The biggest stars from music, TV and fashion descended upon London's O2 Arena for the BRIT Awards on Wednesday evening. And while we were blown away by some of the memorable performances, and red carpet looks, we also got some serious beauty inspiration from the likes of Holly Willoughby, Mollie King and BRIT Award winner Jesy Nelson. Luckily for us, celebrity hairstylist Carl Bembridge has shared his tips on how to recreate some of the standout looks at home…
Sleek and Shiny like Holly Willoughby
© Photo: Getty ImagesI loved Holly's look; it was so different to her usual style but she looked so glamorous and so sharp with her sleek, slicked-back hair and glitzy sequin dress. It's hard to get shine into blonde hair but hers looks glossy and so healthy. To recreate her look on coloured hair, use a toning shampoo like Sachajuan's Silver Shampoo to remove brassiness, and a hydrating, shine-boosting conditioner such as Organic Surge Shine Boost. Blow dry the hair straight with a paddle brush, ensuring that you get all areas as smooth as possible, and that you're pointing the shaft of the hairdryer downwards at the hair. Then part the hair in the middle and use straighteners to smooth out the lengths. Pay particular attention to the front section; I pull the back sections into a ponytail out of the way, and section off around three inches at the front, on either side of the head. Smooth these sections down from the parting, with a small amount of Toni & Guy's Classic Shine Gloss Serum to get a really slick look and plenty of shine. Tuck the front sections behind the ears and wear the hair back behind the shoulders for a really stylish but low-maintenance look.
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Long boho waves like Jesy Nelson
I am loving Jesy's fierce auburn colour at the moment – it's so dramatic and looks stunning on her! Jesy's BRITs look was a mix between classic Hollywood waves and boho curls, with a bit of edge and texture to grunge it up. Prep the hair by creating some volume at the roots; I really like Aster & Bay's Dry Shampoo to create a matte texture and some lift. Part the hair in a deep side parting, and use a jumbo tong to create loose, bedhead waves like Jesy's. Run your fingers through them to separate, and then leave them to cool. On the thicker side of your hair, lift the front section and backcomb the underneath to create the dramatic lift Jesy has, and smooth over the top with a fine-bristle brush like Denman's Dress Out Brush. Finish the whole look with a shine-boosting hairspray for gloss – I really like CoLab's Luxe Shine.
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Alesha Dixon's Sleek Top Knot
© Photo: Getty ImagesA slicked-back topknot is such a bold style! There's nowhere to hide with this look as it totally exposes the face, the makeup and the line of the dress. You need to be confident with this style and rock it with pride, like Alesha. Again, the hair needs to be really smooth and tangle-free to get this style looking as polished as it needs to for maximum impact. Make sure the hair is scraped back into a high ponytail on the crown of the head and fasten tightly, then backbrush the lengths for lots of volume. I like using a bun ring for fullness and precision, so pop this over the ponytail and wrap the hair over and under the ring for a beautiful ballerina bun with red-carpet flair!
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Mollie King's Glossy Lob
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe lob is the hairstyle of the moment, and Mollie suits it perfectly. She's gone for a lighter, icy-toned blonde which looks incredible – so glossy! This look is simple to recreate at home; use a blonde-enhancing shampoo and conditioner and blow-dry using your fingers. Use L'Oreal Professionel Tecni Art Pli Shaper spray on the dry hair, and then use your straighteners to create loose, effortless waves throughout the hair. Alternate the direction of the waves for that ultra-cool look like Mollie, and ruffle them through with your fingers. Finish with a great high-shine hairspray to get that glam finished effect!
Sleek Ponytail like Neelam Gill
© Photo: Getty ImagesSupermodel Neelam Gill's hair was the perfect accessory to her sleek navy jumpsuit. Try a loose, low ponytail to let your outfit do the talking. Part the hair in the middle and brush it through until it's really smooth, and then run your straighteners over the lengths to get it poker-straight with a mirror shine. Pull back into a really loose, low ponytail at the nape of the neck and fasten, and finish with a couple of drops of Matrix Style Link Gloss Booster Serum to get it really smooth and glossy. Et voila! A pared-back style that will complement your look beautifully.
Find out more about Carl and see his photos on www.carlbembridgehair.co.uk
