Simple steps for sexy hair
I LOVE the trend for ‘undone’ hair, but how can I achieve a fashionably messy look without looking like a scarecrow?
Kristen, 52, Glasgow. Messy hair — whether it’s called undone, bed-head or beachy waves — is a dishevelled look that appears carefree and sexy.
elle Macpherson wears the style well, but it works for shorter hair, too, looking especially good on bobs.
It is not as easy as it looks — I went to the salon for a bed-head blow-dry and spent 45 minutes longer in the chair than I usually would.
After drying my hair straight, the stylist curled it, then used her fingers to create texture and separate the waves. But my hair just looked messy — no different from when I had arrived two hours earlier, straight from swimming.
But I have learnt a lot about the perfect undone do. First, don’t let the stylist run their fingers through your hair. Insist on leaving the salon with tight curls and play with it when you get home. second, the tools and products are key.
I love Oribe Dry Texturizing spray (£ 38, aerblowdrybar.com), which prolongs the bed-hair look. simply massage into your hair, focusing on the scalp to give lots of texture at the roots.
To boost the wavy look, TResemme Perfectly Undone Waves Creating Foam (£5.50, boots.com) is ultra-light and infused with sea kelp extract. smooth onto sections of hair before wrapping it around tongs or straighteners. Then use Philip Kingsley Preen Cream (£19, feelunique.com) which seals the hairstyle and adds shine, while helping to calm frizz.
John Frieda salons have coined the term ‘low blow’ for their messy blow- dries and stylist Chloe Westley advises rough drying your hair with your fingers.
‘Use a brush along the hairline and top crown only, to smooth it out,’ she says.
‘Then curl your hair in sections. Make sure to tong in random directions and run your fingers through to relax the curls.
‘For shorter hair, only tong large sections on the top and at the front. If you have a bob, you should never curl the underneath. Rub some wax on the tips of your fingers and run through your hair to loosen the curls.’
Award-winning hairdresser Lee stafford says: ‘ This is a great style to bring your hair back to life. It works better on secondday hair, so start by spraying some dry shampoo into your roots, which adds volume.’
I love Dove Refresh+Care Dry shampoo (£4.59, boots.com). Lee also recommends using a salt spray after curling. ‘Generously spritz a sea salt spray (Lee stafford, £7.99, boots.com) into the mid-lengths and ends of hair,’ he suggests.
Large tongs work best. At London Fashion Week, Mark Hampton, global ambassador for Toni & Guy, created soft undone waves with the new Toni & Guy Jumbo Tong (£19.99, boots.com and superdrug.com).
‘Right before you go out, flip your head upside down and spray the roots with hairspray to keep your tousled locks in place,’ he advises.
My favourite tip for DIy messy hai r c omes f r om Denise McAdam. If, l i ke me, you struggle to use tongs and straighteners, she suggests using old- fashioned sponge rollers (Boots essentials small Cushion Rollers, £1.79 for a pack of five). ‘ Take them out in the morning and spray hairspray into your hands.
‘Then, using your fingers like a comb, gently work down from the top of your head,’ she says.