Hair and beauty: To cut a long story short

Sunday Mirror, Jan 24, 1999 by with Andrew Collinge

LONG HAIR

Long hair can look fantastic and sexy, however, very long hair can become straggly and unattractive. As a result, I don't think hair needs to be any longer than your elbows.

If your hair is all one length there is little you can do but trim it regularly and blow dry it correctly by holding the dryer parallel to the hair, not straight at it. You can create a much softer, feminine look by adding layers. Long hair looks great put up. The Big Breakfast's Denise Van Outen does a great job with her hair. To create the look, grab all the hair in your right hand and wrap it over the left hand, which should be flat against the head. Ease your left hand out. Keep twisting the hair, then grip it to your head and fan the ends out.

SHORT HAIR

The number of short styles is endless, but short doesn't necessarily mean easier to manage. Unless you're very lucky, short hair still needs styling. When you blow dry straight short hair it's important to get some root lift. Having the right brush will help - the best one is a classic Denman nylon bristle brush. Then work through your hair, section by section, creasing the roots upwards to add volume. To make short hair look sharp and neat, use a light serum to smooth loose flyaway hairs.

HAIR COLOUR

Adding colour to your hair, whatever its length or style, can add an entirely new dimension. First, you have to decide whether you're cool or warm. To do this get two pieces of material - one silver, one gold. If you're cool, your face will glow with the silver material and you'll look yellow with the gold. If you're warm you'll look drained with the silver and healthy with the gold. Cool people suit bluey reds, and mahogany. Warm people suit golds, rich coppers and warm blondes. Never go for anything too far from your natural colour. Colour can only enhance, not totally change you. If you put blonde or browns on darker hair you won't notice it. But if you put brown or red on a blonde your hair could go orange.

"Foil and tone" is a very modern look which involves putting in bold highlights then a rinse over the whole hair so you see the highlights coming through.

A flash of colour at the front can make a style come alive.

Be careful with home colours - they always come out darker than you think.

TIPS

FOR KIDS

My Leave In Conditioner is great for parents whose children scream when they try and comb their hair after washing. But remember, your child's hair needs regular trimming to keep it looking healthy and encourage thicker growth.

Andrew's top tip WEDDING BELLES Choosing your

hairdresser is as important as choosing the church. Six months before the wedding, take a sketch of the dress to your hairdresser so he or she can advise you on styles. If your hair is straight avoid curling it because it will drop - if you must curl it, use tongues not heated rollers. If it's curly and you have a full dress, go for fresh flowers and pile your hair up in a feminine style. Whatever you do, don't stick to your normal style - and definitely have a practice before hand. If you're having your hair permed, do that six weeks before, and then have a trim the week before. If you're having it coloured do that two weeks before. Don't have your hair cut on the day, have that done two weeks before.