Big Hair Root Boost Step-by-Step Easy French Roll

VS Style - Easy French Roll

Easy French Roll The classic French roll is the hot trend in upstyles, gracing the catwalks in New York for Joanna Mastroianni, in Paris for Jean Paul Gaultier and let's not forget on Mad Men's January Jones! Always a favourite on the red carpet this look is even finding favour with younger starletts, Hilary Duff being spotted sporting a variation recently.

Our own Emiliano Vitale has recreated this 'easy' version of the French roll for you based on the work he did for designer Joanna Mastroianni in NY.

How to get this VS style

Your hair needs to be totally dry for this but not necessarily freshly washed as all upstyles hold better if washed a day or two before.
Separate back (to be rolled) from the front section. Divide the front section in 2 using your natural side parting as the top of the section. A tip is to use your finger to section the parting, this will create a more natural 'raw' or soft parting line that will complement the finish of this style. Secure sections with a clip.
Create some root lift or padding to give the top of your roll height. Take a rough crown section from the top of the back and, leaving out the first section (for smoothing over later), begin to micro crimp the roots or the hair in this area using the Big Hair Root Boost. The size of the section is about the size of the palm of your hand.
Once this is done, continue using the Root Boost to micro crimp the roots down the centre of the back section to create padding for your roll, stopping about 4 cm from the hair line. The width of this section is about the width of the Root Boost plates.
Using your hands, draw the whole of the back section (crimped and not crimped hair) together as if to form a ponytail about halfway up the back of your head. Now twist the tail upwards towards the top of your head along the scalp, pinning it to the head as you go using hair pins. Twirl any excess hair at the top into the roll and pin.
Finally include the remainder of the hair from the front into the roll. Begin by brushing the top section (you left out in step 3) over the top of the roll and pinning in. Don't pull it too tight or you will flatten the height you created.
Then brush in each side taking the hair down away from the parting first and then back into the roll and pinning. This can be done in several smaller sections making it is easier to pin.

Additional Tips

We asked Emiliano his tips on giving this look an edge.

"Don't worry about any flyaways or shorter pieces of hair that fall out around the face because those are the pieces that soften this look and give it a current flavour. Also, depending on the length of your hair, when including the sides and the top into the roll, you may find you have too much. If so, form the ends into little pin-wheels and secure then to the roll as features. To make the whole thing much easier to secure, spray each section with a little hairspray before you brush it into place. I like to have a tail comb with a long metal pin tail to use to do the finishing touches. I use it to poke into the roll and crown and lift the hair to build the final shape".