How to Get 'I Woke Up Like This' Hair

Sadly, the loose, effortless hair look we often see on models and celebs is usually the result of hours of styling and prep backstage, but there are ways to get that I-woke-up-like-this style without having to set the alarm hours ahead of schedule! The answer: you’ll need to actually wake up like it…

Before you think of heading to bed with wet hair and waking up in a frizzy nightmare, it’s much easier than you’d think. You just need to decide what kind of style you want to wake up to in the morning, and plan appropriately.

For a quick way to achieve those beautiful undone bedhead waves, wash your hair in the evening and make sure you dry it completely. The beauty is that there’s no need to concentrate on a smooth blow-dry; just spritz in a volumising product like Percy & Reed Big Bold & Beautiful Dry Instant Volumising Spray, before blasting the hair totally dry. Then simply plait it tightly before bed and enjoy an extra half-hour of hitting the snooze button – this style only takes ten minutes to finish once the sun’s up!

Simply undo the plait and separate out the waves; I like using a texturizing product like Aveda’s Light Elements Texturising Crème for a gorgeous matte finish. If any areas are a bit off, you can fix them easily with a wide-barrel tong and create a loose curl alongside the plaited waves. To add a bit of lift and texture at the roots, sprinkle on some dry shampoo and massage in. My client Sienna Miller wears this look beautifully; it’s effortlessly cool and always looks fabulous, whatever the occasion!

If your desired style is less wild-child and more second-day blow-dry, with plenty of volume and wave but still holding on to that gorgeous gloss, you’ll need to dedicate a bit more time in the evening, but it will be worth it! Yes, you can go into a salon and request a big Kate Middleton blow-dry, but to save time and money, it’s best to learn the technique at home. Arm yourself with large rollers, a decent blow-dry brush and a great hairdryer and you’ll have the look down in no time.

Spray your hair with a heat protectant, then work in layers around the head with your brush and dryer. Separating into two-inch sections, pull the hair out and away from the head using the brush (Goody’s Start Style Ceramic brush is one of my favourites for this task) and then while the hair is hot, curl up into the roller from the ends, and wind upwards. Pin to the head with a Kirby grip and spritz with KMS’s Medium Hold Hairspray; repeat the process all over the head and once the hair is all rolled up, blast the hair all over with the dryer to heat it up again. Leave the rollers in as long as possible before bed, and then unwind so you’re going to bed with a full-on Hollywood blow-dry. Have no fear though; when you wake up in the morning, the hair will have dropped and relaxed, leaving you with a glorious semi-polished vibe that’s near impossible to create from scratch! To style, just run your fingers through the waves to separate (never a brush, it’ll just create frizz) and sprinkle some dry shampoo into the roots – Aveda’s Shampure is a favourite of mine to add lift and texture and remove that glossy finish.

Et voila – beautiful boho bedhead hair straight off the catwalks, with an extra thirty minutes in bed!