comb and gently brush through and arrange your hair. Let it fall naturally over your shoulders. If you’ve got layers, this look will really help play them up.
Take a skeleton brush and add a bit of texture and messy grain to different sections.
Add some hairspray if you’re stepping out!
4. Moschino Cheap & Chic
The models at the Moschino Cheap & Chic sported darling messy buns. I absolutely love messy buns: they’re so easy to create, they’re very natural and don’t look too stiff, and with the right amount of texture and volume they can look really glam!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
This is a look you can do on freshly washed as well as second day hair.
Begin by combing your hair (and letting it dry if it’s just washed) to get any knots and tangles out.
Take a dime-sized amount of styling mousse in your palms and run your hands through your hair. The mousse will add a lot of body to the hair. Keep running your fingers through your hair and scrunching up random sections to add volume and character.
Take a drop or two of styling gel and “lift” the hair at the crown and rub it between your hands for added height. You can even backcomb it a tiny bit, to add a slight pouf at the front and centre.
If your hair is very smooth naturally, the previous steps will have helped in artfully messing it up a little bit!
Take a hair elastic and tie a ponytail. Don’t gather your hair very neatly at this step. In fact; the messier, the better. Don’t use a comb for this step, just run your fingers through your hair and gather it at the back.
Tug on some random sections on the top to loosen out a few strands and enhance the look.
Take a rattail comb and backcomb a few sections of the ponytail to give them a grainy look. You could also use a skeleton comb to do so.
Take your hair and make a loose, messy bun with it. Make the ponytail into a bun by drawing it through another elastic, but don’t pull it all the way through: let some of it hang out of the bun. You can even tug a few strands out to create naturally falling bits and to loosen the bun.
If you want a wider, messier bun, you can skip the previous step and pick up small sections of the ponytail and pin them using bobby pins around the base of the ponytail. This will let you create loops of different sizes and the final bun will be big, messy and super stylish!
You can skip the hairspray, unless you’re stepping out and want the style to last.
Play around with these three looks: you’ve got big crimped hair, a stylish layered bob and a fabulous messy bun to experiment with! Have fun, and keep it stylish!
Oscars 2013: Top 5 Looks And How To Get Them!
Hello all you beautiful people! How are you all?
The Oscars just got over and it’s been a whirlwind time! The Academy Awards are undoubtedly one of the biggest, brightest and most important events in the film industry. I know I was looking forward to the most glamorous and most-awaited night of the year, as always! For most of us in the fashion and beauty trade, the Red Carpet is almost as important, if not more, than the awards show itself.
It’s always so much fun to see who’s wearing what, the different makeup looks and hairstyles that the stars are sporting and so on. Oscars 2013 was just as fabulous and sexy and stylish as one would expect.
One of the most distinct things that struck me about the styles this time round was the rise of the short hair trend. I’ve been loving the trend, and after working with Anne Hathaway over the past few months, I knew it would become quite the rage but wow, it’s caught on even faster than I expected! There was a whole bevy of shorthaired beauties at the Oscars, each more stunning and stylish than the next.
What’s so great about the short hair trend is that it’s such a fresh and funky take on hairstyling, but it’s so feminine and flirty at the same time! It’s such a versatile look that you can totally keep changing your look to match your mood. Whoever said short hair gets you stuck in a rut obviously didn’t know the kind of magic these ladies would pull on Oscar night!
I had a tough time narrowing down my top 5 favourite looks, but here they are! Enjoy!
Charlize Theron’s Glamorous Cropped Pixie
I have to begin with the super stunning, super gorgeous Charlize Theron because she totally blew me away with her look on that night. You know how every time at the Oscars there are always one or two stars who steal the show and make waves with their stunning gowns and jewels and style? Well, this time it was Ms. Theron. The minute she walked onto the Red Carpet in her gorgeous white peplum Christian Dior Haute Couture gown, I knew we had our evening’s winner.
Charlize is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and best-dressed women in the industry, but what really bowled me over that evening was her hairdo. She made the short, traditionally boyish pixie cut look ultra feminine and glamorous.
If you’ve got a short pixie cut like hers, here’s how you can get the look:
Wash your hair and let it dry naturally after rubbing some hair mousse into your hair. Part your hair on one side and comb it through.
Take a few drops of a texturising product on your hands and run your fingers through the hair to add some quality to it. You don’t want your hair to be super smooth and silky: it’s a slightly piecy pixie so you want to enhance the natural grain of your hair.
Use a styling mousse on the hair at the very front, just at your hairline to raise a small section of the hair and add some volume and movement to it. Do this to create a small, side swept quiff to frame your face.
You can just play around with the quiff using some mousse till you’re happy with how it looks: it’s as simple as running your fingers through the hair with a little hair gel until you’re satisfied with the shape and height of the quiff!
The quiff really helps to add a glamorous rocker-chic vibe to the look and it adds a bit of drama and oomph to a look that’s otherwise too plain and too masculine for most women!
Charlize’s hair is very short at the back, almost a buzz-cut, and that might be too severe a look for many. If you’re uncomfortable going that short, just use a little bit of styling oil on a comb and slick your hair down at the back while you play up the grain at the front.
Add a pair of large solitaire earrings and get ready to turn heads!
Anne Hathaway’s Soft, Side-swept Pixie
Anne Hathaway’s wonderful, voluminous take on her short pixie was just another example of how lovely and feminine short crops can look. Anne’s growing out her hair, so there’s a lot of body and volume to play around with, and her slightly windswept-look made for a very pretty yet laidback style.
Add a gloss-enhancing product to your freshly washed hair, mist on some heat protectant spray and then blow-dry it to add a lot of volume. Part your hair to one side and keep styling in the same direction.
Make sure you concentrate on building volume at the crown and the roots because this ‘do is all about big style in short hair.
If you’ve got very fine hair and you can’t achieve this kind of volume naturally, add a little dry shampoo at the roots to help boost volume. You can also use a thickening mousse if you want to really play up the thickness of the hair shaft, from root to tip.
Use a natural-bristle brush to style your hair while you blow-dry it. Use an in-to-out rolling wrist motion, moving from the crown to the tips to straighten and place the hair while you blow-dry for volume.
After you’ve got the shape and volume you like, take a flat iron and straighten bits and pieces of hair to make sure your style’s free of any flyaways. You should also straighten the bangs/ section at the front so that you can frame your face with a pretty, side-swept fringe.
Despite all the blow-drying and the straightening, this style has a very fun, relaxed texture. You can run your fingers through your hair lightly, once, to break up the stiffness of the ‘do if you want it to look more natural.
Add some stronghold hairspray, and you’re done!
Halle Berry’s Spiky Pixie
Halle Berry has always been a trendsetter and a true style icon: nobody could have pulled off this edgy almost-Mohawk better than her! And with that stunning black-and-sequinned structured gown, she sure to looked every inch of the Hollywood rock star that she is!
A lot of the drama and dimension of her short, spiky look comes from the different colour tones at play: blonde tips in dark hair add a really interesting tonality to the look. But don’t worry! Even if you’re not ok with colouring your hair, you can still don this unusual, fuss-free pixie anytime you like!
This is a look you can pull off on second-day hair too. It doesn’t have to be sleek or smooth, in fact, the grainier the better!
If you’re working with freshly washed hair, run a few drops of volumizing product through your locks first.
Now remember, the spiky texture has to be created only with the hair at the crown: the hair at the sides and the back needs to be combed down. So take a drop or two of Argan oil on your comb and comb the hair at the sides and the back in smooth, downward strokes.
Take a few drops of styling gel on your fingers and start finger-combing the top your hair. First just run your fingers through your hair and tousle your hair to create the messy, grainy texture that is the basis of this look.
Then take some stronghold gel or styling mouse and start “lifting” your hair up in spikes. It’s as simple as catching your hair between your fingers and pulling it upwards to create an unstructured, spiky Mohawk of sorts.
Remember how we’d all make shampoo-spikes in the shower as little kids? You’re basically doing that now, but with a lot of cool styling products instead!
You can keep twisting the spiky sections around until you’re happy with how they look. Once you’re satisfied, spritz on some stronghold hairspray and go out and take over the world!
Jessica Chastain’s Hollywood Waves
Jessica Chastain is one of the most gorgeous actresses in Hollywood today! There’s a vulnerability about her that just takes my breath away! And she’s so versatile! When she floated onto the Red Carpet in her stunning, salmon-pink gown, I could hardly believe it was the same woman who played the tough-as-nails CIA operative in Zero Dark Thirty!
Jessica Chastain’s hair is an amazing, shimmery copper-red tone that looks fabulous against her porcelain skin. Even if you can’t pull off that fiery colour, there’s no reason you can’t strike a pose in those lovely, loose waves!
This style blends smooth, sleek hair texture with loose, big curls, so interestingly enough, you’ve got to begin by first straightening your hair. If you’ve got naturally straight, smooth hair you can give this step a miss.
You can smoothen your hair out by using a straightening iron or by blow-drying it. You don’t have to be very precise; the point is just to even the texture out.
There are two ways to add curls to your hair: you could use a curling iron or you could use heated rollers. I suggest the latter because for true, deep loose curls you’ll need large-barrelled curling tons or you’re going to end up with small, tight curls.
Add rollers to large sections of hair, but only roll your hair up to the nape of your neck. This style involves a gradual transition from smooth, straight hair on the top to luxurious, loose waves as you go down the length.
Take the rollers out once you’re done and then gently brush through your hair to loosen up the curls a bit. Be careful not to overdo this step or you’ll undo all your hard work.
Make a side part in your hair and pull most of the hair over to one side, without bringing it over one shoulder. Let the hair drape over the ear on the side favoured by the part, but tuck it behind the other ear to sharpen the contrast.
You can use curling tongs to add a more defined curl some of the strands at the front for framing your face.
Add some hairspray, and that’s it! This side-swept wavy do is very reminiscent of Old Hollywood glamour, so it’s a fabulous option for a night out or a fancy occasion.
Kristen Stewart’s Messy, Side-swept Blowout
The Twilight Series star has earned a reputation for having a very distinct, 70s-esque, rock-chic style. Even when she’s decked out in gorgeous shimmering gowns, Kristen Stewart’s unmistakable grunge glam style can’t be ignored.
Her messy, side-swept blowout isn’t the stuff most Red Carpet tales are made of, but she did pave the way for fashionistas who’re not all about updos! If elaborate, carefully coiffed styles aren’t your thing, here’s how you can rock some bed-head glamour!
Begin by washing your hair and make sure you use a high-quality conditioner. This isn’t a very glossy or sleek style, but it will look better if your hair looks healthy and shiny.
If you’ve got limp hair, add some volume at the roots in the front by backcombing the hair at the crown for some added lift. You don’t have to tease the entire length of each section; just the bottom inch is enough to create volume.
Once your hair’s almost dry, divide it into layers using styling clips. You want to work your way up from the bottom to the top so that the final layer can be arranged on top of the rest.
Use a round brush to style your hair while you blow-dry it. Wrap sections of your hair around the brush and use an outward-flick motion to flip the ends out. The trick to getting the flipped look right is in maintaining a continuous rotating motion with the wrist. It gets tiring, but it’s so worth the final look!
You can play up the drama by curling some ends inwards while flipping others out for an interesting contrast.
Keep repeating this process with all the layers until you’re done and then flip, not part, your hair over to one side. Creating a proper parting will immediately take away from the messy, natural appeal of this style.
Pull some of the hair over one shoulder and let the rest hang loose at the back. If you want some extra graininess, use a rattail comb to slightly scruff up the surface of the topmost layers.
This look’s all about getting your blow-dry right, so buckle up ladies, grab that little power tool and start styling.
New York Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013: Top Hair Trends
So the fashion weeks are on again! It’s arguably one of the most exciting times of the year for those of us in the fashion and styling industry! If you’re a lover of all things trendy, beautiful, and voguish yourself you’re probably just as pumped up as I am!
New York was just as dazzling and sophisticated as ever! We saw a lot of different hair trends emerging on the runways. I can see that quite a few of them are going to be a hit off the catwalks too! I decided to put together a look of my top 5 favorite hair trends from the New York Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013. We’ve got quite a mix here: from funky ponytails for everyday wear to Red Carpet glam updos for the fanciest of occasions!
1. Rodarte
At the Rodarte show, the models wore their hair down, in messy waves that were accentuated with really interesting metal spiked headbands and side braids meeting in a bun at the back. Without an accessory, this is a great everyday look and also something stylish you can throw together when you can’t quite wear your hair plain but you don’t want to make a fuss over it either. If you do want to add some oomph to the look, a unique headband is just the thing you’re looking for!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
This is a look you can create on second day hair too, if you don’t have time to wash before you style your hair. If you are washing it, wait for it to dry out naturally or use a diffuser so that you don’t end up with super sleek hair.
If you’ve got naturally straight hair and you want to reproduce this look perfectly, braid your hair while it’s still damp into loose, one-inch braids and then allow it to dry. This will create some natural, beachy waves in your hair.
Part your hair down the middle. You don’t have to be particularly precise with the parting, just make sure it’s more or less straight. Leave an inch of hair loose at the front on both sides and use curling tongs to add a bit of curl to these front sections. Let them hang loose and frame your face.
Then, pick up a section of hair from right behind the curled sections on both sides. Braid these in regular braids towards the back of your head. You can pick up one or two-inch sections depending on how prominent you want the braids to be. The braids should basically go around your head like a halo and meet at the back.
Pin the two braids into place at the back using bobby pins. Insert the bobby pins at an angle into the braids and cross them over each other to get them nice and tight. You want the braids to stay up firmly at the back of your head.
Undo the parts of the braids that hang below the pinned section. Coil these parts around each other into a small layered bun at the back of your head and pin it into place over the braids. You can also simply loosen the braids and then coil them around each other for a more flower-like bun.
And that’s it! You’re done! Add a funky headband for some extra edginess.
2. Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera’s look was distinctly feminine, inspired by 1940s cinematic glamour. If you’re looking for a hairstyle that’s the perfect blend of allure, femininity and vintage-appeal, this rolled and tucked updo is perfect! Whether you’re wearing it with a long flowing skirt or a crisp, tailored suit, this is the kind of hairstyle that’s sure to get you noticed wherever you go!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Begin with washing your hair and blow-drying it as straight as you can. If you’ve got particularly wavy or unruly hair, you should use a straightening iron to smoothen out your locks. Make sure you use a heat protectant spray before you do either though!
After your hair is dry and sleek, brush through it and part it down the middle. This look is a bit prim, and very ladylike, so be as precise with the parting as you can. Divide your hair into three parts: the two sides and the back. Comb through the three sections again to make sure your hair is really sleek.
Take one of the front sections and then start twisting it in on itself towards the back. You’re basically pinching the hair into twists along your hairline and moving towards the back of your head. Keep adding bobby pins to the rolled hair from the inside (not at the front) so that the twists stay in place.
Repeat this step with the other front section. Both the twisted sections will meet at the back. Cross them over each other and then pin them into place using bobby pins. If you have very heavy or thick hair and you feel the sections won’t stay pinned in place you can even tie them into a low ponytail.
Twist the section at the back/ the ponytail in on itself, moving upwards towards the nape of your neck. This is the last section and once it’s rolled up it should cover the spot where the other two sections meet and overlap. Pin this last rolled section into place with pins.
Use some hairspray to add a bit of support to the look. If you’ve used your bobby pins properly the look will hold up through the day!
3. Anna Sui
The pageboy bouffant seen at Anna Sui’s fashion show is a great way to have some fun with your hair and infuse a high dose of voluminous glamour into your look. This is a great look for when you want to do something unusual and striking but don’t want to spend hours perfecting a really tough style either!
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Your hair needs to be really sleek and straight for this look, so begin by washing and conditioning it, and follow it up with blow-drying it straight. Use a shine serum before you blow-dry your hair for extra smoothness and gloss.
Comb your hair towards the back and gather it up high at the back of your head. We don’t want any parting for this look.
Secure all your hair in a high ponytail. If you want to reproduce the exact look, leave a small section of hair free and once the ponytail is ready, wrap that section around the base of the ponytail to cover the elastic. Pin the wrapped section into place with a bobby pin such that the pin falls under the “hood” formed by the ponytail.
Now, you start teasing the ponytail. Lift small sections and backcomb them and keep layering them back on each other by letting them fall over one another. Backcombing is the key to getting all the volume for this pageboy-style bouffant. The more you backcomb, the more volume you’ll get.
Once you’re happy with the kind of volume you’ve achieved, take a comb and lightly brush the top of the voluminous ponytail to smoothen out the surface that’s visible. Don’t brush through it: you just want to give the visible section a sleek look.
Now, take the ends of the ponytail and pin them onto your head while fanning the ponytail out to form a big, bun-like bouffant across the back of your head. You can even roll a bit of the ends in while pinning if your hair’s too long and the bouffant ‘hangs’ lower than the nape of your neck.
Fanning out the ponytail can result in some gaps on the top. Rearrange your hair at the top to cover any sections in the bouffant’s façade. Once you’re happy with how it looks, use a stronghold hairspray to secure the style.
4. Michael Kors
I love the hairstyle we saw at Michael Kors’ fashion show! It’s always so much fun when someone finds a way to make an everyday ponytail look just a little bit interesting, just a little bit exciting. The super sleek, shiny tape-wrapped ponytail makes for such an easy yet funky hairstyle.
Here’s How You Can Get It:
You probably know how to make a really sleek, high ponytail but let’s just go through the motions for formality’s sake, shall we?
Start with freshly washed and blow-dried hair. Use a straightened if you want your locks to be poker straight. The models at the Michael Kors’ show were wearing a subtle, single wave in their ponytails. It’s a great trick to add some dimension and flow to a simple ponytail but you can go as straight or wavy as you like.
Gather your hair in a really high ponytail. When you’re doing so, keep brushing and combing through the hair at the crown so that you can get it to be really slick and lay very flat on your head. Use a shine serum or a gloss-boosting product to really make your hair look super healthy.
Once you’re happy with how your hair looks, secure it in a ponytail using a clear elastic band.
If you want to add some waves to your hair you can by using curling tongs or hot rollers. If not, skip this step.
Now, the whole appeal of this look is in how the ponytails have been jazzed up. It’s really very simple, but the effect is amazing! The bases of the ponytails were covered in black tape, which added a really funky, graphic look to an otherwise simple look.
You’re probably not very comfortable wrapping tape around your hair, and with good reason! I can only just imagine how tough it would be to get sticky tape off your hair! What you can do instead is using a thicker rubber band or hair scrunchie in the same color as your hair and layer the tape over it. Or if you want a really flattened out look for the tape, use a metal hair cone or a flat barrette and wind the tape over that.
Brush through your ponytail and that’s about it. You can tame any flyaways with a bit of hairspray sprayed onto a comb or even a drop of Argan oil. You don’t really need to add any hairspray to this look: if you’ve secured the ponytail properly, it should hold up okay through the day!
5. Jason Wu
Out of all my picks from the New York Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013, the hairstyle from Jason Wu’s show is undoubtedly the most glamorous and most formal one. It’s a really sleek, sectioned and wrapped chignon with some metallic accents. It’s a fabulous look for a super glamorous evening.
Here’s How You Can Get It:
Now, admittedly this might be a tough one to pull off on your first attempt at home, but don’t lose heart! A little bit of practice is all you need for a look like this.
Your hair needs to be squeaky clean, super sleek and poker straight for this look. It’s one of those styles where straightening your hair really brings out multiple dimensions in the look.
Begin by combing your straightened hair till it is really shiny. Add a shine serum to make the hair glossy. Be careful though, you don’t want to go overboard and end up with sticky hair.
I’ll share a slightly simplified version of this look with you, so that even styling beginners can do this look at home without difficulty.
Part your hair down the middle and comb it into three regular sections, one on each side and then the rest at the back.
Pull the sections at the side to the front and use styling clips to secure them while you work on the section at the back. You don’t want any hair to get tangled or pulled back.
From the section at the back, start by gathering the hair from the very bottom and roll it into a small chignon and fix it at the nape of your neck with bobby pins or a clear elastic band. If you want to add more depth and style to the chignon you can actually braid tthe hair first and then roll it into a bun for a more elaborate look.
Once your chignon’s in place, start working on creating the layered look. This is the trickiest part of this style. This is where we style the two front sections such that they crisscross over the back of the head and over the chignon to create a structured, layered look.
Separate one inch of hair at the very front on both sides. These sections will be styled at the very end. You can simply pin them away from the rest of your hair for now.
Now, move to the rest of the front sections. Start by picking a wide section of hair from one of the sides and gently, carefully drawing it over the back of your head at an angle such that it goes around the chignon.
You have to pull these sections back diagonally, take them around and under the chignon and then loop them around the bun and fix them in with bobby pins.
Don’t disturb the middle-part while you pull the hair back. The section should lay flat against your hair and stretch back towards, under and around the chignon.
Now do the same thing with an equal-sized section from the other side at the front, only make sure you layer it over the first side.
Repeat the process until hair from both the front sections has been fixed around the chignon. At the end, the different layered sections will create a basket weave-like pattern at the back of your head.
The most important step is to create the crisscross pattern carefully, so if you’re having trouble looping each section around the chignon, simply tuck each section into the chignon or under its base and pin it in. whatever you’re comfortable with!
Now, come back to the two one inch-wide sections at the very front. Undo them and straighten to make sure they’re very sleek. Take one section and simply pull it down from behind your ear and around your hairline and pin it into place under the chignon. Repeat this step with the other side and pin that under the bun too. These two sections should create a U from the front to the back of your head and sort of encapsulate the whole style and frame it all.
To complete the look, take two metallic barrettes and pin them into the topmost crossed layer. This is an optional step for if you want to jazz up the look. For a more sophisticated and classy vibe, skip this step.
Add a stronghold hairspray to ensure your style will last.
Hi All!
Hope you’re all doing great!
Awards season is on in full swing, and I just got done with styling Anne Hathaway’s hair for the BAFTA 2013 awards! What a fantastic experience!
I’m always charmed by working with Anne: she’s so warm and friendly and she’s got the kind of lovely beauty that doesn’t make a fuss about itself!
I am so thrilled for Anne and so happy that she won! She’s really done an outstanding job in Les Misérables and deserves every bit of the praise she’s getting! It’s inspiring to see how far she’s come from her portrayal of the shy, gawky teenager-turned-princess in The Princess Diaries. She was adorable then, and she’s absolutely stunning now!
Keeping up with her super-trendy short do, I decided to style her hair in a simple style, but with a slightly messy and piecy texture, to compliment her sleek, metallic stud embellished t-shirt style black Burberry dress. Anne paired up her dress with two thick burnished gold bangles and a gorgeous clutch. She completed the look with a bright pop of pink on her lips and softly lined eyes.
I wanted to keep in tune with her overall rocker glam look so I decided to go for a slightly messier version of her simple, short style. I also played up the look with a choppy side part and a heavy fringe with lots of body, drawn low over her forehead.
I used a tiny bit of Wellaflex mouse and towel-dried her hair using my fingers and a skeleton brush to play up the natural texture and volume of her hair. After that I added some more choppy sleekness to her hair by using the Braun Satin Hair Senso Care styler, which is the ideal tool for a look like this, adjusting to just the right settings for the particular hair type.
Once I’d arranged her bangs low across her forehead, I misted her hair with some of the latest Wellaflex hairspray for a strong, yet flexible, hold. At this stage you can also separate a few strands with your fingers if you want to further play up the texture.
The look is very youthful and very stylish and adds a slightly mischievous, rocker chic charm to her delicate features.
It’s such a great everyday look but for someone with Anne’s vibrant personality, it also works wonders at a formal event like the BAFTA awards.
Speaking of, the BAFTA awards are one of my absolute favourite award shows. There’s such a lovely warm vibe at the BAFTAs that you can’t help but get drawn into the festiveness of it all! What I really admire about the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (the organisation behind the awards) is that it’s a fabulous charity of really talented people working tirelessly to promote and celebrate the moving image art form.
The BAFTA awards happen to be one of the most prestigious award shows in the international film community, and it’s such a great pleasure to be present in the city in the midst of all the excitement!
