The Traitors has returned to our screens, but this time with a stellar lineup of celebrity contestants, including national treasure Celia Imrie, Stephen Fry and Alan Carr.
Alongside the hilarity of watching our favourite A-listers complete challenges, including Imrie’s banshee impression, another reason to tune in is the fashion (namely Claudia Winkleman’s outfits, although Jonathan Ross’ fashion flair has taken us by surprise). But perhaps the real star of the show is Claudia Winkleman’s shiny, mirror-like hair. The latter item on that list is something we’ve been obsessed with since her Strictly Come Dancing debut back in 2010 because, seriously, how does she achieve such unparalleled gloss?
We set about finding out and, praise be, the presenter’s hairstylist – Amy Short – came through with the tidbits we’d been yearning for. And, no, the answer isn’t just the Head and Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo we’ve seen her advertising on television.
Speaking to The Independent, Short – who’s worked on Winkleman’s hair for more than five years – revealed that there are three products she reaches for when styling the raven-haired presenter’s locks.
For those not in the know, Winkleman’s eyelash-grazing fringe and blunt bob are part and parcel of her dramatic look which, as fans will recognise, is always complete with a wash of dark kohl eyeliner. This season, the star even sported a shiny up ‘do, with her hair swept into a high pony and her signature fringe out in front – ready for the round table.
Divulging her poisons of choice, Short told us that her “go-to products for Claude’s hair are Color Wow dream coat, Color Wow one-minute transformation cream and Davines shimmer spray.”
Color Wow dream coat supernatural spray
Buy now £21.6, Spacenk.com
Color Wow pop and lock high gloss finish
Buy now £22.5, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Davines shimmering mist
Buy now £22.75, Sephora.co.uk
Of course, the Color Wow dream coat supernatural spray (£21.60, Spacenk.com) comes as no surprise, with the product leaving our own tester in awe at its “serious shine and gloss.” Even better, it’s currently reduced by 20 per cent at Space NK right now.
Though Short did clarify that “Claudia does have naturally great hair,” she explained that The Celebrity Traitors’ host doesn’t have naturally straight locks. To “keep that iconic straight and shiny hair we love,” Short uses a heat protector and styles with straighteners “in small sections.” The hair tool in question? Ghd’s platinum+ straighteners (£229, Amazon.co.uk), which our very own assistant eCommerce editor described as “one of the best straighteners money can buy.”
As for the wavy style we often see Winkleman sporting on Strictly and around the castle, Short – who doesn’t style the presenter’s hair for The Celebrity Traitors specifically, but is on-hand for the rest of her projects – explained how her stylists “put a slight bend/wave in by using small sections, running the straightener over the hair to warm it up and then rocking it back and forth while gliding down the hair – and keeping the ends straight.”
The finishing touch? “A light cream or serum to smooth and separate” in the form of the Davines shimmering mist (£22.75, Sephora.co.uk). But she also credits Color Wow’s pop and lock serum (£18, Amazon.co.uk) on her Instagram. It works to smooth down split ends and breakage in just a few pumps, and can even be used to give lacklustre hair a richer colour in the days after washing.
Picture us running to the checkout with these gloss boosters in tow, gearing up for the Winkleman treatment in our next styling session.
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