Harry King
has more stories to tell about his days with Sophia Loren, Raquel
Welch, Andy Warhol and even presidents mistresses past and present
than anyone I know. And why wouldnt he? Hes been glamming
them up since the days of Studio 54. But in the name of True Enhancement,
I appealed to Harrys down-to-earth sensibilities for all of
us mere mortals whod like to bring out the best in our hair's
true personality.
KJ: So is it true that big hair is coming
back?
HK: It really depends where you live. Here
in New York yes weve seen flat, flat, flat, which I think was a
mistake for a few but beautiful in general, and now of course, weve
had our fill. Anything could be called "big" in comparison to
this straight obsession Hair "dependency", overworked hair,
obsession with straight hair. Trouble is everyone damaged the hair so
much in the process of getting it stick straight that they have to use
equal effort to get the hair to look shiny and naturally wavy again for
the new trend.
KJ: Some women blow their hair straight
every day. Do you encounter a lot of women who dont really give
their "real hair" a chance.
HK: Absolutely. They want whatever they dont
have. Id like to see women regain a sense of their own individuality
as so many women had in the seventies. Renee Russo, who was such a confident
girl and who still maintains a unique style was never swayed by trends
in the seventies. Patty Hanson also had a definite look about her that
we worked with, not against, on our photo shoots together. Id like
to see more women connect with their individuality and show off it by
giving their God given hair a little more credit!
KJ: Do women tend to blow their hairs
idiosyncrasies out of proportion? Cowlicks, for example?
HK: Oh, yes. Cowlicks should be respected and
worked with, not against. Ive never seen it fail, but some
women are so insecure about hair imperfections. Perfect is so boring!
KJ: There are so many beautiful takes on
wave and curl right now. If a woman wanted to work with her natural curl,
should she stay away from rollers, use her fingers?
HK: First she should blot as much moisture
out of the hair as possible, gently. Then apply a leave-in conditioner.
For super fine or particularly flat hair she can use a light setting lotion
which is less greasy. Then comb through with a wide-tooth comb and let
the hair dry naturally. I she wants to emphasize her texture, she can
throw in tiny Velcro rollers when the hair is almost dry, or choose curls
that have already begun to form and wrap them gently around her fingers,
them pin them up with a bobby pin. This can also bring wave into straight
hair. When shes ready to go, she can complete the drying with a
little heat from a blow dryer with a diffuser attachment, which keeps
the hair from getting frizzy. I like KMS Liquid Gold for blow drying.
It adds just the shine and texture you want. Or a product called Phyto
7, which really draws moisture into dryer hair. Kiehls Shine N
Light is great for working with the finished product for shine and flexibility.
All of the products should be used very sparingly to avoid weighing the
hair down.
KJ: Harry, you were an innovator of "wash
and wear hair" in the early seventies in London, which liberated
stylish women from time consuming hair rituals for the first time in recorded
fashion history. What should women know about making their hair "wash
and wear" now?
HK: The key is the cut. Back then it was a
shorter, layered cut that looked fresh. Now I think the best cut that
becomes most women is basically one length, but with a bit of fringe around
the face. Not bangs necessarily, although a few, nose-length wisps can
be skillfully chipped in with a razor. That way they can be made to disappear,
or to fall out sexily from a ponytail. The shaping around the face gives
a much softer look that doesnt steal focus from the woman, as a
true blunt cut might. The fringe also encourages natural wave -- even
in straighter hair -- and springier curls. The other key is to maintain
good condition in the hair, which means laying off the blow dryer whenever
possible. Those super-absorbent hair chamois towels help natural drying
along, And when you blow dry, always use a protectant like the ones I
mentioned. The cooler the air, the better. Changing shampoos can also
keep the hairs inherent "personality" alive and kicking.
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