Awards season is upon us and as the likes of J.Lo and Shania Twain hit the red carpet, one thing is clear: celebrities seem to be ageing backwards.
Of course, there’s always speculation over exactly how the A-list looks so youthful, but these days, there are lots of ways to get a line-free appearance – without undergoing expensive needlework.
The latest offering in age-defying treatments comes from London salon Neville Hair & Beauty, and their ‘Facelift Blow Dry’.
According to the website, the ‘genius hack’ aims to leave skin looking taut and lifted, without the surgery, cost or recovery time.
At just £65, it could save Botox-devotees thousands. But can a blow dry really turn back the clock? We wanted to find out.
‘All stylists know that if you pull hair tightly in an up do you can firm up the face at the same time’, says Facelift Blow Dry creator, senior stylist Afroditi Koutsouki.
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Afroditi has used the technique on her clients at the Cannes film festival and is currently inundated with demand.
Most people think that only a very tight, high pony (the ones that leave you with a head ache by the end of the day) will give that lifted look. But Afroditi says that’s not the case.
‘You can pull small amounts back discreetly and wear the rest of your hair loose,’ says Afroditi. ‘My clients know that I do this, and they always ask for it if they have a big night out or event’.
So while calling this technique a ‘blow dry’ might be using a bit of creative license, fans swear by the results.
Personally, I am over the moon to be trialling this out. My face is starting to sag around the edges, and although it’s not keeping me awake at night in the same manner as my fuel bill, it would be nice to lift my cheekbones and once-taut jawline.
Sometimes, I stand in front of the mirror pulling back my cheeks to see how I’d look with a facelift – this seems like an easy solution, especially if I can do it myself at home.
Afroditi first trims my hair, and then isolates a small strand from just above my ear at either side of my face. Pulling tightly in an upwards diagonal direction, she creates thin plaits on each side, then tugs the plaits upwards and around my head to the back (it’s not painful, but I can feel it!).
The plaits are fastened together with an elastic, and the rest of my hair styled over them.
To my astonishment, when I look in the mirror, it appears that my face has been airbrushed or put through a flattering filter. From the front, the skin on my cheeks is firmer, and from the side my slightly uneven jawline seems to have been refined by a ruler.
Afroditi says that for extra effect a second set of braids can be done below the ears to further pull up the lower face. It’s very impressive, and what’s more, I look natural, as though I’m a devotee of facial yoga.
I’d feared that the plaits might give me a headache, but they don’t bother me at all. Most people leave them in for three or four days, and they’re perfectly comfortable overnight.
If you’re attempting this at home, employ the same technique, but don’t braid the hair. The effect won’t be quite as dramatic, but it’s almost impossible to achieve tight plaits around your own head.
‘Are you going out later?’ asks a friend whom I meet for coffee after my appointment.
I think about my glamourous afternoon. I’m off to Tesco, doing a dog walk, and then picking up the kids. So, my absolute top tip for this blow dry? Book in some evening plans afterwards to show off your new look.
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