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| Courtesy of Nyumba |
Michael
Charalambous is a wedding hair
expert having styled many a bride including Tatiana Blatnik,
who married Prince Nikolaos of Greece last summer.
Michael
was described in a recent article “Big day hair” in The Sunday Times’s Style as “one
of those rare hairdressers who, when he takes you on as a client really studies
you.” And, yes he does. I
would go further and say he is one of the rare hairdressers who can
actually cut hair. In my eyes he is the God of Hair.
There is one sure way to know whether your
hairdresser is any good. When you wash your hair yourself can you style
it?
It
is all too easy to disguise a bad cut with a professional blow-dry. I have been
going to Michael for years now and have never had a bad haircut. I always get
compliments from other hairdressers. So, I asked him what he would do with Kate
Middleton’s hair for the big day.
“I
would give her soft honey and amber low lights, mostly scattered on the whole
perimeter of the front sides and nape area. The style I would choose would be a
loose, soft feminine wavy pulled-back low chignon with the tiara and veil placed across the
ears and on top of her head,” he says.
Michael also recommends using L'Oréal
Elnett Satin (from £1.99) as this hairspray, loved by so many
hairdressers, leaves the hair looking light, shiny and totally natural.
1. Wash your hair the day
before as it will be easier to work with. If you do decide to wash it on the
day, use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner then spray with
Bumble and bumble’s Tonic
Lotion (£15)
2. Colour,
highlights and relaxers should be done three to seven days before the wedding day, so the
roots aren’t showing when photographs are taken with professional lighting.
After your hair has been finally blow-dried, don’t put face cream or
moisturised oils around the hairline
3. Make
sure if you do decide to wear your hair up that you have tried it out before
the big day, so you can get used to wearing grips, pins, hair pieces and
accessories. Sometimes, brides feel uncomfortable with all the extra things on
the hair
Michael’s
advice on styles to suit different face shapes:
1 Small
face/oval shape can have width. Suits a low chignon, not over backcombed and
high on the top
2 Round
face/short or average neck can wear hair up to 7.6cm (3in) high to create the
illusion of a more angular face and cheekbones
3 Square
face can, usually, soften the head shape and face by having a pronounced
over-directed diagonal parting and a side-swept fringe. Asymmetric chignons
look impressive
4 Heart-shaped
faces should opt for a more pointed cone-shaped head top with a small tiara and
a forward-sitting veil
By Daralyn Danns
