Good hair is contagious! For the fourth year, ELLE polled the country's 100 best salons to reveal the most coveted celebrity styles from coast to coast—and how to copycat them with ease.
The Bang
Winner: Nicole Richie
It's no surprise that the prize for best fringe goes to Richie. "The full bang is very late '60s, early '70s, so it's the perfect vintage accessory," says Richie's stylist, Andy Lecompte. To whip her heavy bangs into shape (which he does every three to four weeks), Lecompte razors them to below the brow, keeping the length slightly shorter in the middle "so they stay out of her eyes," and finishes by blending the outer fringe into the sides. "Nicole Richie's look really resonates with our long-haired clients who want a change but won't compromise on length," says Adrienne Rogers, co-owner of Hush Salon in Philadelphia.
The Bang
Runner-Up: Zooey Deschanel
Retro-adorable Deschanel is the runner-up.
The Bang: Pro Picks
Richie totes a Mason Pearson Boar Bristle & Nylon brush to touch up bangs.
The Bang: Pro Picks
Lecompte adds a dab of Phyto Professional Matte Texturizing Paste to "lightly define" fringe.
The Bang: Pro Picks
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray "soaks up excess oil without leaving behind white residue," Lecompte says.
Long & Straight
Winner: Reese Witherspoon
The best performance for sleek strands goes to golden girl Reese Witherspoon. The secret to Witherspoon's covetable style? "I cut face-framing layers from the top of the head, not by holding them out to the side," says her stylist, Mark Townsend. "This adds bounce and keeps ends from looking stringy." And because straight hair reflects the most light, her style boasts extra shine. "This style is so popular because it's superflattering," says Sanda Petrut, a senior stylist at Chicago's posh Maxine Salon. "The long, chin-length layers accentuate the cheekbones and add sexy yet sophisticated movement to the hair— something every woman wants."
Long & Straight
Runner-Up: Beyoncé
Hitmaker Beyoncé comes in a close second.
Long & Straight: Pro Picks
Townsend spritzes a bit of Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray onto his palms and lightly distributes it through Witherspoon's hair "to separate and define layers."
Long & Straight: Pro Picks
Townsend's blow-dry essential: Dove Body & Lift Volumizing Mousse to "keep hair full of volume all day."
Long & Straight: Pro Picks
Townsend's other blow-dry essential: His Spornette Porcupine Rounder Brush, which "gives amazing bounce."
The Pixie
Winner: Halle Berry
Halle Berry—and her hair—can do no wrong. For the second year in a row, she sits atop salons' request lists—but this time she's cut her waves loose in favor of a pixie. "To wear short hair you must be confident," says Berry's stylist, Neeko Abriol. "It works great on Halle because she has an amazing neckline and cheekbones and she's not afraid to show them." Abriol keeps Berry's sides short, with an extra inch of length on top to create texture and "keep it versatile." In the great outdoors of Montana, "women like cuts that are easy to style," says Laura Peretto, owner of Sugar Salon in Helena, where Berry's do is No. 1. "It's low maintenance, but you can still dress it up with a few loose curls or by roughing up the surface."
The Pixie
Runner-Up: Carey Mulligan
Short-cut runner-up, Oscar nominee Mulligan, also favors a pixie.
The Pixie: Pro Picks
Abriol uses Bumble and Bumble Styling Creme to "build up" texture in Berry's hair.
The Pixie: Pro Picks
Stylist Didier Malige adds luster to Mulligan's blond crop with Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Sheer Shine Mist.
The Pixie: Pro Picks
To give a sleek finish and clean up cowlicks, Abriol uses FHI heat Platform 4/10" Styling Iron.
The Wave
Winner: Kim Kardashian
When it comes to Kim Kardashian, the only thing talked about more than the curves of her body are the curves of her long hair. "I give Kim bouncy waves by vertically wrapping hair from root to end in small sections around a 1.5-inch iron," says her stylist, Frankie Payne. "A few long layers give her hair that extra body." Hawaii's salt-spray beaches and moisturepacked climate make Kardashian's beachy strands a hit: "Hawaiians have always had an affinity for long hair," says Joe Randazzo, owner of J Salon in Honolulu. "Our clients love the versatility of Kim's layered waves—from soft and subtle to more sexy and defined."
The Wave
Runner-Up: Taylor Swift
Women envy Swift for more than her talent and her friendship with hunky Taylor Lautner; they love her natural coils.
The Wave: Pro Picks
Bumble and bumble Thickening Hairspray coats strands to make a "perfect base" for waves, Payne says.
The Wave: Pro Picks
A dab of T3 Boost "seals in shine and eliminates frizz."
The Wave: Pro Picks
Payne uses Hot Tools 1.5" Curling Iron, working from the nape of the neck up: "It really makes curls last."
The Shade
Winner: Jennifer Aniston
Americans seem to be debating everything these days except their favorite color: the sun-kissed shade of Jennifer Aniston's hair. "She has been one of the most popular sources of inspiration at our salon for the past 15 years. Her soft highlights remain the most requested look today," says William George, owner of the James Joseph Salon in Boston. "Women like the fact that her hair doesn't look obviously foiled," says Negin Zand, Aniston's colorist, who uses balayage to paint on a trio of baby and golden blond highlights along with light brown lowlights. "Keep the highlights finer at the root and thicker at the bottom for the most natural effect," says Zand, who finishes with a clear Redken gloss, which makes hair supershiny. At right, the runners-up for most requested colors by shade.
The Shade: Maintenance Crew
Aniston maintains a soft, healthy base for color with Shu Uemura Art of Hair Moisture Velvet Nourishing Treatment.
The Shade: Maintenance Crew
Zand recommends L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Lumino Contrast Shampoo to keep "color looking fresh."
The Shade: Maintenance Crew
A light moisture spray, like Rene Furterer Fioravanti No Rinse Detangling Spray, will help hair "look brilliant all day."
The Shade: Strawberry
Winner: Christina Hendricks
The Shade: Caramel
Winner: Jennifer Lopez
The Shade: Champagne
Winner: Reese Witherspoon
The Shade: Chestnut
Winner: Sandra Bullock
The Shade: Honey
Winner: Sarah Jessica Parker
The Shade: Auburn
Winner: Julianne Moore
