Adam Reed's hairdo how-to

With a groomed and elegant feel for winter 2012 (and yes, it is very much still winter...), celebrity and backstage hairstylist Adam Reed, gives you his top tips on achieving this season’s must-have hair. 'Forget wash-and-go, off-duty styles,' says Adam.  'This winter it’s all about styling your hair.  But to achieve "Hollywood Hair" you no longer have to spend hours wrestling with appliances, styling products and hundreds of bobby pins.  With the right tools and a little behind-the-scenes know-how, you can whip up these looks effortlessly.  I’ve chosen my top five hair trends you need to master now, to see you from winter to spring, styles that have taken inspiration from the past, but with a modern and more laidback interpretation...'  So:  here goes.

Style 1 The Haute Couture Blow-dry

Nothing says luxe more than a super-shiny, bouncy blow-out. This look isn’t about a curl, or even a wave – it’s about giving ultra volume and shine to the hair.  The best bit is that any hair type – even super fine – can achieve this look with a little prep.

Start by smoothing Percy & Reed Abundantly Bouncy Mousse through the hair from roots to ends. Then tip your head upside down and completely rough dry hair using the BaByliss Boutique Italian AC Dryer which will effortlessly inject volume into the style. I have to work quickly backstage and on editorial shoots, and super-fast dryer smoothes the hair cuticle in record time.

Once hair is completely dry, bring your head upright and blow-dry each section with a large round brush to seal in the volume, whilst smoothing the cuticles of the hair for a glass-like, shiny finish.

It’s the volume around the face that gives this look an expensive feel.  To achieve this, blow-dry the front section up and back with your round brush, and then secure hair into a curl with a sectioning clip while it cools.  Finish by spraying your fingers with a little Percy & Reed Reassuringly Firm Session Hold Hairspray, and run through the roots of your hair to give extra lift and hold.

• Percy & Reed Abundantly Bouncy Mousse at www.johnlewis.com/£12 for 200 ml - buy here

• BaByliss Boutique Italian AC Dryer at www.boots.com/£74.99 - buy here

• Percy & Reed Reassuringly Firm Session Hold Hairspray at www.johnlewis.com/£12 for 250 ml - buy here

Style 2 The Modern Marilyn

The winter catwalks were awash with flicky, tousled chin-length dos.  What keeps this look modern is the large bend in the hair and the only way to get this is with a styling tool, like the BaByliss Boutique Deep Waves. Basically it’s the cool girl’s version of the forties wave.

Once you’ve blow-dried hair completely smooth as before, take 1.5inch sections of hair and spray with hairspray to protect and inject shine.

Next, clamp the BaByliss Boutique Deep Waves onto the hair – think of this amazing tool like a giant soft crimper – leave for 10 seconds to set the wave, before moving it down the hair shaft section-by-section. You can leave the root area flat to keep the look contemporary.

Finish by softening the wave out; warm a little Percy & Reed Smoothed, Sealed, Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil (available for fine or thick hair) between your palms and shake out the hair to loosen the look.

• BaByliss Boutique Deep Waves at www.boots.com/£49.99 - buy here

• Percy & Reed Smoothed, Sealed, Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil at www.johnlewis.com/£14 for 60 ml - buy here

Style 3 Salon-esque Waves

This still has the essence of the Hollywood wave, but this time there’s a slept-in tousled feel about it.

Start by blow-drying your hair using a mousse (as above) or blow-drying lotion to create extra root-lift, and then spray hair with hairspray, ready for tonging.

Next, take the BaByliss Boutique Soft Waves and while leaving the roots flat, wind sections of hair around the barrel in the direction you want the hair to kick out. You’re not looking for loads of curl here, and because the Soft Waver has such a big barrel, it creates just the right amount of movement in the hair.

Continue waving the hair all over, taking random sections as you go for a modern feel. If all the kicks are perfectly in line and uniform, the style will look old fashioned and set.

• BaByliss Boutique Soft Waves at www.boots.com/£29.99 - buy here

Style 4 Poker Straight Ponytail

Ponytails are huge again this season, but this time ultra-straight ends lead the way.  Whether scruffed back, deeply side parted or kept casual with a middle parting, don’t think you can just wake-up and tie-up!  You still need to blow-dry a little volume and shape into the hair first before running through with straightening irons for a sleek finish.

Once you’ve blow-dried your hair, section off and spray with either hairspray or a heat protecting spray (product suggestion) all over.

Next, run the BaByliss Boutique Salon Control 235 Ceramic Straightener through the hair from root to tip in one smooth movement. Make sure you only do this once – don’t keep going over because you don’t want it to look like you’ve spent hours styling it. I love this look parted in the middle, casually pulled back and tied securely into the nape of the neck. Alternatively, create a side parting, or pull hair roughly back, but the key is to keep the ends super-groomed.

• BaByliss Boutique Salon Control 235 Ceramic Straightener at www.boots.com/£99 - buy here

Style 5 The Modern Barbarella

That va-va-voom height at the crown and face-flattering shape never fails to give your hair that ultra chic 60s feel. On the catwalk we saw some serious crown teasing paired with a super-low pony. But get the blow-dry right and you can wear this voluminous do a bunch of different ways.

Start by blow-drying hair as before, but this time, once you’ve blow-dried each section, pin the hair into a big barrel curl against your head and leave to cool.  Then take all the pins out and with hairspray spritzed onto a dressing brush (such as a Mason Pearson), smooth through your hair.

Next, section off your fringe area – either sweep it to the side or part in the middle if you have a fringe – and backcomb (or back-brush for a softer effect) the crown area to build height.  Smooth over the hair with your brush to disguise the backcombed hair.

Then pull hair into the nape of the neck and secure into a ponytail, or twist the end casually onto itself and pin loosely. Use minimal pins for this – you don’t want it to look too ‘done’.