Christmas is upon us and, if you're lucky, with it comes the endless thud of invitations upon your doormat. Christmas lunches, sleepy afternoon sessions in the local, fabulous parties and the inevitable New Years Eve celebrations…the biggest social calendar month of the year demands more than dishevelled lengths or a carefree pony, so turn to the hottest British actress of now for your festive style inspiration.
Whether she's making waves during the day or going for full-on glam on a red carpet, Brit beauty Kate Winslet knows how to give good hair, so read on for expert advice on how you can recreate the lovely locks of everyone's favourite English Rose, with help from current British Hairdresser of the Year Andrew Barton, International Creative Director for Saks…
Kate by day
'Kate's hair is a good length as it frames her square jaw line and complements her curved shoulders,' says Andrew. 'When the hair gets too long it can start to drag features down and also become less versatile and manageable,' so if your face shape is similar to that of the lovely Kate's, keep just below shoulder length and free flowing.
'Blowdrying this style couldn't be easier,' Andrew promises, 'as the look is very casual and not too polished. Firstly, apply a mousse to the hair using a brush to ensure even distribution. Mousse is often thought of as an old fashioned product but the new generation mousses are soft and flexible and will help to swell the hair shaft giving more body. I love the Volume Extra Mousse from L'Oréál tecni.art. Work the mousse through the hair from roots to end, then tip your head upside down and blast the heat of the drier through your hair concentrating on the roots. When the hair is over three quarters dry sit up and start to create a smoother shape with a round barrelled brush. I use and recommend the award-winning Saksessories Curling Brush which comes in three sizes. For this style, use the small size which will help you to add soft, tousled movement. Taking random sections and holding the hair vertically wrap around the brush and heat up. Hold the hair in the brush for a few seconds whilst it cools before releasing and leave the hair in sausages shapes until the whole head is completed - about 10 to 15 sections should do it. When the whole head is finished tip the head back upside down and give it a good shake with your fingers. Then spray an aerosol hairspray through the hair, for example, Fix Anti-Frizz from L'Oréal tecni.art. The spray is dry so won't make the hair sticky or hard and will brush out, whilst its anti-humidity qualities will protect the hair for longer.' Sounds simple enough eh?
Kate by night
'Kate's hair really is her crowning glory,' Andrew says, 'Her signature hair image rarely changes its length or colour and is always worn loose and slightly unkempt. It has a casual understated vibe that says “I don't try too hard”. It's a fashionista's look that speaks volumes about the girl wearing it. Kate is far from naturally blonde and often has a dark re-growth revealing her blonding secret. On some this would like wrong but on Kate it all adds to the casualness of her style. It's a high impact blonde with 100% of the hair being coloured and should be cared for with quality hair care products like Kérastase. The Resistance range offers fantastic conditioning benefits to hair that is bleached or heavily blonded. People often opt for a deep conditioning treatment to boost the condition and this will certainly improve the hair and it's manageability but using a prescribed 3 step hair care regime by a hairdresser makes much more sense. Using shampoo, conditioner and a treatment from the same range will transform hair that is in need of a boost.'
'I call this a scruffy pony - a favourite of the catwalks. It's soft and feminine, an up 'do without structure or tight severe lines. Prepare for this hair in the same way as Kate's day look. All the best hair starts with a good foundation of styling. Don't use elastic bands on the hair. Try covered bands, hair ties or blax bands. There's loads of good stuff at Claire's or Accessorize. To add some guts to the hair gently use your fingers as a rake and backcomb the hair before tying it back as this will make the hair sturdy. Hold back the hair and tie. You may want to alternate between a high pony and a low one. Any loose hairs can be captured with kirby grips. Let the fringe gently fall out and sweep to one side for a relaxed, casual feel. Even the good old fashioned L'Oréal Elnett hairspray will add a great hold to this style. Finish with a spritz of the must-have shine product, Vernis Nutri-Sculpt from Kérastase.'
And there you have it, sexy in seconds! Now tease those tresses Winslet-style and get out there and have a ball!
Andrew is based at Saks' UK flagship in Covent Garden - 4-10 Tower Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9NP. Tel 0207 379 1188
