The Princess of Wales and her immaculate blow-dry are a thing of beauty. The wife of Prince William never has so much as a strand out of place when she sports those iconic barrel curls, and her hair has always been my dream 'do.
Getting your hair to look that pristine is not easy, though. You need to look after your mane, learn how to use heated tools correctly, and make sure you don't get caught in the rain or succumb to humidity.
But what if you want hair like Kate's, but you only have time to do all that? The answer is airdrying. And never fear, the mother of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis has a rarely-seen boho hairstyle, and it's an air-dry masterpiece.
In 2012, during her visit to the Solomon Islands on the Waleses' Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East, Kate sported a stunning yet laid-back look.
Her famous long hair fell over her shoulders, with a lightly kinked, ultra-curly texture that looked undone yet timeless. It was great to see the royal's hair naturally highlighted by the sun, too. It was clear she had air-dried it.
Air-drying your hair is super easy, takes very little time, yet can still look polished. You just need the right technique.
Air-dry your hair in style
Samuel Ashcroft, Principal Stylist at Josh Wood Atelier, says: "Start by using a moisture-based shampoo and conditioner, like the 'Supershine' range by Oribe, to nourish and prep the hair. Apply a curl cream throughout, scrunching it in to enhance texture, and use your fingers to define a few key pieces around the face. Let your hair air dry naturally or use a diffuser to set the product and encourage curl formation. If any frizz appears, use a tong to refine the curls around the ends, hairline, and top of the head. Finish by applying the 'Miracle Oil' by Josh Wood Colour to smooth down any remaining frizz and scrunch it in for added definition and shine."
Heatless curls
A way to get tightly spun curls to make your mane more defined is to invest in a heatless curls set. A technique first introduced on TikTok during the pandemic, the results speak for themselves.
"Curling irons can damage 85% of your hair’s keratin proteins, causing it to become brittle and dry. Now, you don’t have to fry your hair to get great curls. Just use a clever pure silk curler for big, bouncy waves that last all day, with zero heat damage. Just wrap locks around the curling rod and relax, finish getting ready, or sleep and let our curler do its magic," explain Maria and Christine Sotiriou, founders of SILKE London.
"Our heatless curls are made from 100% silk, so not only does it save your hair from any damage, it also hydrates whilst you curl."
Everything you need for the perfect air-dried hair
As a Beauty Editor, I have been air-drying my hair for a generous amount of time now, and I prefer doing so instead of using a hairdryer. As a busy working mum, I just don't have time to spend preening my hair between bedtime and work routines. It's taken me a while to perfect the look, but I don't think I'll ever go back!
First things first, after washing my hair with an ultra-nourishing shampoo and conditioner like the 'Bain Hydra-Glaze' range by Kérastase, I then apply a leave-in product, which does all the work for you. The JVN 'Complete Air Dry Cream' or the Living Proof 'Style Lab Air-Dry Styler' are both cream products that strengthen the hair, lock in moisture, and help develop the hair's natural curl.
I then air-dry my hair and go about my business, before using a heatless curl set, or I tie my hair up with a DROWSY scunchie, as they prevent breakage and are super gentle on my hair over regular elastic bands.
I then wake up, unwrap my hair, add a little of the 'Glaze Drops' by Kérastase to smooth any frizz, plus some K18 'Airwash' dry shampoo for root definition, and I'm ready to roll. You would never know my hair is air-dried.