Tigi

It's always exciting when fashion and beauty work together on a new project and tis the case this season between clothing designer Christopher Kane and hair company Catwalk by TIGI. They have joined forces to bring us this seasons must-have Alice band. The knotted faux leather double-strap hair accessory is available from specialty salons as a gift with purchase until supplies last when you buy two Catwalk by TIGI products. Christopher Kane told Vogue,

"I have designed hair accessories prior to this but never took them to market. TIGI suggested it and I thought it would be nice to do… TIGI is all about being creative and I really like that. I also admire that it is a family brand like my own."

Are you interested in seeking out once of these stylish headbands?

Designer Christopher Kane is known for incorporating a feminine yet edgy feel to his fashions. His Fall 2012 collection, for instance, featured leopard prints, boxy silhouettes, and grosgrain prints. Models were also adorned with leather at his latest runway show — an element Kane was inspired by when developing this knotted, leather-esque hairband for Catwalk by Tigi.

"I used accents of black leather in my A/W12 collection and so wanted to create a hairband for Tigi that had the same attitude," Kane explained. "A double strand in soft, mock leather adds toughness and strictness and keeps the hair controlled and modern." The limited-edition headband will be available with the purchase of two Catwalk by Tigi products at participating Tigi salons next month. Wear the sweet but sultry accessory with a tousled updo for cool-girl appeal, or with a ponytail for a crisp, sophisticated style.

Source: Christopher Kane Gets Knotty For Tigi

It's time to ditch the straighteners girls! Curls are making a comeback. Everywhere you turn recently, starlets have been rocking wild loose curls. Beyonce's been spotted at a series of events recently with long loose flowing tendrils paired with off the shoulder tops (Very: Julia Roberts circa 1990.) Then there's Corinne Bailey Rae who for Glastonbury sported high volume loose curls and looked sensational.

Apparently, beauty industry is catching up now, too. According to reports this week curls are the new buzz area in beauty with more and more companies focusing on the needs of ladies with corkscrews and waves and everything in between.

Major US retailers are introducing new product ranges and sections devoted specifically to curly hair, meanwhile sales of hair relaxant (a chemical straightener) have declined by 23 percent!

Apparently salons have even started opening in New York dedicated specifically for tending curly hair. Simultaneously curly haired product ranges with Tigi, to TRESemmé and Pantene have become major sellers. (Tigi say its curly hair products outsrip sales of other straight hair product ranges.)

I'm loving this. For so long it was all about the poker straight look. That's still great too, of course, but it's nice to see that curls are being celebrated! Do you like curly hair?

Fashion shows used to be all about the clothes but not any more, according to beauty luminary Anna-Marie Soliwij. These days London, New York, and Milan fashion weeks are being followed as much for the hottest backstage beauty trends as they are the latest frocks!

Backstage areas at shows are now a hive of TV cameras and reporters and are a major publicity vehicle for beauty brands involved, writes Anna-Marie in this month's Vogue.

Backstage hair and makeup artists are celebrities in their own right. Meanwhile, fashion shows and the idea 'backstage glamour', has also started inspiring product ranges, from Charles Worthington's Front Row range to Tigi's Catwalk line. Fashion shows have also become prime territory for debuting new product lines.

"For the beauty companies, it's about having top hair and makeup people trialling new products," explains Anna-Marie of the trend. "And for us consumers, backstage provides the ultimate test; If a product works in that fast, furious environment where only a flawless finish will do, the chances are it will work in the slightly more prosaic surroundings of the average bathroom, too."

Having reported on London Fashion Week shows for years, I've definitely noticed a growing interest in backstage beauty.

There's an atmosphere of glamour and excitement before shows (even if it is cramped and hot!). It's thrilling to think that you're finding out about the latest beauty trends right as they happen. I can see why brands would want to export that to the masses.

What do you think – do you follow backstage beauty trends?

Along with a powerful, high-wattage hairdryer, a round brush is my secret weapon hair tool. Second to my prized all-boar bristle Mason Pearson, a round brush helps smooth and straighten my frizzy hair while creating bounce and shine. The key is to finding the perfect one has to do with size and grip. After spending 15 minutes every other day blow-drying, you'll become more intimate with yours then you ever imagined! Below are a list of my top three high performance round brushes. Do you have a favourite brush?

• The Frederic Fekkai Large Round Brush (£44) works great on all hair lengths. I use on my crown and fringe because it's small and creates amazing resistance. The more tension that you have between your hair and your brush, the smoother the result. It's also great for curling the ends and adding volume to the roots.

For details on two more of my top buys for best blow-out brushes, read more