Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at Trooping The Colour on June 9, 2018. Photo: Getty
The Duchess of Sussex may have called upon Serge Normant for her now legendary wedding-day hairstyle, but for her sexy evening up-do she turned to George Northwood – the hairdresser behind Alexa Chung‘s tousled waves, Alicia Vikander‘s red-carpet styles and, as it happens, half of the Vogue beauty team’s hair as well. Yes, Meghan, you may have him on speed-dial now (he was photographed touching down in Dublin with the royal couple for their recent tour of Ireland), but you’ll have to share him with us. Here, we collate some of the best hair advice Northwood has given British Vogue over the years into one handy guide.
On air-drying
“With air-drying, a little bit of product is important to stop it from going fluffy. Most hair has a natural wave to it so I’d suggest a wave cream or curl cream – the Redken Curvaceous range is great. Even if your hair isn’t really curly, these are products designed for air drying, whereas a lot of styling products are heat-activated.”
More from Northwood on how to air-dry your hair.
On hat hair
The Duchess of Sussex attends the 2018 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 12, 2018 in London, England. Image: Getty
“I think it’s so important to have a can of dry shampoo either on you or at your destination. I love Redken’s Powder Refresh, and Batiste does mini versions of its dry shampoo that you can throw in your bag. Then, when you take off your hat, just tip your head upside down and shake a load of it through your hair to refresh the roots.”
More from Northwood on hat hair.
On washing
“Most people don’t actually get their hair truly clean when they wash it, so it ends up covered in a sort of film which leads to dullness and lack of shine over time. By shampooing twice you have a first wash, to remove excess dirt and grime, and then a second wash to really get it squeaky clean.”
More from Northwood on how to wash your hair.
Meghan Markle arrives at Cliveden House Hotel the night before her wedding to Prince Harry on May 18, 2018. Image: Getty
On conditioning
“Really wringing out the hair before you apply conditioner really helps, because excess water will only dilute the product. And apply it particularly to the ends if you’ve had balayage, or if your hair is a bit split and in need of a cut.”
More from Northwood on how to wash your hair.
On dry shampoo
“I use dry shampoo on my clients for prevention, not cure. Particularly with finer hair which gets oilier more quickly, spritzing it onto a newly blow-dried style will amp up volume and make your hair last longer between washes too.”
More from Northwood on how to use dry shampoo.
Meghan Markle at the Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey, in April 2018. Image: Rex
On split ends
“Sealing split ends with oils, serums and creams is the best way to hide them – these products act like glue, smoothing split ends down and giving a much more nourished appearance.”
More from Northwood on how to get rid of split ends.
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This article first appeared on Vogue.co.uk
