JAN 10: After seasons of straightening, smoothing and slicking, big, bouncy, glamorous hair is back.

Expect to see it on catwalks (Versace, Chanel and Michael Kors previewed the look on the spring/summer catwalks last autumn); in pop videos (Kylie is already bouffant); on red carpets (Angelina Jolie showed off her voluminous mane at the London premiere of Alexander last week); at the movies (Kate Beckinsale wears it in The Aviator); and on television (big hair is to Desperate Housewives what Manolos were to Sex and the City).

Ahead of the game, Elizabeth Hurley and Jemima Khan sported styles of prom queen proportions to Christmas parties and still looked ravishingly modern. Not to be outdone, trendsetter Sienna Miller, she of the naturally tousled tresses, is sporting a fuller, Stepford Wife-type hairdo to set off her diamond engagement ring.

"Big hair is going to be a strong look this year," says Lino Carbosiero, the senior hair consultant at Daniel Galvin in London, whose clients include Anna Friel. "But it will be very different to the power bob of the Eighties and Nineties.

When you look at pictures of celebrities during that era, they actually look younger today – the old style was so ageing."

British hair supremo Sam McKnight, who made the style the crowning glory of supermodels in the Nineties, is delighted at the arrival, this season, of more natural-looking, mammoth manes.

"The modern take on big hair is about sexy volume rather than a big, solid helmet," he says. "Today's look should never resemble that of a newsreader or look like you've just walked out of a salon. It must be loose enough to run your fingers through."

"The cut is really important," adds Michaeljohn stylist Dar, whose clients include Jemima Khan, Goldie Hawn and Aishwarya Rai, the Bollywood actress famed for her fabulously big locks. "Hair needs to be sculpted and layered. As with all layered styles, it helps if you have thick hair, like Jemima's, but only two in 10 women do."

The condition of the hair is crucial, too. "Hair must look in great shape," says Carbosiero. "Thankfully, there are many products now available to help achieve this, even if you have been using straightening irons or colour."

 

In New York, blow-dry bars are springing up to cater for the new, voluminous look. Until they arrive here, follow Dar's tips on how best to achieve the look at home.

Pump up the volume

After shampooing and conditioning your hair, towel-dry it to take out excess moisture, and spray a good setting lotion or root-lift serum throughout, lifting the hair to reach all sections. Blow-dry your hair, and while it is still warm, lift up an inch of hair, roll it around your finger and secure it into a hollow "sausage" with a hair grip. You can use big rollers, but pinning with grips varies the size of the curls, making it look more natural. Repeat until all the hair is pinned up. Cover with a medium-hold hair spray and leave to set for at least 20 minutes. Then, remove the grips and run your fingers through the hair.

Alternatively, use a medium-sized, round, natural-bristle brush on warm, just-washed hair that has been spritzed with setting lotion. Roll the hair around the brush and keep rolling as you blow dry. While the hair is being dried, cover it with hair spray. Repeat until all the hair is dry. Run your fingers through it or backcomb fine hair slightly at the roots. Add a tiny drop of serum for extra shine. To vary the look, pin up sections of the hair (not the whole hairdo).

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