My big hair techniques

When I tell people about my job, one thing I get asked a bunch is how to get big hair. From your bouncy Cheryl Cole blow-dry to a full-on Ronettes solid bouffant, people seem to have an obsession with making their hair look large and in charge. First things first; I have a lot of hair. Big hair sort of comes naturally to me because I have so much of it. I look like a lion most days when I roll out of bed and can’t help that. Still, I’ve learnt a few tricks of the trade over the years so here they are…

1) PREP

When people do their hair outside of the salon, they don’t seem to prep it. It’s like primer for your skin – the end result looks better if you put base products on first.  It makes your style last, keeps it in place and also makes it easier to get a style there in the first place.

Wash your hair, get it towel dry, then add in the product of your choice and comb through.

I use: Bumble and bumble Prep and Bumble and bumble Thickening Spray. Spray ‘em both on liberally and comb through.

You could use: Davines Universal Body Mousse; Sebastian Professional Thickefy; L’Oreal Pro Tecni.Art Volume +  Really, any mousse or body-boosting product will help here to add volume to your hair and to make whatever you achieve last. Mousse gets a bad rap but that’s largely because you’re doing it wrong. A golf-ball blob for your whole head, comb through. It adds volume, it holds your style. There is a reason it’s still so popular.

2) DRY

Blow-drying your hair is a chore when you have as much as me, but using a big round brush and your hairdryer adds loads more volume and is key to getting the body you’re after. My technique tends to be rough blow-dry with your head upside down until the hair is about 75% done. Once it’s pretty dry, go in with a big round brush and dry in sections, pulling the hair tight around the brush and up to get the message through to your hair that it needs to go that way and stay there. Sectioning really is key – if you do half your head at once it won’t work. Drying with a round brush is hard to explain and you should ask your hairdresser to show you how (they should be happy to!), but if not – follow something like this.

3) BOOOOOOST

Once my hair is basically dry, I go in with the Velcros. Velcro rollers are the number one must-have for basically any hairdresser, ever. Ask ‘em and they’ll tell you. Ever wonder why you see all the WAGs papped with their hair in rollers having a fag outside a salon? Velcro rollers make everything better. They add volume all over the top of your hair, then a bit of curl through the ends. They are a Cheryl Cole blow-dry in a bit of plastic. Don’t deny Cheryl’s hair – when I was in Taylor Taylor in Shoreditch the other week, they told me it’s still their most requested blow-dry. In London’sTrendyEastEnd (TM)! Big but natural – what’s not to love?

So, what I do. Denman Jumbo Self-grip Rollers through the top layers and a combination of large and medium through the rest. There’s a modicum of an art to it, but really you can’t get it wrong – use big through the top and back and smaller as you go down. Stick all your hair in velcros, blast with your hairdryer to warm the metal in the model, spray with hairspray… leave. I sometimes leave it all day, other times half an hour – you’ll still get the result, but it might not last as long.

4) EXTRA BOOOOOOOOST

Generally I just take the rollers out at this point, but if I want more volume then I throw in a bit of back-brushing. I use the Vogetti Wonder Brush - which is also my standard back-brushing tool for bouffants and the like – and add sone brushing to the root as I unravel the roller.

5) FINISH

… with loads of hairspray. That’s it really.

I don’t think there’s much rocket science there but hopefully it helps – any questions? Feel free to ask, it is my job to help you.

Tags: Beauty and the beast