“I know PDQ specialises in makeup but I’m hoping you can help! I really need advice on how to style my hair – what do you do?”
Hi there! Unsurprisingly, it’s something I am being ask about more and more often – our beautiful clients have their makeup perfect, and then don’t know what to do with their hair.
We’re all looking for those oh-so-hard-to-achieve effortless looking waves one minute and poker straight lengths the next! Fickle creatures we are.
I’ll start with a confession and full disclosure: I have a lot of hair but it’s very fine and for that reason I am a devoted client at Emily Jane Hair. Yes, my luscious locks are extensions. Emily and Jo are absolute miracle workers and genuinely wonderful people – cannot recommend them highly enough and their work.
In previous years, I’ve been so focused on protecting my skin, my hair has sadly been rather neglected. I have heeded the girls’ warnings and before putting a styling tool or dryer anywhere near my hair I use a heat protect product; the girls at Emily Jane Hair recommend the VO5 Heat Protect Spray:

It’s an effective product, smells fab and is really reasonably priced – and often on special offer! I spray this all over the lengths of my hair and brush through (gently!)
If I want straight hair; I dry it straight using a paddle brush and following with these GHD straighteners. My paddle brush of choice is from Aveda and although expensive, mine is very well loved and still going strong at least 10 years later!
ghd Original Styler (IV Styler) Aveda Large Wood Paddle Brush
For something with a bit more bounce and body, I use this amazing little tool I got on Amazon and finish with this OUAI Finishing Crème:
BESTOPE 5 in 1 Professional Curling Iron Set
OUAI HAIRCARE Finishing Crème
Using the largest barrel, I take 1/2-1 inch sections of hair and curl them away from my face. I start about a quarter of my hair length down from my head, and wrap the section around the tong, anti-clockwise (that may not make sense to many – if you’re looking in the mirror, you’re bringing the hair forward and around the tong). If i want a softer, natural wave, I take bigger sections and mix the direction in which I curl, to create a more natural shape. I finish with this amazing-smelling finishing creme form OUAI – just raking it through the ends and seperating the curls.
Truth is, I am relatively lazy when it comes to my hair. I am lucky that I can curl it on Monday and come Saturday it’s still got some oomph but I am under no misunderstanding that my hair is not naturally amazing – it’s all down to the extensions!
I, like many girls, always want what I cannot have when it comes to hair; when it’s straight, I want it curly. When it’s dark, I want it light. When it’s long, I want a pixie cut! Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as changing your lipstick and after years of mucking about with my hair and trying all of the above(!), I have found something that works for me;
- My natural colour
- Some extensions for added volume and a bit of length
- An eyelash brushing fringe
- Don’t try so hard!
It requires a bit of playing around and a bit of getting it wrong – we won’t talk about that one time where my fringe was diagonal, or the 4 weeks I was blonde… – but it is so worth it when you find what works for you. I still have 5 minutes in the salon every 6 weeks when I want a pixie cut and have to talk myself out of it!
If you’d like to see a tutorial for hair, let me know in the comments below, Facebook or Insta and I will record!