Adele's voice may be iconic, but Adele's hair? Well, that started trending in its own right after the singer dropped the artwork for the cover of her album, 30. And while 25 was all about the liner with a zoomed-in shot of Adele's eyes, 30 saw a side-profile of Adele headlined by the most phenomenal, swishy blow dry. Since then Adele's hair game has been on point for every single appearance since and the blow dry has had a modern makeover with over 556 million views on TikTok. Her secret? Hair stylist, Sami Knight, who also counts Dua Lipa, Sydney Sweeney, Lily Rose Depp and Rita Ora as clients. His secret? Don't worry, we got in touch to mine him for all the pro tips to next-level, A-lister hair.
Your clients’ hair has to perform as hard as they do, how do you ensure your styles stay looking perfect all day and night long?"For me keeping the integrity and health of the hair is always priority number one. If your hair is in bad shape, it’s going to show. The more damaged it is, the more it has to be fixed with extensions, hair pieces, and clip-ins. Good strong hair is the best foundation. After that comes good styling prep. I almost always prepare hair with a volume mousse or spray and blow dry that in to give the hair some grit. This is especially important on extra silky hair to give some stickiness that makes the style hold all night.
If you’re wearing your hair down in curls, make sure you let the curls really set in, give the hair time to heat up, and to cool down. The style is set in the cooling of the shape, just as much as the heating up – both are important. For finishing, hairspray is a must, I tend to build hairspray up in layers for the best hold. Don’t spray one whole can all over your style in one go, use several lighter layers, and let them dry in between. This will last much longer, and it won’t flake, or take away any of your natural shine. It’s also much easier to brush out, when you finally head to bed."
What hair trends are you really excited about?“I’m really excited about people embracing their natural hair textures. I think we can move past frazzling our hair with flat irons and erasing our kinks, waves and coils. Modern hair for me is all about learning how to get the best out of your texture. Even if you’ve got a wild mass of frizzy tresses, be proud of it. Brush it out and wear it with joy. Health is key here, making sure your hair is nourished, not over-washed, heat-styled, etc. Love your hair and give it the same attention and care you would to your skincare.
I recommend sulphate free shampoos and conditioners, regular deep conditioning masks, and remember to boost that strength, shine, and condition with a hair oil. I love Rehab Dose 1.0, and I use it after every wash. I’ve really noticed a difference in my hair. Not only is it healthier looking, but my hair seems to have more of a wave to it now, which is what happens when your hair is super healthy, more of the natural pattern has the chance to come out.”
What easy tips can people implement at home to next-level their hair game?“Don’t wash your hair so often. Once or twice a week is plenty. Also, invest in a shower cap. It’s truly so damaging to strip the natural oils off of your hair too often. It reduces the elasticity and strength in your hair. Also silk pillowcases are a game changer, they allow your hair to slide smoothly back and forth across your pillow at night, reducing breakage and damage to the shaft of your hair. As a bonus, the silk also reduces wrinkles on your face. My advice is always to stock up immediately.”
What three products do you always keep in your kit?“Mousse is my all-time favourite prepping product. I use it on wet or dry hair, and blow-dry it in. It’s a classic and never fails. I always have light hold and strong hold hairspray – light for working, and then the strong one for finishing – both are essentials. Rehab’s hair oil is wonderful, and I always have a bottle in my kit. I love it added into wet hair before a blowout, or pulled through the lengths after curling to add shine, movement and touch-ability. Plus keeping hair hydrated and nourished is so important, Dose 1.0 comes to every job with me.”
What’s the look or moment you're most proud of in your career?“I’ve honestly had so many moments that I'm so proud of. There have often been times where I've really had to stop and think, ‘wow, this is so special.’ I think on a couple of occasions I've even had a tear in my eye. But what I'm most proud of is the circle of beautiful and individually talented clients that I just adore working with. I am so fortunate to have found these incredible women, who value my talent, and treasure how I make them feel when we’re on set together, collaborating to create beautiful hair. It’s a wonderful feeling, and I'm so proud to be in that position.”
For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk
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