How to get wavy hair à la Kate Middleton in her 40th birthday portraits
The best hair on the planet? We think so...
The best hair on the planet? We think so...
Kate Middleton's hair has been the topic of many conversations over the years - from her protocol-breaking wedding hair to her most influential hairstyle of all time. Now, the question on everyone's lips is how to get wavy hair like the Duchess in her 40th birthday portraits.
We're not exaggerating, searches for how to get wavy hair have gone wild. On January 9th, the Duchess of Cambridge's birthday, searches were up 778%.
If you were one of those looking for guidance, allow us to help. We quizzed mega-stylist and Babyliss ambassador, Syd Hayes and asked for tips, tricks, tools and product recommendations to help us all replicate Kate's hair.
How to get wavy hair: the hair stylist-approved tips & tricks
'Kate’s hair is gorgeous and full in these photos,' he says. 'You can tell that the hair has been well-prepped to hold the waves. The key to Kate’s hair is four parts if done all together, will achieve that beautiful va-va-voom wavy voluminous hair.'
So what are these four parts?
1. Prep
Firstly, prep the hair with a heat protectant - this will help to create a barrier between your hair and the tools. It will also prevent any frizziness and flyaways.
'Think of it this way, you wouldn't go to the beach without putting on SPF to protect your skin, so you need to do the same to your hair.'
2. Drying
You want to have tension on your hair when styling and it's good to finish with a shot of cold air, which further locks your manipulated style into place.
3. Styling
At this point, you want to add volume. Turn your head upside down, this will add volume straight to the roots.
'I'm always into Evo's Root Canal Spray (£23 .90| Amazon) and to help cut the time down, I would use the Babyliss Hydro Fusion Air Styler.'
Next, you want to add in your waves. The key to this look is a loose textured wave.
'Use a twist wrap technique (rather than flat wrapping the hair) to create a looser and less polished wave. Alternate the direction of each strand of hair to create 'bends' rather than a unified and classic curl. Curl all the way down to the end of the hair strand - this will add further volume to the look too.'
4. Smooth
The final step is smoothing over the waves with a finishing crème.
'My favourite has to be Hershesons Almost Everything Cream, which holds down those flyaways without it getting greasy or sticky. It allows you to run your hands through the hair easily without tension.'
So there we have it, Kate Middleton's hair is a mere four steps away. We know what we'll be doing this evening.
