REJOICE! WE CAN FINALLY GET OUR HAIR DONE 

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The countdown to salons opening on 12 April starts here – with ten pages of style inspiration to get you excited about slipping into that chair. You’ll never moan about an uncomfy basin again, says Suzanne Scott

For an easy update, try an Alexa Chung-style long fringe

Face-framing highlights like Sarah Jessica Parker’s are super flattering

Curl power, 2021 style: embrace your hair’s natural texture like Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Face-framing highlights like Sarah Jessica Parker’s are super flattering; Curl power, 2021 style: embrace your hair’s natural texture like Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Go grey glamorously like Emma Thompson

The new ‘down-do’: Louise Redknapp showcases the chunky plait

Go grey glamorously like Emma Thompson; The new ‘down-do’: Louise Redknapp showcases the chunky plait

THE NEW COLOUR CODE

Bored with the same shade you’ve had for years? The world’s greatest colourists have ideas

‘NATURAL’ HIGHLIGHTS

It’s all about the ‘makeunder’ – techniques and colours that flatter the skin tone

Adam Reed London stylist @whatsarahdoes showcases 90s face framing: Combining boldness and softness Majorly inspired by the iconic Guess Campaigns of the 1990’s feel

Adam Reed London stylist @whatsarahdoes showcases 90s face framing: Combining boldness and softness Majorly inspired by the iconic Guess Campaigns of the 1990’s feel 

THE BALAYAGE: Darker roots, seen here on Naomie Harris (left) and Chrissy Teigen, have become more popular since lockdown, explains top colourist Jack Howard. ‘This balayage effect is more forgiving when you’re growing colour out’

RED IS HOT AGAIN

Forget the rose-tinted hair of lockdown 1. The shade for now is red, red, red. And now is the time to experiment…

For a full-on crimson a la Rihanna, 'be aware that it will take more to maintain it, so speak to your colourist first,' says Jack

The Queen’s Gambit’s Anya Taylor-Joy’s standout orange bob lit up our screens last year. ‘For a more subtle look Add hints of red with lowlights and glazes,’ says Jack

For a full-on crimson a la Rihanna, ‘be aware that it will take more to maintain it, so speak to your colourist first,’ says Jack; The Queen’s Gambit’s Anya Taylor-Joy’s standout orange bob lit up our screens last year. ‘For a more subtle look Add hints of red with lowlights and glazes,’ says Jack

‘If you naturally flush, choose something less vibrant, like Stacey Dooley’s golden shade,’ says Rita

‘Deeper reds like Isla Fisher’s look great as solid colours,’ says Rita

‘If you naturally flush, choose something less vibrant, like Stacey Dooley’s golden shade,’ says Rita; ‘Deeper reds like Isla Fisher’s look great as solid colours,’ says Rita

To keep your red rich…

Rita Hazan True Color Ultimate Shine Gloss in Red (£21, net-a-porter.com) restores vibrancy, intensity and shine.

Josh Wood Shade Shot Gloss (£19, joshwoodcolour.com) comes in four shades to maintain warmth and colour.

Moroccanoil Color Depositing Mask in Bordeaux (£28.85, lookfantastic.com) delivers a rich red tone and conditions.

Oribe Shampoo (£44) and Conditioner For Beautiful Color (£49, net-a-porter.com) help block colour-fading UV rays.

The secret to keeping your colour vibrant like Julianne Moore’s? ‘Use a gloss at home in between salon appointments,’ says Rita

The secret to keeping your colour vibrant like Julianne Moore’s? ‘Use a gloss at home in between salon appointments,’ says Rita

GREY MATTERS

Ever more women are embracing their natural shade. So how can you grow into your grey and survive the transition stage while still looking pulled together? 

To achieve Diane Keaton’s subtle silver, ‘I’m using reverse techniques, where i take the colour out with bleach,’ says colour expert Nicola Clarke

For Glenn Close’s grey to white effect, ‘try Lightening the ends and blending in the colour from the roots,’ says A-list colourist Josh Wood

To achieve Diane Keaton’s subtle silver, ‘I’m using reverse techniques, where i take the colour out with bleach,’ says colour expert Nicola Clarke

To give a cropped cut more oomph like Emma Thompson’s or influencer Tia Taylor’s: ‘I use a subtle blue or violet gloss on greys to help brighten them,’ explains Josh

To keep long grey hair looking fabulous like Vogue magazine’s Sarah Harris, ‘use a weekly deep conditioning treatment,’ says Josh

To keep long grey hair looking fabulous like Vogue magazine’s Sarah Harris, ‘use a weekly deep conditioning treatment,’ says Josh

To make your silver glow…

Josh Wood Icy Blonde Gloss (£19, joshwoodcolour.com) boosts vibrancy, strength and hydration.

Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray (£25, colorwowhair.com) keeps frizz at bay and adds shine.

Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask (£64, spacenk.com) restores strength and moisture with a keratin protein.

L’Oréal Paris Elvive Colour Protect More Than Shampoo (£6.99, lookfantastic.com) is like a more intense version of your regular shampoo. It will wash away any product build-up, oils and dirt that can make grey hair appear dull.

 

FOR CUTS ABOVE THE REST

You’ll be back in the salon’s hot seat soon, so try one of these styles to update your look

THE SHAG: For a total shake-up, try a Miley Cyrus-style shag. Why? ‘This style doesn’t just suit all hair types – it is easy to look after and looks great,’ says award-winning stylist Adam Reed

THE SHAG: For a total shake-up, try a Miley Cyrus-style shag. Why? ‘This style doesn’t just suit all hair types – it is easy to look after and looks great,’ says award-winning stylist Adam Reed

KEEP IT LONG: If months without a trim have left you wanting your long hair to be more like Kate Moss’s or the Duchess of Cambridge’s, top stylist Andreas Wild advises: ‘with shoulder-length hair, avoid layers as they add too much flick. For finer hair, an outgrown fringe will create a fuller look’

THE FLAT-IRON WAVE: cut it like Karlie Kloss with this grunge-inspired look. ‘A modern take on the bob, it uses the flat iron to create subtle “undone” waves. It’s the hair equivalent of the “no-make-up make-up” look,’ says top stylist George Northwood

THE FLAT-IRON WAVE: cut it like Karlie Kloss with this grunge-inspired look. ‘A modern take on the bob, it uses the flat iron to create subtle “undone” waves. It’s the hair equivalent of the “no-make-up make-up” look,’ says top stylist George Northwood

Go for a fringe

From long and heavy to short and statement, it’s one of the quickest ways to update a hairstyle…

Consider a statement fringe – like model Lily Cole’s (left). ‘I love all fringes,’ says Andreas, ‘but my favourite is super short because it creates such an extreme look’

‘When choosing a fringe, consider the texture of your hair as it will affect how your fringe sits,’ advises Andreas. Jameela Jamil has perfected a sleek ‘centre-parting’ effect

‘When choosing a fringe, consider the texture of your hair as it will affect how your fringe sits,’ advises Andreas. Jameela Jamil has perfected a sleek ‘centre-parting’ effect

‘Yes, you can have a fringe with curly hair,’ says Andreas. ‘You just need the right products to stop it jumping around’

Find the fringe for you 

  • Longer faces suit heavier fringes.
  • Open fringes work best with rounder faces.
  • If you have a square face, try a ‘grown-out’ fringe or anything that softens the chin line.
  • Oval faces usually suit everything. It’s all about confidence.

 

SHORT CUTS

While some may have come to love their long lockdown hair, there will be others who are more than ready to chop it all off. If you’re tempted, now is the time to give it a go. A-list stylists Adam Reed and George Northwood have the lowdown on shorter cuts…

‘There are so many incredible mature, short-haired icons, in particular Helen Mirren [above] and Judi Dench. If you do decide to go for a shorter style, you need to maintain it regularly so it always looks sharp and sophisticated,’ says George

‘There are so many incredible mature, short-haired icons, in particular Helen Mirren [above] and Judi Dench. If you do decide to go for a shorter style, you need to maintain it regularly so it always looks sharp and sophisticated,’ says George

Make it chop-chop! From top, Letitia Wright, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Zoe Kravitz, Vicky McClure and Gillian Anderson prove that ‘as long as your hair is in great condition and the cut suits your face, short hair is for all,’ says Adam

Make it chop-chop! From top, Letitia Wright, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Zoe Kravitz, Vicky McClure and Gillian Anderson prove that ‘as long as your hair is in great condition and the cut suits your face, short hair is for all,’ says Adam

 How to make less hair more

  • ‘Texturising spray, such as my Undone by George Northwood Wave Holding Spray (£15, georgenorthwood.com) or Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist (£25, net-a-porter.com), is a must. Plus a good finishing cream to remove any frizz or flyaways and to give a super sleek finish,’ says George.
  • ‘I love Larry King’s range,’ says Adam, ‘and use L’Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil (£19.70, lookfantastic.com) on every single one of my clients. A good hairdryer is essential for styling short hair; the GHD Helios (£159, ghdhair.com) is my go-to.’

 

BOW DOWN TO THE BOB

It’s been tipped as the big thing for 2021, and a bob is a surefire way to switch up your look. Luke Hersheson, CEO of Hershesons salons, tells us about his signature textured bob which, he says, ‘is the most universal, adaptable haircut ever’ 

Play it soft and loose like actresses Sarah Paulson and Natalie Portman (right). The key to the textured bob is that it looks lived-in. To create it we use a mix of scissors and razors. It’s not a classic precision technique – it’s more freehand painter

From model Jourdan Dunn to actress Naomi Watts (right), a textured bob suits all. It’s timeless, works on all face shapes and hair types. The key is to embrace your natural texture then put your own spin on it

UNFURL YOUR CURLS

Many of us have learned to love our natural waves over the past year. Texture expert Charlotte Mensah shows how to make the most of them 

For 3C-style corkscrew curls like Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s, the key is condition. Curly hair needs more moisture because it’s harder for the natural oils from the scalp to travel its length, so apply a moisturising treatment at least every two weeks

For 3C-style corkscrew curls like Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s, the key is condition. Curly hair needs more moisture because it’s harder for the natural oils from the scalp to travel its length, so apply a moisturising treatment at least every two weeks

The right cut is crucial. Kerry Washington has a style that emphasises her natural texture and is easy to manage between appointments

The right cut is crucial. Kerry Washington has a style that emphasises her natural texture and is easy to manage between appointments

The secret to super-conditioned curls is to wash your hair less, massage your scalp with a hair oil and always detangle from bottom to top. From far left: TV presenter Elaine Welteroth, Andie Macdowell and, below, Jesy Nelson and Shakira

YOUR ESSENTIAL CURL KIT

 Living Proof Curl Shampoo and Conditioner (£31 each, livingproof.co.uk) deliver a hit of moisture and help to prevent curl damage.

Color Wow One-Minute Transformation Styling Cream (£19, colorwowhair.com) tidies up ends and neatens flyaways, as well as smoothing and taming unmanageable areas without weighing hair down.

Dizziak Deep Conditioner (£22, libertylondon.com) is unbelievably hydrating.

Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil (from £15, charlottemensah.com) adds moisture and shine, tames frizz and smells incredible; you can even massage it into your scalp as a hydrating treatment.

Slip Pure Silk Turban (£70, net-a-porter.com) is great for tucking your hair into at night to prevent friction breakage and frizz, and to help your curls hang on to their moisture.

IF YOUR HAIR NEEDS A TREAT…

These three salon favourites will help to keep it strong, soft and shiny  

Redken Acidic Concentrate System, available from Redken salons nationwide

This treatment, designed for coloured and bleached hair, adds moisture, strength and restores pH. Amino acids boost hair’s resilience, while glycerin delivers nourishment and moisture. If you’re bleaching, tinting, perming or enhancing your greys, you need this.

John Frieda Hair Health MOT, John Frieda Salon, Aldford Street, London W1, 020 7491 0840

Devised by John Frieda Salons’ creative director Zoë Irwin, this uses a three-step process of detoxifying, strengthening and repairing, to restore hair to its best. ‘This is like a facial, but for your hair and scalp,’ she explains. ‘We work in layers; the scalp is exfoliated, an Indian head massage helps to relieve stored tension in the scalp and stimulate, then we nourish with masks.’

Matrix High Amplify Root Upwash, available from Matrix salons nationwide

This intensive cleansing treatment has an acidic pH, meaning it effectively cleans build-up from oils and dirt so fine hair can feel more voluminous.

Picture credits: Broadimage, VICKIE FLORES/EPA-EFE, Chelsea Lauren, Anthony Harvey, Startraks, David Fisher, Richard Young, Rob Latour, Gregory Pace, James Shaw, Matt Baron, Laurent VU/SIPA, LMK/REX/Shutterstock, David M Benett/Getty Images, Wireimage, Vantage News, Landmark Media, Backgrid, Sophia Beck, Brian Ach/Invision/AP, MATRIXPICTURES.CO.UK, @juliaroberts/instagram, GoffPhotos