Quick smart
Use smart straighteners. The very latest hair irons are the best I’ve used, thanks to the keratin emitted from ceramic plates and a heat sensor that adjusts the temperature depending on your hair’s moisture levels. The irons glide through hair and the heat drops if it detects dry areas. Hair’s left looking silky smooth and conditioned.
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Blow it**
Use a blow-dry lotion. Spritz onto damp hair prior to blow-drying and using straightening irons. The heat-activated formula contains a keratin protein that seals each strand. I needed to run irons over my wavy hair on the second day, but it stayed noticeably sleeker after that, even in humid weather.
Wet and wild
Hydrate hair. Even healthy hair needs to be hydrated to help it preserve its natural water-protein balance. And if the cuticle is damaged by sun exposure, heat styling etc, more moisture will be lost – resulting in dull, lifeless hair. Use a conditioner after every shampoo and a mask every seven washes.
A good oil
Use a hair oil. Argan oil has been hot for a while, but now fancier oil formulas are appearing. Use as an overnight treatment, pre shampoo to moisturise or pre blow-dry to protect, and anytime to control frizz.
Gold brush
Use the right brush. Boar-bristle brushes are good for smoothing thick or coarse hair. Otherwise, try an ionic brush, which is designed to prevent the flyaways caused by static. Use in conjunction with an ionic hairdryer for the ultimate in smooth.
Dry run
Try a dry conditioner. If your hair only looks sleek on the day it’s washed, fake a shiny finish. This miracle juice instantly glosses up hair. Avoid the roots and spray only from the mid-lengths down, concentrating on the ends. If you have flat, lifeless hair, this isn’t the right product for you.
Blow up
Blow-dry better. Always start with the front section of hair, where it’s finest. Next, section off pieces of hair starting at the nape. Directing the hairdryer nozzle down the hair shaft, draw the brush from roots to ends. Make sure hair is 100% dry when you finish, because if it’s damp any humidity will start to frizz it.
Top tip: Be brunette. Blonde or grey hair tends not to look shiny, because it doesn’t reflect the light well. So, if you’re looking for the ultimate in sleek and shiny hair, you really need to go brunette.
MY BEAUTY SECRETS
Actress Danielle Cormack is starring in Top Girls at Auckland’s Q Theatre until March 18. Tickets available from qtheatre.co.nzor phone (09) 309 9771.
My beauty philosophy is… Essence. Real beauty is sustained through being comfortable within yourself. Laugh a lot, do things you enjoy, be around people who inspire you, grow and stay true to yourself and others. There you will find true beauty.
The skincare products I can’t live without are… Rationale. I’ve been using the whole range for about five years now. It has been designed by someone who had problematic skin and studied for years to understand skincare. The ingredients are all active, so it really delivers what it promises – skin is more luminous and it protects from future damage.
My haircare secret is… To condition it every day. It’s no secret – it’s imperative! I comb it with the conditioner in or I end up with mammoth dreads. I let it dry naturally, mostly because I have a fear of noisy, hot machines being pointed at my head.
The must-have products in my makeup bag are… generally destroyed as my two-year-old is always getting into my bag. But Maybelline New York Define-A-Lash Volume Washable Mascara is the best ever and Mecca Cosmetics In A Good Light SPF30+ Tinted Facial Sunscreen is an absolute must.
My favourite beauty treat is… Going to the Ginseng Bathhouse in Sydney. They are just about to reopen it. You can stay as long as you like and soak in the pools, relax in the sauna then get treated to a full-body scrub, massage and then cucumber and honey facial. It’s impossible not to surface satisfyingly exhausted and with skin soft as a baby.
My biggest beauty sin is… Using my hair as dental floss. I know it’s horrible, but on the odd occasion that I have something stuck in my teeth and it’s really bugging me, then my hair has to come to the rescue.
The best thing my mother taught me about beauty was… Be yourself.
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