Charles Worthington and red carpet hair go together like strawberries and cream. The man behind many a coiffed A Lister and indeed, half the star styles we pore over every time award season rolls around is a BAFTA veteran. Charles and his glam squad occupy three suites at the plush Savoy Hotel in London over the BAFTA weekend, and basically have a non-stop conveyor belt of hot acting talent coming through to be styled ready for the close up. This year, Charles and his team worked their magic on Kara Tointon, Alice Eve and Laura Haddock to name a few, and we were lucky to chat to the man himself about the process...
Grazia Daily: What's the vibe backstage in the suites?
Charles Worthington: "Well, we have about 200 stars come through over the course of the weekend for the ceremony and all the pre-BAFTA parties, and we have a team of about 15 people working flat out from 9am every day. But, somehow, it's lovely! The Savoy is so glam, and the area is very protected and cocooned - we don't have any cameras or prying eyes. It's relaxed, the champagne's flowing...the ladies are able to sit back in the chair and enjoy the experience."
GD: Wait, people come in at 9am? Isn't the ceremony in the evening?
CW: "If people are presenting awards they have to get there (ed. note: The Royal Opera House where the ceremony is held) much earlier. So it's a case of scheduling people in - and making the hair stand the test of time. Using the right products really helps. I used gallons of Charles Worthington BAFTA Limited Edition Body Booster Mousse (£5.99) and Charles Worthington BAFTA Limited Edition Texturising Spray (£6.99) in dry hair. If you put mousse in wet hair, it dilutes it down, which is fine for everyday, but for longevity, you need that extra concentration. The texture spray is great for an instant root lift."
**GD: How far in advance are the styles chosen?
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CW: "Lots of people we work with every year, so we know what their hair texture is like, we know their face shape. So we can start prepping in advance, but then you need to see the dress to be sure! It's more often than not quite last minute. For example, this year, Kristin Scott Thomas changed her dress at the last minute so the style needs to change correspondingly. You really have to think on your feet!"
GD: Tell us about Laura Haddocks’s look?
CW: "We actually did a fishtail plait which we twisted into a bun. It was a very spontaneous-looking bun. When you twist a fishtail back on itself it looks very intricate. It's so modern."
GD: We loved it. What about Alice Eve's 'do?
CW: "We wanted it to feel natural. It wasn’t scraped back too tight, we just kept it really loose, then finished it into this cute ballerina bun. It was a really simple, effortless statement."
GD: Any Sarah Jane Crawford's?
CW: "We did these super deep waves, almost like finger waves. Sarah Jane has such beautiful dramatic features and really high cheekbones so she really carried it off. We tonged the hair quite firmly, brushed it out, clipped the curls in, then left it to set and cool."
GD: What products were in rotation the most?
CW: "Charles Worthington Shine Booster All Over Gloss Spray (£5.99) was used on virtually everyone, especially on Sarah Jane. It gives mirror-like shine. We even give the ladies one to put in their bags! Also, the Charles Worthington Instant Root Concealer, (£9.99) which really enhances the look of your hair and adds fullness."
GD: What heat tools did you use?
CW: I love the ghd Curve range! The biggest barrel tong is great - you can get a gentle, soft wave with that one.
GD: Finally, what's the breakout hair trend you want to see more of this awards season?
CW: Volume! The trend was all very flat for a few years, but now the volume is back. In 70% of last night's styles, there was sort of bounce going on...it's a return to proper red carpet hair.