When it comes to your wedding day hair, there are endless options to achieve the most stunning ‘do. Up, down, curly, straight, beachy waves, braids and bangs – the list goes on and on. So who better to help you whittle down your options than a top hairstylist to the stars?
As seen in our newly launched Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Today’s Bride, (authored by: Vivian Vassos) asked Julien Farel, founder of Park Avenue’s Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa and hairstylist of the likes of Sienna Miller and Brooke Shields, to share what’s trending in bridal hair styles and how you can achieve each classic, gorgeous look.
BEACH WAVES
Beach waves will always be the “easiest” for straight hair or blow drying the hair straight, so there’s no existing texture to fight. You want to first prep your hair by straightening out your natural texture. Don’t worry about getting it perfectly sleek and straight – the point is to neutralize your texture a bit before creating your waves.
You can create beach waves with a curling iron or hair straightener or, you can get heatless beach waves by braiding damp hair in pigtails and allowing it to air-dry; after which lightly run a flat iron down each braid. If your hair is naturally straight and tends to go flat after a few hours, prep damp hair with a texturizing and volumizing product, then use your best friend – hairspray – to set your wedding day hair in place.
PONYTAIL
First, decide where to place your ponytail to determine how to create your style, as well as deciding what kind of ponytail look you want for your wedding day hair: sleek and polished, or undone and a little messy.
Brush your hair the way you want your pony: For a messy pony, finger comb your strands and don’t worry too much about bumps and fly-aways – embrace them! Pull out a few strands near the face too; for a sleek pony, apply a product to give shine and hold at the same time, then brush your hair in the direction of your ponytail for a smooth, bump-free look. Spray a toothbrush with hairspray and use on baby hairs and flyaways.
If you want to add texture to a ponytail, try using a curling iron, or spray volumizing hairspray onto your hair, then use your fingers to mess it up a little or braid the pony and release it when hair is dry. Take a small piece of hair from your ponytail and wrap it around the hair tie or elastic to keep it hidden. Use a bobby pin to hold that strand in place on the underside of your pony and no one will know it’s there.
HOLLYWOOD WAVES
Start with a side part. Depending on the length, thickness and texture of your hair, you may want to divide your head into sections so it is easier to work with.
Work in a texturizing and volumizing product: take the hair in two-inch sections and start curling about two inches down from the roots. Holding the curling iron at the desired angle, wrap the section of hair around it (clockwise for your right side, counter clockwise for your left). Hold the curl for a few seconds, release naturally and then clip each curl. Repeat this process until finished. Spray it, and after your hair cools off for a few minutes, use a brush to slowly brush through curls. Don’t worry, this won’t undo all your work. If you go slowly and take large sections at a time you should see your curls bounce back but into larger, more voluminous waves.
Take curved clips and place them down the length of your waves, where your waves crease. This will help keep their definition while you get ready. Finally, spray your waves with an extra strong hold to lock in your wedding day hair.
To read more from our recently published Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Today’s Bride, click here.
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