Spring's it-girl hair? Nicola Coughlan and Billie Piper say it's ‘White Lotus Waves'

At the recent Olaplex dinner in London, two of Britain’s most beloved actresses -  Nicola Coughlan and Billie Piper - made waves, quite literally, with matching effortlessly tousled hairstyles that felt like a scene straight out of The White Lotus. 

During season three of the hit HBO show, the whole cast served the ultimate 'holiday hair' inspiration - in the form of beachy, mermaid waves -  as seen on Aimee Lou Wood’s character, Chelsea, and Jaclyn, played by Michelle Monaghan. 

Channelling laid-back luxury, both Nicola and Billie opted for undone, textured waves that are fast becoming this spring’s must-have look.

© Jed Cullen /Dave Benett/Getty Im

With the weather warming up and holiday season on the horizon, the 'White Lotus wave' is the perfect middle ground between polished and beachy. It’s relaxed yet expensive-looking - a style that feels just as at home poolside in Sicily as it does at a luxury beauty dinner. 

Billie, wearing a sultry black lace gown, paired her long brunette hair with subtle volume at the roots and loose, rippling waves that framed her face with ease. Nicola Coughlan, meanwhile, opted for a softer, romantic take. Her signature blonde locks were styled into flowing waves with a glossy finish, adding a touch of glamour to her all-black ensemble.

© Jed Cullen /Dave Benett/Getty Im

While the look felt spontaneous, make no mistake- this kind of texture is often the result of some strategic styling. The secret? A good wave-enhancing spray or heatless styling technique, and in this case, no doubt a little help from Olaplex’s signature bond-building formulas for strength and shine.

The key to nailing the trend is to embrace imperfection - this isn’t a perfect, salon-finish curl. Instead, it’s about soft bends, subtle kinks, and plenty of movement. 

© HBO

How to nail Nicola Coughlan and Billie Piper's 'White Lotus Wave' 

Hershesons expert stylist Dale Herne shares his top tips on how to get the look at home. 

1. “Start by rough drying your hair with a hair dryer with no nozzle. Be sure not to smooth out the hair when drying as we want this look to feel as natural and beachy as possible.”
   
   
2. “Next, prep hair with Air Dry Spray - this will help give the waves we’ll create some hold. It also enhances hair’s natural texture, to create that “holiday hair” look.
3.  “Then take the mermaid waver like the attachment of the Hershesons Multi-Tasker long set, and take big sections of the hair, about two inches from the root. Depending on the length of your hair, you may need to do this just once or, if you have longer hair, move down towards the end of the hair and clamp again.
   
   
4. “Finish with the Almost Everything Cream and run your fingers through the waves to separate and give that lived-in mermaid look. It’s also a great product to fight off humidity-induced frizz!”  

 Thanks to Billie and Nicola, spring’s top hair inspo is clear: embrace the wave.