We caught up with celebrity hair stylist, Mark Townsend, during TIFF to chat about his secret to perfectly primped red carpet hair. He’d just come from spending a full day with Dakota Johnson who was at the festival to premiere Black Mass and was jumping from interview to interview, red carpet to red carpet. Townsend was there, styling and restyling her hair to make sure she looked different, but fresh for every photo opportunity. So, how did he do it? It all came down to his hero product:
I wouldn’t have made it through this week without dry shampoo, especially given what these girls go through in a day, how many times they’re being photographed, said Townsend. We start at 7am and we were going until 1am. He confessed that all he does is spray a ton of dry shampoo on a flat brush and gets right to work. The dry shampoo sticks too and absorbs the oil and sebum that your scalp creates and it picks up any product residue. Within one minute you have a whole new fresh head of hair to work with.
He has even ditched his hairspray! When you’re going for an up-do it gives the hair so much extra grit and friction in a good way, said Townsend. Bobby pins can slip out. Dry shampoo has almost replaced hairspray in 90 percent of the cases.
So which dry shampoo can you find in his kit? Working with Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, I’ve become a connoisseur of the pros and cons of dry shampoo, said Townsend of his long-time clients. Dove is my number one favourite “ because of how many years the Olsens have been using it. The it-girl duo also created their own line of dry shampoos early this year as part of their Elizabeth and James brand, boasting the scents from their famous fragrances. Their dry shampoo also has a tiny bit of shimmer and it doesn’t leave it as dry looking. It actually adds shine, whereas most tend to absorb shine.
There you have it! Dry shampoo is the must have product for your on-the-go beauty routine.
