Stylist to the stars George Northwood gives his foolproof plan for perfecting the ultimate beach babe hair
When the summer seasons come around we’re suddenly less interested in the fussier trends and time consuming dos, and really, we just want a beachy bed of sexy tousled hair. Ironically however, achieving said understated yet cool look can often be harder said than done - with a matted mess or crispy, crunchy curls being the outcome.
So, we’ve decided to call in expert help and have reached out to celebrity hair stylist, George Northwood , who’s coiffed some of the best beachy waves in the business (namely Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley dont you know) for his foolproof plan of how to achieve the most mermaid-esque mane.
Here are his five steps to perfectly tousled tresses, surfboard and tan not included.
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Wash
“It’s important not to over condition the hair,” says George. “So no masks. Your hair should be clean but not too slippery.”
For a good bit of nourishing grip George recommends beginning with a wash of Pureology Hydrate shampoo , £11.10 to give you hair the hydration it needs. It might even be worth washing your hair the day or night before, just to give it an added kick of natural texture.
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Prep
“Next spray towel-dried hair with Pureology Colour Fanatic , £16, to protect against heat styling,” says George, and “add a little Redken Full Swirl , £14.05, too as this will help give your hair some waves and movement.”
Dry
“Then rough dry your hair on a high heat but at a low speed, scrunching and twisting the hair as you go,” instructs George.
“Alternatively, you can also use a diffuser to ensure a gentle dry and lightly wave random sections with a big barrel tong, leaving out your roots and ends.”
For the ultimate curling combo we recommend opting for the Toni&Guy Salon Professional Universal Diffuser , £14.99, and the ghd Curve Classic Wave Wand, £110, which in our humble Glossy opinion, is quite possibly the best heated tong on the planet for creating a dishevelled do.
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Spritz
“Once you’ve done that spritz the roots, lengths and ends of your hair with a splash of Redken Style Connection Quick Tease , £13.85, to give it some guts and hold,” says George.
For an added depth of wave dimension we also can’t get enough of the John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Salt Spray , £6.99 - with a heavenly scent and rough, matte texture it’s the perfect product to give limp hair and bit of bounce and boost.
Finish
For the finishing touches to help pull the look together George recommends rubbing Redken Powder Grip , £12.20, into your hands and scrunching through the lengths and ends to help keep your hair matte and messy.
If however, you prefer a slightly more polished wave then a touch of the Redken Diamond Oil Aerosol Spray , £12.20, gives a gorgeously glossy finish.
A voila, behold a head of undone waves that will threaten to de-throne even Blake Lively from her beachy haired throne.
For more tips on how to perfect tousled tresses take a look at our video below:
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