Though she's worked opposite some of Hollywood's heaviest hitters since graduating from George Washington University, it was Kerry Washington's role in the Oscar-winning film Ray that catapulted the 28-year-old into the upper ranks of stardom. This summer, the fresh-faced native New Yorker hits the red carpet and multiplexes across the country starring in Fantastic Four and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
We love Kerry's elegant, yet unfussy hairstyle. According to Elvonda Kennedy, stylist at Chicago's Toss Hair Salon, the secret to achieving this tousled, slightly "undone" look is having hair cut into long layers. Next, use a light touch with the curling iron so the spiral curls hang down as if done the day before.
Step 1: Kerry's look starts with exceptionally clean hair. Wash hair with a deep-cleansing shampoo, then follow up by shampooing again with a moisturizing shampoo. Kennedy says these two steps are vital since African-American hair is often weighed down by product build-up, and moisturizing shampoos alone don't have the cleaning power to remove it. Apply a leave-in conditioner that contains heat-protecting ingredients using a wide-tooth comb.
Step 2: Since towel-drying will wipe away the leave-in conditioner, Kennedy suggests removing excess moisture from the hair by blow-drying on a medium setting, gently lifting the hair with your fingers as you move the dryer over it.
