Hairdresser Richard Ward's 7 Secrets of Grooming & Wellbeing
Creator of the renowned ‘Chelsea Blow Dry’ – beautifully finished, shiny, bouncy hair – Richard is of course well-known for a bestselling signature range of haircare, as well as being a spokesperson on trends and innovations for the hair industry.
The successive lockdowns – when he couldn’t style clients at his awad-winning Chelsea salon – had a silver lining to the cloud, for Richard, in that he found new ways to keep fit and stay mentally balanced, which have ‘stuck’. He shares them here…
I likewalk for miles and miles, every day. I’m quite a big runner and in the past have done a few half-marathons, but during the lockdowns I really took up power-walking in a major way. I would go back and forth over the Thames bridges, sometimes all the way to Barnes, sometimes as much as 11 or 12 miles a day. Instead of riding my bike to the salon, I now walk when I can, spending some of the time making calls, the rest listening to podcasts – my new obsession.
Podcasts are the most wonderful distraction. They’re also a great accompaniment to walking. I listen via Wondery, a podcast app. I listen to lots of business podcasts but my absolute favourite is ‘Desert Island Discs’; it’s such an obvious concept but so brilliant, and I love the idea I’ve still got thousands of previous shows to discover – from Paul McCartney to Marlene Dietrich.
I also work out several times a week with weights. Walking isn’t an all-over workout, so we have a little mini-gym in the garden where I keep up my strength – nothing too heavy, but dumbbells and weights for the upper body. I need to be fit for when I pick up that blow-drier again!
I try to follow Dr. Michael Mosley’s 5:2 diet. That means five days of eating pretty much what I like, and two days of restricted eating. It’s not for everyone but it works for me; as a hairdresser I’m used to skipping meals, so on my two low-calorie days, I tend to drink lots of fruit teas during the day and save my 800 calories for one good meal at suppertime.
I’ve discovered the joys of cooking later in life. Having said all of the above about 5:2-ing, getting together over family dinner each evening during successive lockdowns gave me time to cook properly. We set ourselves the challenge of cooking the style of ‘Come Dine With Me’, taking it in turns to feed the family. Well, I was always good at a roast, but it taught me to be daring enough to try all kinds of dishes – poached salmon, seabass with caper and lemon butter, the makings of a ‘Greek night’ – and my confidence has grown hugely. Because I can’t think of anything else when I’m cooking, I find it 100% relaxing.
I’m embracing the grey. I’m very good at being objective about what other people should do to look great, but looking back, I now wish I’d stopped colouring my hair 10 years ago. I’ve been using the Richard Ward Silver Brightening Shampoo/£8 for 300ml.
Meditation is also a big new part of my life. I’m doing 20 minutes in the morning and afternoon. I tried Headspace, but then I went to a meditation teacher at the London Meditation Centre to learn Vedic meditation. I am so much more grounded, as a result, and over the last year, I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s been a life-saver. Like everyone, I’ve found lockdown hard – but it’s honestly given me the chance to pause, take stock and focus on looking after my wellbeing.
