When I think of nineties hair, two things immediately come to mind: extreme volume and the undisputed queen of root lift, Cindy Crawford.
You know the look. That gloriously big, bouncy, gravity-defying mane that, in hindsight, probably required a Herculean effort to achieve. It wasn’t “effortless” in any way – no matter how it was sold. Entire cans of hairspray were sacrificed. Backcombing, teasing, pinning, curling – it was a full-contact sport.
Over the past few years, nineties hair has been making a slow but determined comeback. Credit goes to modern gadgets such as the Dyson Airwrap, powerful salon-worthy hairdryers like the LanaiBlo and an endless stream of social media tutorials dedicated to coaxing your roots into the stratosphere.
The arguable overlord of big hair, spanning the eighties, nineties, the noughties and somehow still ruling today, is Sam McKnight. A living legend, no question, and the mastermind behind more iconic tresses than I could possibly name here, including Princess Diana, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and, of course, Cindy Crawford. If big hair has a patron saint, it’s McKnight.
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For decades, he’s championed bombshell hair, and his haircare range is all about helping you achieve salon-worthy volume at home. Now, he’s upped the ante with the launch of The Big Set (€61.95 from sammcknight.com). I’ll admit I audibly gasped when I saw it in action on social media. It’s essentially a time machine back to gravity-defying blowouts.
The Big Set includes 18 Velcro rollers (and accompanying clips) in three sizes, a tin of McKnight’s excellent Modern Hairspray, and the pièce de résistance: a gold dryer hood that positively screams the nineties. It’s as if the era itself was distilled into a single, perfectly styled package.
Unsurprisingly, it’s easy to use and carries all the hallmarks of McKnight’s signature no-fuss approach to hair. Better yet, it doesn’t require freshly washed locks – a win for anyone who likes to skip steps (and day-old hair holds a style better anyway). Simply start with completely dry hair, mist it lightly with Modern Hairspray, and then get rolling.
Roll sections of hair from ends to roots (away from scalp, not towards it – as we want big lift) with the Velcro rollers and then clip them in place – making sure to use the larger rollers where you want most volume. For me, this is on the top of my head and the layers at the front. Once every strand is snugly in place, it’s time to put on the fancy gold hood. Pull over the rollers, then pull the adjustable cable around your face to secure snugly – this is important: if it’s not tight, the heat will escape, turning the whole thing into a bit of a hot mess.
Then attach your hair dryer to the funnel and switch on. The hood will lift and expand slightly at this point. Blast warm air (make sure it’s warm, not hot, as the aim is to style, not melt) into the hood for around 15-20 minutes. Yes, it all sounds a bit mad (and, frankly, it looks mad too), but oddly enough, it’s quite relaxing.
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Once your time under the hood has come to an end, switch off your hairdryer and let your hair cool for a couple of minutes – then remove the hood and the rollers. Gently brush through, and prepare to gasp because the results are truly impressive. We’re talking extreme volume in all the best ways. Even if your roller placement wasn’t perfect (who’s is?), the system is practically foolproof.
Finish with a light mist of hairspray or a texture spray to shape the hair as you like, then seal it with a final spritz. And that’s it – nineties volume from the comfort of your own home in under 20 minutes. Cindy Crawford, eat your heart out.
This week I’m loving ... Benefit Cosmetics Mighty Fine Brow Pen
I’m a big fan of Benefit Cosmetics’ brow products, and their latest addition doesn’t disappoint. Mighty Fine Brow Pen (€31.50 from Brown Thomas) is the first on the market with a three-prong brush tip. Available in eight shades, the clever design mimics the look of hair strokes, so whether you’re lacking fullness in the front, tail, or body, you can use it to create natural-looking, realistic brow strokes with precision.
