While we look forward to hair salons reopening on 12th April, pretty much all of us are trying our best to conceal split ends, dry lengths and maybe even DIY hair colour mishaps. Our trusty claw clips have come in handy to hide a multitude of hair sins and have also taken the chore out of styling but frankly, we’re a bit bored of them. In other words, we’re in need of some serious hair inspiration.
No one understands effortlessly glamorous hair quite like British hairstylist and Hollywood favourite, Chris Appleton. His famous clients include J.Lo, Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa, and chic, uncomplicated styles are his forte. We recently sat down with the pro himself, who talked us through five quick and easy hair looks to try during the last weeks of lockdown. The best part? They’ll only take you a matter of moments to achieve.
The Accidentally Perfect Topknot
This is one of the easiest styles to try and there are two ways of nailing it. The first way is simply putting your hair into a ponytail, wrapping it around itself to achieve a knot and then securing with either hair pins or another hairband. Or Chris suggests styling a ponytail, then putting in a hairband a couple of inches from the ends of your hair. “This gives you control, so you can just wrap the hair around itself,” said Chris. “My tip would be to try and do this in one go. If you start putting lots of pins and hairbands in, you’re doing it wrong.”Chris’ top tip? “If you have silky, clean hair, a messy topknot isn’t going to work. You should be able to get enough hold in your hair by using a texturising spray. I like the Color Wow Style On Steroids, £22, to really tease the hair before putting it in a bun.”
We also recommend Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast, £25, and Ouai Texturising Hair Spray, £10, to give hair some grip.
Chris said hair needs to be lived in to achieve a wispy style like this one created by hairstylist Eddie Rodriguez. Use the end of a comb to tease out some strands for more of an undone feel. Position matters, too. “I always think the crown looks great for a topknot bun like this, as it gives a nice lift to the face,” said Chris. “Low buns always look quite serious!”
The Bubble Braid
This isn’t as intricate or fiddly as other braided styles but it’s just as playful, as illustrated by hair and style blogger and YouTuber, Nucchi.”It’s just about making sure you have enough space between each hair elastic, for example a couple of inches,” said Chris. Simply fashion your hair into a ponytail and tie elastics into the hair a few inches apart, depending on the length of your hair. If it’s shorter, apply the hairbands a little closer together. “My tip is to make sure that you use your fingers to pinch each bubble outwards to make them appear fuller,” said Chris, and this is a great trick for fine hair. Chris touts a high, Ariana Grande-inspired ponytail as more of a cool, statement look but low ponytails look great, too. You could also try bubble braid bunches, like Instagrammer Aimee Bri.
DIY Curtain Bangs
While Chris doesn’t recommend cutting in a fringe from scratch (it’s way too risky), there’s no ignoring the curtain bangs trend taking over TikTok. It’s actually really easy to fake it, especially if you have layers or you’re growing out a fuller fringe.Chris said it’s as simple as parting your hair down the middle, keeping the front sections free, whipping your hair into a messy bun and investing in a good hairdryer. After spritzing hair with a thickening spray like Raise The Root, £19, blow-dry each front section away from your face using a big round brush, said Chris. This YouTube tutorial nails it.
Putting your front sections into a large hair roller and focusing a hairdryer over the roller for a few moments will also give you the same blown-out style. “This style looks good, frames the face and doesn’t take too much effort,” said Chris.
We rate the ghd Air Hair Dryer, £109, which comes with a nozzle for ultimate precision, and Boots Cushion Rollers, £3.50.
Face-Framing Braids Or Pigtails
Hair feeling a little frazzled lately? You’re not alone. If you use a hairdryer or straighteners to style your lengths, you’ll know that breakage and split ends almost always culminate around the front of your hair or around your face, where hair tends to be a bit thinner. That’s where Chris’ face-framing braids come in. Instead of using heat on your hair, plait the front sections and secure with a hair elastic, like this look created on Dua Lipa. The style looks better with some texture, so it’s great for those with naturally wavy lengths who might want to cut back on heat.Double-braided pigtails are also a big look, according to Chris, and it’s all thanks to Mary-Kate Olsen. For more of a grown-up feel, don’t tie them at the end with hair bands. Instead, weave the hair tightly and spritz with hairspray to keep them in place.
Overnight Waves
“During lockdown, lots of people with longer hair have been going to bed with two wet braids at the side and waking up with undone natural waves,” said Chris. To avoid the ’80s look and get modern, undone waves instead, Chris suggests fashioning the braids lower down. “When you do this, the root looks flatter and you get that nice, natural, cool girl wave,” said Chris, who champions embracing your natural texture. Ditch your conditioner for the Chris Appleton x Color Wow Money Masque, £38.50, which makes hair soft and manageable.
Credit: Original article published here.The post Low-Maintenance Hairstyles To See You Through Until Salons Reopen appeared on My Celebrity Life.