With Sunday fast approaching, the Oscars starlets will be prepping and preening – think handfuls of beauty treatments, multiple dress fittings and hair appointments – for the biggest event in the showbiz calendar.
Celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton, who has styled everyone from Jerry Hall to Juliette Lewis and is on speed dial for many a red carpet event, knows first-hand the preparation that goes into a red carpet appearance.
Here, he reveals exclusively to HELLO! the tricks and secrets behind a perfect hair look.
- A great Hollywood trick is the instant eye lift. It can take ten years off any starlet with a simple hair plait at the hairline. Tiny strands of hair are woven into a mini three strand plait on the hairline, so small it can be disguised with a little hair placement. The plait is pulled back from the face and secured with a pin into the rest of the style.
- Clip in hair extensions are used by most red carpet attendees – not only to give instant length but also instant volume and fuller, thicker hair. You can even use them to add colour. We almost always add hair for an up-do to ramp up the glam factor.
- Hair needs to stay perfect throughout the evening and to keep long hair in shape for hours on end often involves pinning the hair onto tiny roller shaped rolls - releasing the rolls immediately before appearing on the red carpet.
- Mousse is one of the tricks we use to add volume and support to any style but the double blow dry technique is the ultimate secret weapon. We blow-dry the hair once from damp with mousse and then re wet the hair, adding more mousse, and blowdry a second time. The trick gives long lasting, exaggerated style.
- Shine is vital for a stunning red carpet look and a diet rich in protein will add extra sheen to the hair. Many a red carpet-goer will not only follow a strict diet in the lead up to the big day to look her best but will also follow a diet rich in protein to guarantee healthy shiny hair and a glowing complexion.
