handbag.com recently caught up with award-winning hair stylist, Jamie Stevens. Jamie told us all about his favourite celebrity hairstyle of the moment, how to achieve it and what his must-have product is. Plus, he answers three of your recent hair care questions and gives his expert product recommendations.
Celebrity hairstyle of the moment: Lily Allen
Jamie says, "This is a real bang on-trend, super edgy look."
Step one
Apply lots of texture lotion and blast dry with a hairdryer. Use a nozzle to blow-dry the hair in the right direction.
Step two
Smooth out with a vent brush and then use straightening irons and iron out through the mid-length and ends maintaining a bit of body through the roots but poker straight through the ends.
Step three
Finish with a textured shine wax to add definition and gloss. The colour is black and glossy, so I would advise going down the semi-permanent colour route to start with.
Jamie Stevens answers your questions:
Hi Jamie
I'm hoping you can give me some advice. My hair has recently become thin and straight and has lost its curl. Plus it is also quite dry from over colouring. I'd love to have thick hair again which holds a curl but I don't know which products to go for - volumising or hydrating? Can I get both in one? If you can recommend anything, that would be great!
Many thanks, J.
To help your problem I would suggest you used a volumising shampoo with a hydrating conditioner, both from the Matrix Biolage range (lookfantastic.com). Also you should put a deep conditioning treatment on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair once a week to keep it shiny and to get the condition back, which will in turn help the curl come back. You should speak to your hairdresser and see if there is anyway you can reduce the amount of colour you put on your hair or try to change it so you use a method that is not so damaging.
Dear Jamie
I am 28 and I've been colouring my hair for 14 years now! I recently tried to lift some of the murkyness from it by having it lightened, but now it's very damaged! I've never had frizz this bad in my life - even when I tie it back and just after washing and applying products after blow drying is the worst.
I do use a hair drier everyday and I do use heat protection products but wonder if there is anything else I could use to stop this extreme frizz at my roots. My hair does feel soft, but it just looks like it's been fried...
Which products should I use?
Thanks, Jen
Ask for a Brazilian blow-dry. This keratin treatment is like a permanent blow-dry, and would work wonders on your hair. Not only will it eliminate all your frizz, it will make it a lot
more manageable for you to do. It lasts between three to five months and can be done
on coloured hair. In fact the more frizzy and porous the hair the better it will work.
Hi Jamie
I recently had a semi-permanent colour put on my hair which was a shade of dark brown with red in it. I love it but want to tone it down a little bit and wondered what you would suggest. I would like to get it back to a more natural brown colour but not sure what to buy to do it at home or what to ask for in the salon?
Look forward to hearing back from you. Becky
Be patient as it is a semi-permanent colour so it will wash out gradually. To achieve this quicker you should use a deep cleansing shampoo as often as you can to reduce the vibrancy of your colour. I never recommend you use home colours. I would always advise you to get professional salon advice. If price is an issue go to a top local salon and be a model for their training nights.
Jamie's hero product:
"Not one but any combination of the Matrix Biolage styling products. Try using a mousse for volume, a root lift and also a serum, all at once. Don't be afraid to try it and find your perfect cocktail!"
Matrix Biolage styling products from selected salons and online at lookfantastic.com
Jamie Stevens works at the Errol Douglas salon, 18 Motcomb Street, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 8LB.
Appointments: 020 7235 0110. Visit erroldouglas.com for more information.
In the salon with...Steven Goldsworthy
Find your ultimate hairstyle for 2010 with our hairstyle guide
