What are the beauty secrets of a hair icon? We asked the A-list actress for her definitive hair rules...
With a hairstyle named after her, it’s safe to say that Jennifer Aniston has solidified her place as a bona fide hair icon.
Ever since Friends hit our screens in 1994, the actress and Living Proof co-owner’s hairstyles and haircuts over the years have become some of the most copied in recent memory. From long to short hair to golden blonde to dark brown, from the layered ‘Rachel’ shag cut that made hair history to her trademark tousled beachy waves that accompanied her win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2002 Emmy Awards (one of our favourite red carpet moments ever).
Just as friendly and lovely as we’d hoped she’d be, we caught up with Jennifer to ask her all about the ins and outs of her hair care regime, the inspiration behind her new curly hair line and her definitive hair dos (and don’ts)...
Do go low maintenance and silicone-free
“I try to be as low maintenance as possible when I’m not working - I don’t really use a lot of tools like curling irons or flat irons and I wash my hair around every 2-3 days.
“One of my favourites of the Living Proof line are the No Frizz Shampoo , £9 and Conditioner , £9, which are great for naturally wavy hair types that tend to go a bit on the frizzy side. They’re incredible products. They were the first of the line that I tried when I started to use Living Proof. The products don’t contain silicone, which after the initial romancing period in the first couple of months where they seem to be working, cause the hair to become brittle and start to break due to the build-up. Our scientists figured out a way to replace that with a new molecule. As the silicone has been taken out of them, I can go days without washing my hair as it doesn’t collect dirt, stays clean for around 2-3 days and takes away the wear and tear caused by over-drying and the build-up of shampoo.”
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Don’t blindly follow trends
“I never think of myself as someone who strays too far - I’m a long hair girl so whenever I say to Chris McMillan (my friend and hair stylist) about making a big change to my hair, I spend a year mad at him afterwards. I don’t know why it’s his fault but it’s easier to blame him! I would say though, you need to know what you love and what looks good on you.”
Don’t neglect your diet
“The food you eat is going to reflect in your skin and hair. It’s good to keep it organic or all organic if you can - any kind of crap is going to react badly. Go low fat, go light with fried foods and drink lots and lots of water.”
Do embrace your natural hair type (when you can)
“My hair’s naturally wavy but I usually wore it straight because it was a pain having to do all the stuff I had to do to make it behave when it was wavy. It usually ended up being too heavy or greasy and I had to wash it the next day.
“The Curl line is for all our girls who have really curly hair. It keeps it in place and prevents it from expanding. If there are girls with straight hair though and they curl it with a curling iron or with hot rollers, it acts as a curl extender so they don't drop. When I was in the Living Proof lab in Boston, we used two samples of curly hair - one using the products and one without and applied water. The Living Proof curl didn’t move at all. The other dropped like spaghetti. It’s quite an incredible line.”
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Do use an intensive hair mask
“Once a week I always use the Restore Mask , £35, which is so good. If your hair takes a beating at work, you’re blow-drying it every day or using a curling iron regularly, it’s a great regime for bringing life back into your hair. You can just apply it and sleep with it on.”
Do have fun!
“It’s fun to play with hair colour. I’ve recently been mixing up mine by going back to my natural brown shade and making my ends light. Baby steps with change is good unless you’re that bold person that thinks, ‘Let’s go with that pixie cut and have fun with it.’ Your hairdresser will be able to help you out with that one too.”
The Living Proof Curl line is available to buy from M&S online and in stores nationwide and from Cult Beauty .
Follow us @getthegloss and Ayesha @ayesha_muttu .
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