voluminous hair

Hair can be a little testy from time to time, and trying to get it to bounce back when you're not within five feet of a blow dryer might seem near impossible. Everything from product overload to a rainy afternoon to your trendy chapeau can suck the height right out. But when your roots go limp and you're in a pinch, there are quick steps to take to give them a shot of volume.

1. If your hair is a little damp, simply flip your head upside down and finger-brush it away from your scalp to keep it from matting against your head.
2. If you have a dry shampoo, take the top two layers of your hair and apply the product to the roots only. One that adds volume, like Tigi Catwalk Session Series Transforming Dry Shampoo ($29.95), is good to have on hand. 
3. Strategically spritzed shots of hair spray are another way to jolt flat hair back to life. Standing with your head upside down, divide your hair from ear-to-ear, and spray along that part. Then, spray down the palms of your hands and work the product into your hair's top layer, making sure to brush your fingers away from your scalp. Flip your hair back into place for an instantly puffed-up coif.
4. If all else fails and you have long hair, a trendy topknot is a quick and easy style to pull off. Bonus: If you keep this updo loose around the roots, you can always pull it out after a few hours for a slightly waved look with loads of volume.

Kristen Stewart's Blonde US Vogue cover is bound to be one of the year's most popular. The Twilight starlet worked with hairstylist Oribe, who created this hairstyle. They were aiming for a soft look to complement her Proenza Schouler ensemble and obviously it's a look that Kristen feels with, as she's often seen sporting a similar style on the red carpet. For his work with Kristen, Oribe turned to his own line of haircare. (Wouldn't you?) Here's how to get the look at home.

STEP 1: Prepare damp hair with a plumping spray; Oribe used his own Volumista Mist for Volume but we love O&M Rootalicious Root Lift Mousse ($29.95) Then blow-dry with a round brush to create body.

STEP 2: Protect hair by applying a heat protecting spray, one section at a time.

STEP 3: Use a 1.5-inch barrel curling iron to curl hair and then gently brush out the curls.

STEP 4: Set the style with medium-hold hairspray.

Dang, Leighton Meester has good hair. It's not surprising that she got snapped up by a hair brand. But what we loved is that she used it anyway. Before she 'had' to. LOVE that shiz. We spotted these shots of her at a Herbal Essences photocall in Spain yesterday and had to share. Those big bouncy bottom curls mixed with that espresso smoky eye. That tonged tousle and brilliant bounce is signature Meester and always seemed a little out of reach for those of us who didn't have Charles Baker Strahan (her stylist) on speed dial. But not anymore thanks to the just-launched Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Range. I am a mad fan of Herbal Essences. Or 'Erbal Essences as Leighton calls it. Cute. And unlike the other ranges, this one's all about the styling. Sure there's the Tousle Me Softly Shampoo & Conditioner ($5.99) — infused with wild violet and pomegrante; yum — but there's also a Spray Gel, Mousse and Hairspray which are all just $6.99 each. Bargain. Now you really CAN have Leighton's hair.

Marc Jacobs ain’t the only one feeling the ’70s for Spring 2011. Over at Unique, Topshop’s premium line, stylist Paul Hanlon described the ’dos he created as “Saturday night hair, it’s a bit disco.” He dyed strands of models’ hair in washed-out lavender and peach shades before working the hair into tiny twists, spraying with hairspray and pressing it with straighteners. Then the hair was unpinned and brushed out to achieve the Grace Coddington-esque look. The statement lip was the focus of the makeup, and Hannah Murray used Topshop’s own makeup line to create a “cool London girl”, Jerry Hall-inspired look. After prepping skin with Skin Tint in Dark and highlighting with Skin Glow in Dark, she used Dare Devil lipstick and topped it off with three layers of gloss.

The inspiration for hair and makeup at Julien Macdonald came from Sharon Tate in Valley of the Dolls. With her influence recognisable in the blown-out, voluminous hair, stylist Malcolm Edwards said, “It’s sexy and bedhead-y, but in a modern way.” He prepped hair with L'Oréal Professionnel products before styling with tongs. For makeup, James Kaliardos said his look was “about treating the whole face” instead of focusing on one feature. The resulting look is a perfectly prepped face with brown and champagne-hued eye shadows creating a rounded eye shape, finished off with lashings of mascara and a nude lip. I love how super-feminine it is. Will you be copying?