Claudia Winkleman’s hairstylist reveals how you can get her glossy hair in just eight easy steps

Forget Jonathan Ross’s outfits, Alan Carr’s backstabbing or Celia Imrie’s erm, fluffs – it’s Claudia Winkleman’s super-glossy mane that is the true talking point of The Celebrity Traitors.

While the show’s 53-year-old host is known for her solid dark hair colour, it’s actually a look her colourist, Cydney Deathridge at London’s Nicola Clarke Hair Salon, usually advises her clients against as it can look ‘helmet-like and unflattering’. However, she says, on Winkleman, ‘it looks great’.

Of course, the Traitors star’s rebellious colour choice is crucial to the mirror-like shine (dark hair reflects light better than blonde) but there’s more to her megawatt gloss than that. Here we interrogate Deathridge and Amy Heath, Winkleman’s go-to hairstylist, to find out how they achieve her next-level dazzle.

Claudia with her natural hair back in 1995

For colour with clout

‘Claudia has naturally thick, mousy hair,’ says Deathridge. ‘In the salon we take it to an espresso shade; a cool, dark brown. She has little bleach damage, unusual in my older clients, and is lucky to have very few greys, so we can use a semi-permanent dye rather than a permanent one, which makes maintaining condition easier.’

The star visits the salon every four to six weeks to get her roots done with Wella Professionals Color Touch Demi Permanent hair colour. To improve condition, Deathridge mixes Olaplex No1 treatment with the colour to repair the hair’s structure, then Olaplex No2 treatment to up the shine.

‘Sometimes, after being in the sun, Claudia’s hair starts to look a little aubergine,’ says Deathridge, ‘so I’ll apply a toner, Redken Shades EQ in cool and blue-ish hues to kill off any warmth. Redken Shades EQ also does a clear gloss, which I will use to boost shine, too.’

For an appointment with Cydney Deathridge (prices start at £95 for a tint), visit nicolaclarke.com

Today, with her trademark mane

For glass-like gloss

‘Claudia always arrives with wet, clean hair and the first thing I do is saturate it with Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray (£27, uk.colorwowhair.com). This is a heat protectant that also fights against frizz, which, says Heath, is key to creating shine as the smoother the hair, the more light-reflective it is. Winkleman’s naturally wavy hair is, like most of ours, prone to frizz at the nape of the neck, temples and hairline.

Heath then blow-dries Winkleman’s hair using a round thermal brush to get it smooth and add bounce and swing. ‘Olivia Garden Expert Blowout Speed Brush (from £22, amazon.co.uk) is amazing – as is my Parlux 3200 Compact Plus hairdryer (£109.95, parlux.co.uk).’ When drying the hair, she points the nozzle downwards to flatten the cuticle, which amps up shine.

‘Blow-drying before straightening is key to a style’s longevity. If you just rough dried then flat-ironed it, it could look helmet-y.’ Heath uses the GHD Platinum+ Professional Hair Straightener (£239, ghdhair.com). ‘The straightener flattens the cuticle to give incredible shine.’

To finish, she takes a 20p-coin-sized amount of styling cream and warms it in her hands before applying – she likes Bed Head Tigi After Party Smoothing Cream (£12.45, boots.com). Heath then spritzes on Schwarzkopf Professional Sparkler Shine Spray (£15.49, sallybeauty.co.uk) or Davines This Is A Shimmering Mist (£22.75, uk.davines.com) all over, including the fringe.

‘Claudia’s trademark fringe is a huge part of why her hair appears so glossy,’ says Heath. ‘Your eye immediately sees that band of shine.’

For an appointment with Amy Heath visit fourlondon.com