A day's sunbathing on the beach, lounging by the pool or sightseeing can be hard on your hair. Do the beach to bar transformation like a pro with a selection of easy, breezy styles as suggested by a couple of our favourite stylists that will take you from bikini babe to after-dark diva with minimum effort.
Beach braids
Award-winning hairdresser Steven Goldsworthy recommends using your natural parting to divide hair into two sections. Starting at the front on one side, divide hair into three sections and begin plaiting, picking up additional hair with each crossover as you work back towards the nape of the neck – rather like with a French braid technique. Continue plaiting almost to the ends of the hair before securing with a covered elastic. Repeat the process on the other side of the head.
To switch to a sexily tousled look for evening gently unpick the plaits, being careful not to brush or comb through as this will pull out the waves. Finish by applying a very small amount of serum to smooth the ends and give a high shine.
Nautical knots
To achieve this cute holiday look follow Steven Goldsworthy's tips. Apply mousse to damp hair to create hold, then divide the hair into eight even sections – three across the front, three across the middle and two at the nape. To create each knot, take one section between the fingers like a ponytail and begin twisting from roots to ends. Continue twisting until the hair buckles in on itself like a twisted-up phone cord. When it coils naturally into a tight knot, secure with a grip. Twist all eight sections in the same way for a funky beach style that will look great even if you're a bit of a water baby.
For an evening transformation carefully untwist each section and loosen with your fingers. Don't brush or comb through. Instead comb through the underneath with your fingers, mist the style with hairspray and attach a summery hair accessory.
Day to night ponytail
Tim Scott-Wright, Clynol Creative Partner and current Midlands Hairdresser of the Year, suggests putting a bit of thought into your pony to create a fiesta feel. If you're short of time and short of ideas, just blowdry the front sections and tie hair back in a loose, half-up, half-down ponytail which is soft and fluffy and gives your neck protection without it feeling much too hot. Then it's just a case of grabbing your camera if sightseeing's on the agenda or your beach towel if it's sunbathing.
For nighttime, up the glamour stakes by gathering your surf-splashed locks into a loose side ponytail. Apply Clynol's Massive Volume Spray, £7.05 (01296 314100) add a low zigzag parting and, sweeping hair over to the opposite side, backbrush it a bit for some sexy '60s volume. Secure the ponytail on the side just below the earlobe. Wrap one of the underneath strands around the base of the ponytail and secure in place with a grip for that authentic catwalk hair vibe.
Sea urchin short
Short and cropped styles will look and feel thicker after a dip in the sea, thanks to the salt residue. Tim Scott-Wright recommends leaving hair to dry naturally and then emphasising the texture by creating a separated, 'piecey' feel with Clynol's Fibreform Shaping Gum, £8.10. Wearing a scarf wrapped around the head bandana-style not only looks hip, but will also protect hair and scalp from too much sun.
For evening, spice things up with more of a wet look, would-be surf-soaked finish. Create the effect using a good-quality wax or gel wax. Apply strand by strand and dress hair back from the face to create a really clean finish.
