Hair like a true socialite

Amanda Lepore is a style icon in her own right but copying her hair can be tricky. Beauty journalist Sunny Burns talked to hair stylist Tom Hanley about how to have hair as glamorous as this New York socialite.

SSO: How can someone style their hair like Ms Lepore?

Tom Hanley: It’s not exactly the easiest look to re-create at home by yourself. It will take around an hour to do it properly. It is possible though and it’s something that will take practice, patience and possibly a few burn marks from the curling tong before you get it right.

Steps to have hair like Amanda Lepore:

Step One: I would start with wet hair. You need to create a strong foundation so the style will last and the curls look as bouncy as possible. I would liberally apply a volumising mousse or spray — the Redken Guts 10 would be best. Apply this from roots to ends throughout the hair.

Step Two: I would then dry this in with my hair dryer. You want to leave the hair feeling a little gritty and dry as that excess of product is what is going to hold your style in.

Step Three: Once the hair is dry I would smooth over the whole lot with a brush just to close the cuticle and make the curls look cleaner and more natural.

Step Four: Next I would get a medium-sized curling tong and start taking sections that are the width of the tong and about five cms long. Before I wind each section I would spray with a heat protectant that has a little hold to it, for example, Redken Workforce 09.

I would wind each section horizontally to the head and keep it wound for about 10 seconds before unwinding and moving on to the next section. Depending on how much volume you want with your style, you can either wind it all backwards when you get to the crown or just to the natural part.

Step Five: Once the whole head has been curled you need to get a soft bristled brush, for example a Mason and Pearson (stocked at David Jones or some hair retailers). Brush out the curls starting from the nape and working up the head. This breaks them up and gets rid of the ‘noodle’ look. The last thing you want is to look like Shirley Temple.

Once you have brushed out all the curls, manipulate the style with your fingers to get it to look how you want. Pin bits back if it’s too voluminous for your liking.

Step Six: Finally I would finish with a soft-hold hair spray, like the Quick Dry 08.

info: If you would like more tips on how to achieve this look or would like to get your hair cut like Amanda Lepore, email hairstylist Tom Hanley on [email protected]. To get your hands on Redken products call 1300 650 170 or visit www.redken.com.au.