The Next Top Model hair team share tricks of the trade you can use at home.
Tears, tantrums, transformations: it's the stuff of reality television, but if New Zealand's Next Top Model is anything to go by, compared with the Americans, our girls are low-maintenance.
That's both the curse and the appeal of typical teenage hair, according to the show's hair maestro, Paul Serville, who tells Viva how the girls reacted to their makeovers.
We also have tips for young hair this summer from one of the stylists who worked on the show, 26-year-old Olivia Davies. Davies was specifically requested by the cast and crew to fly to Wellington to work on the final episode of series two, won by Danielle Hayes.
The talented young Mission Bay stylist also worked on series one, at Fashion Week, and when America's Next Top Model filmed episodes here.
Teens should embrace their individual looks, she says.
"They should find a colour and style to suit their needs and lifestyles rather than follow the crowd. Plus, everyone benefits from a weekly deep conditioning treatment to leave hair healthy, shiny and beautiful."
How was the hair the girls presented with initially for Top Model?
Paul Serville: Generally there was a lot of curly, frizzy, bushy hair in need of some real attention. Many needed DIY colour cleaned up, as experimenting with colour is popular with teens. There were a few fringes to tidy up and re-cut too. At the other end, there was virgin hair (never coloured), like Hollie's, which stylists love to work with.
Were they resistant to change?
I think most of the girls were excited about their Top Model transformation - perhaps a little anxious. They trusted us as experts. Plus they'd probably seen what happens on this particular episode, one of the most popular and highly anticipated. Teens can also be more experimental with trends and keen to mix up their hairstyles - just as they do with fashion.
At the time, Lauren was terrified about the very modern look we proposed - from a standard long style to a bold, blunt do. But afterwards, she embraced her fresh look and loved what we did. We received a personal thank you letter from her, which was great.
Which makeover did you think worked the best?
Courtenay. The cropped Twiggy-inspired look was absolutely stunning on her - and one of the most dramatic makeovers of the season. It really took her into top model territory. She was up for anything style-wise, and I knew she would look amazing with a versatile pixie look. Her big beautiful eyes and new cropped do became her signature look.
Hair help
What are the most common hair woes you see in teenagers? The fixes?
Olivia Davies: Over-straightening hair to the point of snapping. This is easily addressed by using a heat protectant styling product before hair is blowdried or straightened. Using the right weekly strengthening treatment for a particular hair type can help dramatically. Over-processed hair due to patchy home hair colour can also be common.
Three things you'd like to see young girls do with their hair?
1. Embrace their natural movement and texture. Learn how to work with it instead of straightening it to within an inch of its life.
2. Understand the importance of using the correct styling tools and products for their individual needs, so their hair can be gorgeous and healthy no matter the shape, colour or style.
3. Use hair colour to enhance skin tones: individual colouring instead of chemically over-processing again and again to unnaturally lighten hair.
How often should a girl with long hair get it trimmed?
It's important that girls with long hair, who want to keep it long, still have it trimmed at least every six weeks to keep it fresh, tidy and the ends full.
Any advice on using heat styling?
Everyone should use a heat protectant, whether hair is coloured, thick or fine. There are various lotions and sprays available for different hair types, and they're a must each and every time before blowdrying, ironing or curling hair.
Colouring: Should teenagers do this and, if so, how?
Yes, teenagers should colour their hair if they want to - but only at a reputable salon and definitely not at home. There's a lot of technical expertise behind hair colouring - from colour selection to application and processing time. I also think they should select natural colours as the maintenance can be out of control for anything too unnatural. Colour should enhance skin colouring and features, so seek professional advice for the best results.
What are a few easy styling options for summer hair?
I absolutely love summer hair; it's low maintenance and beachy. I love loosely blowdrying volume into the roots, leaving ends slightly damp and scrunching mousse to encourage a rough beachy texture. Fast and easy to create, and it looks hot!
How do you protect your hair in the sun/sea?
Coloured hair needs extra protection to resist colour fade and stay looking great, while blonde hair needs strength and moisture. There is a fabulous Kerastase product called Aqua-Seal - part of the Soleil range. A leave-in treatment, it protects against key summertime aggressors by sealing the hair with a waterproof veil to keep harmful UV rays at bay. It leaves hair feeling like silk, even after a week of being at the beach. I recommend you use it every day.
