Hannah Betts’s Better…not younger: Found! The hair tweak that turns back the clock — and it’s free
- Sam McKnight gelled, then cut, Princess Diana’s hair back off her face in the early 1990s, ridding her of premature middle-age
- Sam recently commissioned a survey that found a third of British women wear the same ’do daily: 44 per cent of those over 55, and more than half of those 65
- Beauty expert Hannah Betts reveals the best styles to reboot your whole look
When people talk about ‘antiageing,’ they are usually talking about skin.
And, yet, fashion’s favourite hair stylist, Sam McKnight, argues that it’s your locks that really give away your date of birth. He says that wearing the same look day in, day out, puts years on us.
You’ll remember when he gelled, then cut, Princess Diana’s hair back off her face in the early 1990s, ridding her of premature middle-age — a revenge cut ahead of that revenge dress.
As Sam tells me: ‘Wearing the same style all the time is like being stuck in a time warp. You don’t wear the same outfit day after day, year after year, because you’d look outdated, old-fashioned, boring.
Sam McKnight gelled, then cut, Princess Diana’s hair back off her face in the early 1990s, ridding her of premature middle-age. Sam recently commissioned a survey that found a third of British women wear the same ’do daily: 44 per cent of those over 55, and more than half of those 65
‘It’s the same with your hairstyle. Use it to keep your look modern and youthful.
‘Your hair also changes as you age. It becomes finer, drier, more prone to frizz and in need of extra attention. The style that looked great five or ten years ago might not be as flattering today.’
Sam recently commissioned a survey that found a third of British women wear the same ’do daily: 44 per cent of those over 55, and more than half of those 65 and above.
‘How long have you worn your hair like that?’ he inquires. ‘Since the age of three,’ I confess.
‘At 17, I had Carol Decker layers put in, which felt seismic. At 41, I had a fringe, which lasted 20 minutes before it was gripped back. Otherwise, there have been no changes, save the odd bun in the bath.’
That’s 51 years with two minor variations. There is a tumbleweed moment while this sinks in.
Hannah (pictured) has revealed that even a mere tweak with your hairstyle will keep you looking current
Even a mere tweak — a tinkering rather than a dramatic cut — will keep you looking current. And a tweak comes cheap.
First off, you could ask your hairdresser to cut some layers in around your face. ‘These can be transformational, rejuvenating,’ says Sam. ‘They frame the face, giving movement, volume and texture. If they’re carefully placed, they can lift your entire style.’
The other day, he did precisely this for actress Jodie Comer, who popped round to his North London kitchen for a 1990sinspired refresh.
Changing your parting is another great reboot. ‘If you always wear it on one side, flip it to the other — you’ll be surprised how much difference this makes,’ says Sam. ‘It will also give your hair added volume.’ That’s always a good thing, given that it lifts your face up rather than dragging matters down.
‘And if you haven’t worn a middle parting before, give it a whirl. It will make your hair look cooler, effortless and a little less done.’
Use Revolution Creaseless Clips (£6, revolutionbeauty.com) to hold hair in its new position while it dries without denting it.
JVN Hair’s Complete Air Dry Cream (£7 for 30ml, spacenk.com) will help finish your style.
Having fun with texture is also a good way to keep things modern. ‘Experiment with heated styling wands, tongs, and/ or brushes,’ encourages Sam. ‘The Babyliss Curling Tong (from £35, babyliss.com) is one of the most used devices in my kit.
‘Just try something different. If you don’t like it, you can brush it out.’
Go 1990s supermodel with a set of hot rollers: Babyliss Thermo Ceramic Rollers (£50) are fabulously Claudia Schiffer.
For a budget take, try the Sibel 61mm Velcro Rollers (£3.20 each, sallybeauty.co.uk) plus a Curlformers Softhood (£16.59). Scrunch in L’Oreal Professionnel Tecni.ART Full Volume Extra Mousse (£10.50, lookfantastic. com) before drying and you will end up with the biggest bounciest curls.
Alternatively, go down the heatless route with Sam McKnight’s Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist (£25, sammcknight.com). Simply spray into roots and through lengths for instant tousled insouciance a la Kate Moss.
Or go truly low-tech and just move things about a bit. Sam maintains that the best styling tools are your fingers — use them in place of a comb or brush. ‘Don’t aim for perfection,’ he counsels. ‘Perfect is dull. Play, experiment, and enjoy your hair, because good hair is the ultimate accessory.’
RACE YOU TO IT
Kiehl’s Retinol Fast Release Wrinkle-Reducing Night Serum (£68, kiehls.co.uk) became a bestseller upon its recent launch. It contains 0.3 per cent pure retinol, which reduces fine lines in as little as five days. All study participants reported a reduction in wrinkles. Start with Kiehl’s Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum (£65) if you’re new to retinol.
kiehls.co.uk
MY ICON OF THE WEEK
OPRAH WINFREY
Oprah Winfrey, 68, (pictured) loves natural haircare products by Carol’s Daughter (carolsdaughter.com)
The television star, 68, loves the natural hair products by Carol’s Daughter (carols daughter.com), while U Beauty’s The Barrier Bioactive Treatment (£186, theubeauty.co.uk), which boosts skin renewal, recently won an Oprah award. She is also a fan of Anastasia Beverly Hills brow products (anastasiabeverlyhills.com).
5 BANK HOLIDAY MULTITASKERS
A first-class hydrating cover-up that doubles as a base. It’s light enough to carry everywhere.
lookfantastic.com
The sheer colour may look edgy, but it’s gorgeous as eye gloss, lip highlighter and contour. Warm tones should try La Scene.
byredo.com
This moisturising formula offers the ultimate natural-looking flush for cheeks and lips. It’s superportable, too.
jonesroadbeauty.com
Swipe this on the inner lid and/or inner corner of the eyes to open them up. It’s also great as a blended lip liner.
maccosmetics.co.uk
I love this powerful hydrator for lips, cuticles, eyebrows, elbows — anywhere that needs nourishing.
wildsmithskin.com
COSMETIC CRAVING
Cheap and easy to slip into a pocket, blotting papers to tackle midlife shine are back in vogue, especially among the oilyskinned. They come from an era in which cosmetics were considered improper, and noses were not to be powdered in public.
Lehcaresor’s retro incarnations, Papier Poudre (£2.30, victoria health.com, right), come in three shades of powder. The brand claims the paper’s ingredients cleanse the pores; lift grease, dust and dirt from the skin; and soak up excess oil to keep faces fresh and looking natural.
But personally, I find Kiko’s untinted Sebo Balance Papers (£6.99, kikocosmetics.com) even simpler to dab my T-zone with when sans mirror.
victoriahealth.com
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