In midlife, few hairstyles work harder than a great updo. Need proof? Look no further than Hannah Waddingham's latest red-carpet look. The actress debuted a ‘power updo’ that not only creates the illusion of thicker, fuller-looking hair, but also delivers a subtle lifting effect. Sign us up.
Last night, Hannah stepped out in London for a special screening of her latest venture — Ride Or Die — a new TV miniseries (and yes, we're trying to contain our excitement). She looked incredible, dressed to the nines in a plunging pink velvet gown, with glowing skin and her hair swept up into a chic twisted updo.
Of course, on the GH Beauty Desk, we couldn't resist taking a closer look. Hannah's hair has been expertly swept up and away from her face, while her lengths have then been twisted into a chic, undone bun at the nape of the neck.
‘It’s a very glamorous look and it suits her tall stature to wear it up and off her face,’ says Mark Smith, stylist at Nicola Clarke Salon. ‘Wearing your hair up like this exposes the hairline and jawline, and this exudes confidence. This gives it the ‘power’ that emanates from the person wearing it,’ he explains.
The real star of the show is the built-in volume. Cleverly built at the crown, the updo creates height, visually lifting the face, while also creating the look of fuller hair. ‘This is where it can benefit mature and slightly thinner hair,’ says Mark. ‘By giving the hair some guts with product and backcombing, you can create the illusion of more hair.’
While Hannah will have a beauty squad behind her glam, Mark assures us it’s a hairstyle that’s just as achievable at home. To start he recommends running some mousse through your lengths, plus a spritz of volume spray before blowdrying. ‘Focus on lifting the roots upwards,’ he says.
Once dry, it's time to elevate that lift. ‘Use a cutting comb to backcomb the roots away from the face,’ explains Mark. ‘Then lightly brush and smooth with a Mason & Pearson brush.’
As for the lengths, he recommends twisting them into a messy bun and securing it with pins and elastics. ‘The trick is to make it look slightly undone rather than perfect,’ Mark says. He recommends using your fingers to pull strands out and finishing off with the Sam McKnight Modern Hairspray to keep everything in place.
It’s a a beauty win in our book.
