Why is it that your hair always looks best before a shower? When you wake up with the perfect mixture of tousled beach waves and seductive bed head, before you rinse and repeat and are then left with a half-flat-half-fluffy untameable nightmare. Or when you are sitting in the salon, before you are draped in satin and watch as your head is lined with layers of alfoil. After the two hour wait, your hairdresser starts the exciting blow-dry process, and then you see it. The bright, brassy tiger-stripes scattering across your natural regrowth, the sinking feeling sets in; “what have I (they) done”.
There is nothing like a major event, especially your wedding day, to add stress and pressure to your pre-wedding salon visit. If you are dreaming of the perfect-messy up-do, or long tumbling soft waves then look no further. Airlie & Co hold the vital secrets to ensure you are putting your best hair forward on your special day.
Step 1: Timing is crucial
One to two weeks before your big day is not the time to be making drastic hair changes or seeking out a new hair colourist or stylist. We advise you wait till after your wedding day to determine if bangs really would suit your face, or give peroxide blonde a try after the honeymoon.
Airlie & Co recommend you book in your pre-wedding colour appointment and consultation with your regular hair colourist and stylist two months leading up to your wedding day or big event, and ensure your last few appointments are spaced six weeks apart. When consulting with your colourist let them know the look you desire on the day, as this may require more appointments to work towards the look, such as a lived in textured blonde.
If you are not loyally-bound and committed to a hair colourist or stylist, leave yourself plenty of time to find one you are confident and comfortable with. We recommend Rhiane Schroder at Salon Gezelleg or Joel Wallbank at Edwards and Co.
Tip: Avoid a haircut during your last colour appointment. This will leave your hair at natural lengths with soft looking, workable ends.
Step 2: Hair Trials vs Hair Denials
Hair trials are your safety net to ensure you are not left in “hair denial”. Book in an extended appointment with your trusted hair stylist to work out your dream hair for your wedding day or special event. This is a great opportunity to collaborate and get to know your hair stylist, and eliminates any possibilities of you looking less-than-fabulous on the day.
A hair trial allows you the chance to see the style you love, and what you can expect your hair to look like on the day. If you want to take a different direction with your hair, such as natural highlights or length changes, a hair trial allows you to work towards achieving that look. Ensure you trust and work with your stylist and colourist to achieve realistic goals and keep your hair looking healthy.
Tip: We recommend booking in your hair trial between two and four months prior to the day.
Step 3: Hair Prep
Have you been washing your hair correctly? It is an old wives tale that hair stylist’s prefer your hair to be dirty in order for it to hold style. Your stylist actually prefers your hair clean and dry, preferably washed the day of your booking.
We advise you shampoo your hair twice (the good old rinse and repeat) and condition your lengths to ends only. For slippery/ glossy hair, we recommend condition first and then shampoo twice to gain extra grip.
But before you can jump in the shower and lather up, we have to ask; what are you stocking your shower shelves with? A hotel-provided shampoo and conditioner is doing more damage to your hair than good. Airlie & Co recommend Balmain Hair’s Volume Shampoo and Volume Conditioner. This ultimate shampoo delivers beautiful hair and styling, and you can shop directly through us.
Tip: Refrain from using heavy treatments or treatment oils through your hair in the week prior to the day.
Step 4: The Day
It’s now The Day. And you have done all the prep-work, the hair trials, and rinsed and repeated feverishly that morning. But now you are wondering if you hair will have the “wow factor” you desire…
What can be more dramatic than adding some length to those locks? At Airlie & Co we are crazy for luscious hair with glamorous volume. Whether you are wearing your hair up or down, extensions are perfect for providing bounce, hold and volume, and will ensure your beautiful hair lasts all day and night. Extensions can shape out an up-style, creating gorgeous shapes and profiles. When wearing your hair down, the extensions provide longevity, bounce, shine and weight.
Unfortunately this is not something you can just decide on the day. Talk with your hair stylist in your lead up appointments about extension options, whether you want the versatile clip in extensions, tape extensions or keratin bond extensions, as the varying techniques may affect how you can wear your hair on the day. Your salon may be able to order extensions for you internally, but if you purchase them yourself we recommend taking the extensions to your hair stylist for your last appointment or two, to ensure the extensions are the correct tone, colour and length, and blend perfectly with your hair.
High quality extensions will last for a few years and withstand colouring, cutting and styling. Clip in extensions are easy to wash and wear at home, and will take your everyday look to a beautiful blowout in just minutes.
Our favourite Headlines Hair Extensions are available for custom order through Airlie & Co. Call us for a complimentary fitting and consultation.
Tip: We believe it is important the hair you purchase is 100% human hair. When purchasing on eBay or through cheap manufactures, the hair is often a blend of human and synthetic hair. When this hair is heated it can melt and burn which causes damage to not only the extensions but also your real hair. Remember the importance of quality when purchasing extensions.
To really add those finishing touches to your beautiful wedding day hair, fresh flowers or a delicate hair piece can instantly provide the wow factor. For a chic and modern look we recommend the Chanel Bow style.
Airlie & Co want you to feel fresh and beautiful on your special day or event. A great way to guarantee stunning, head-turning luscious locks is by following our above hair-care guide, your hair will thank you for it.
To book your bridal hairstyling trial or organise a complimentary hair extension fitting leave us an enquiry