Creating a professional bridal hair look at home is easy with these DIY hair ideas from Lockonego’s Ben Cooke. Hairdresser to the stars, Ben is responsible for Victoria Beckham’s Pob and can help you achieve salon results at home. Here he reveals the secrets of creating two popular wedding hair looks – the princess plait and the smooth wave – both perfect for ceremonies in 2012/13.
DIY hair ideas – Princess Plaits
Princess plaits are perfect for creating a boho wedding look. You can choose to plait the whole head or just the fringe area at the front. You can even work plaits into plaits for a fabulous braided look. Whichever way you decide to work your plaits, it’s a great way of pulling your hair away from your face in a flattering, unstructured style.
- To achieve this angelic look prep damp hair with a mist to create a tousled effect
- Blow-dry using your fingertips to untangle, whilst maintaining a textured effect that gives holding power for plaiting
- Separate the hair into two sections at the front, leaving the back of the hair loose. French plait the two sections at the front of the head and pull back towards the crown of the head, securing with hair pins
- Next, plait the section at the back of the head and bring up towards the crown.
- Once all three sections have been plaited, twist together to create an interwoven
effect. - Spritz all over with hairspray to achieve a firm, sleek look that lasts all day.
DIY hair ideas – Smooth Bend
The smooth bend is another great wedding hairstyle for brides. Unstructured but more formal than your everyday look, this professional blow dry will give your hair volume and body and also the perfect base for tiaras or side combs. Kate Middleton rocked this understated yet elegant look at her wedding to Prince William and it can work for you too! The key to this style is regular trims to keep split ends at bay as well as conditioning treatments every few weeks.
- Apply some Finishing Touch Cream into clean damp hair for a healthy gleam
- Separate the hair into a side parting and starting half way down the crown, working your way down towards the neck, take sections of hair and wind them around large heated rollers
- Leave to dry with some heat from a diffuser and once the hair is dry remove the rollers gently pulling the hair over to one side
- Gently tease through with your fingertips to loosen and sculpt hair into defined waves
- Smooth over your roots with a round brush being careful not to disturb the waves at the end
- To ensure hair stays in place spritz all over with hairspray and you’re done
