Hair says as much about our personal style and psyche as our selection of make-up or the clothes we wear. It is also a direct barometer of how good we believe about ourselves: if our hair glances great, we approach the day through attitude (quite exactly through our head held up); on a bad hair day we feel utter misery and need of confidence. The cult status of the ‘celebrity hairdresser’ speaks volumes about the significance of hair to today’s women.

While having great hair once meant having hair that was glossy, manageable and fine cut, today’s hair is more about personal statement and expression. Your hair should set you distant from the group, not bind you to it (think 1960s bob worn as an individuality badge). Today’s star hairdressers are distinguished not so much by a trademark cut as by shaping and enhancing the exclusive potential of each personal client. ‘You have a hairstyle that first and foremost suits you. It has to fit into your timeframe and say who you are.

Who you are can alter on a daily basis, of course. Thanks to the influence of catwalk fashion on today’s hairstyles, from blonde to light red and back again in a couple of washes, and from dressed down to tressed up in a matter of minutes. The only things you require to transform your glance are the right tools, the willingness to embrace alter, and a little knowledge of what to do and when to do it.