EXCLUSIVE I'm a celebrity hairdresser - this is the very common mistake people make and what to do instead for perfect holiday hair

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Holiday hair can be a huge frustration when jet-setting around the globe.
While some people love to embrace their natural beach waves, many holidaymakers are met with the fear they'll end up looking like Monica from Friends while sunning themselves abroad.
There's also the issue of ensuring your locks are in a presentable condition when you've got to wake up for an early flight, and head straight from the plane to a business meeting or maybe a wedding.
But if you're worrying about how to look after your hair on your next holiday, fear not – as celebrity hair stylist Michael Douglas is on hand.
Having preened the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and his partner Davina McCall, the mdlondon creator has exclusively revealed to MailOnline his best tips for always having the perfect hair on holiday.
He also tells us some of the biggest mistakes tourists often make with their tresses – including a big towel no-no…
Blow-dry your hair the night before
If you've got an early morning flight and want to look your best even at the airport, the best thing to do is wash and blow-dry your hair the night before.
Michael says: 'If you've got an early morning flight and want to look your best even at the airport, the best thing to do is wash and blow-dry your hair the night before'
There's no budget for hair and makeup on Long Lost Family, so when Davina is going away to film that, I'll always do her hair the night before, and it still looks good the next day.
And a blow-dry doesn't need to take too long.
If you want body and volume in your hair, then all the fluffy, frizzy bits underneath can actually be left, as that is what gives the hair body.
You don't need to use too much product either – as that can all make it flatter too.
All you need is a bristle brush, nozzle on your hair dryer and primer, which you should spray in when your hair is about 80 per cent dry – I use The Prologue by Arkive.
Then the real trick is to try to not have too much of a rough night's sleep. A silk pillowcase or head scarf is great to stop all the hair from moving around.
The better you can do something with your hair the night before, the better it's going to look the next day.
Dry shampoo trick
'A lot of people wait until their hair goes greasy and sweaty to use dry shampoo – but it's a good idea to spray it into the roots after you've styled it,' says Michael
A lot of people wait until their hair goes greasy and sweaty to use dry shampoo – but it's a good idea to spray it into the roots after you've styled it.
When you sweat in the night, you'll secrete any grease, as you would normally, but it will instantly get eaten straight away.
So it acts as a preventative to greasy hair, and also makes the hair feel really nice and lifted.
Experiment with your parting
If you find your hair is looking flat when your flight lands, or you're on day two of your holidays and your hair is looking lifeless, then change up your parting to get more body in your hair.
A lot of people part their hair on the side, and then end up with loads of hair on one side, and barely any on the other.
So a good little tip is to move it to a diagonal side parting, and you'll get more hair on both sides of your head, giving the appearance of more volume.
Don't be afraid of heat
Lots of people get scared to use heat on their hair on holiday, for fear of putting too much pressure on it, on top of sun damage.
But I'd recommend taking a curling wand or straighteners with you, to style just the front or sides of your hair, limiting the amount of heat exposure.
A great tool for giving your day two hair a bit of oomph is the mdlondon Wave, which I actually made for Davina, to take with her to film Long Lost Family.
It's like one big heated roller with retractable bristles, and it's super easy to use to refresh your hair.
You can also lock the bristles in and use it like a curling wand on dry hair.
Use hair masks
It's a great idea to use a long-lasting hair treatment on your hair before you go away, as it should last a few days.
Then when you are away, I'd use a hair mask every day, while you're sitting on the beach or by the pool.
So whenever you've just come out the water with wet hair, you can just rub it in there, just like you do with sun cream on your skin.
Your hair will drink it up, and all the heat of the sun will help it penetrate so it'll be good all day long.
You don't have to spend a fortune either. I recommend OGX Bond Protein Repair, which is just £15.
Ditch the towel
Too many people make the mistake of putting conditioner in their hair, combing it through, rinsing it off and then towel drying their hair like they're scrubbing a turnip – don't do this!
The trick is to comb your hair while you're in the shower, get all the knots out in there and then try not to put any knots back in it.
Instead of roughly drying your hair, squeeze the hair so it's not disturbed too much – this will help reduce frizz.
Another mistake people make is to sit with their hair in a turban for a long time.
This can make your hair end up drying into the shape of it, so it's best to move your hair into the style you want without the towel on it.
Hat hair dilemmas
One problem many people face on holiday is hat hair – it can get very hot under there!
To ensure your head is still protected from the sun and your hair in good condition, it's best to wear a loosely fitting hat with lots of holes for the air to pass through, reducing the buildup of sweat.
Cowboy hats are a great option for this.
Loose ponytails
Another way of keeping yourself cool on holiday is by wearing it up – but tying hair back tight isn't a good idea, as it puts a lot of tension and stress on your hair.
Instead, choose a loose ponytail, as it's quite nice and gives it a lot of oomph.
It also means most of your hair is hidden, so won't get affected by heat damage from the sun.
Are you looking for some holiday inspiration where you can use these hair tips?
Wizz Air has launched £18 flights to a city that boasts some of Europe's cheapest beers.
Meanwhile, TUI is set to launch direct flights to a bargain beach destination where it's sunny all year round.
And .