How Does Kate Middleton Get Her Signature Bouncy Blow-Out?
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22 hours ago
A royal salon appointment is in order
If we could describe Kate Middleton’s style in one word, it would be ‘timeless’. And when it comes to creating a classic beauty look, the Princess of Wales has an unmatched formula: long, loose curls in a warm chocolate hue. Her cut might look simple enough, but it’s surprisingly difficult to capture the sophistication of the Middleton mane – although with the right tools (and the Princess of Wales’ favourite shampoo) you can get pretty close. We asked hair stylists to share their tips and tricks for recreating Kate Middleton’s signature blow-out and hair routine.
Everything We Know About Kate Middleton’s Hair Routine
How Has Kate Middleton’s Hairstyle Evolved Over The Years?
Hairstyle
Kate Middleton landed on a timeless hairstyle pretty early on in her royal career: a long-ish cut embellished with chic waves. ‘Kate’s signature hairstyle is the epitome of polished elegance,’ notes Jason Collier, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Studio23. ‘It’s typically a mid-to-long length, with soft, voluminous waves or curls, always looking incredibly healthy and glossy.’
‘Think long, bouncy, softly layered waves with a glossy finish,’ adds Domenico Casella, hairstylist, colour specialist and hair designer at Neville Hair & Beauty (where Princess Diana’s nieces, Amelia and Eliza, are regular clients). ‘Her hair is typically styled with a voluminous blow-dry that has natural-looking movement – not tight curls but subtle bends and body at the ends. It’s timeless, polished, and regal without feeling overdone.’
Kate Middleton in 2025 (c) British Fashion Council
It might look flawless, but it’s taken several years for the Princess of Wales to cement her signature hairstyle. ‘Over the years, Kate has refined her look,’ confirms Jason. ‘Early in her royal journey, she favoured looser curls and more natural textures. As time has gone on, her style has become more structured and polished – think sleeker waves, subtle layering and more refined finishes.’
‘Recently, we saw Kate’s hairstyle with more volume at the roots, with honey-toned highlights and a sun-kissed mocha bronde base,’ Domenico continues. ‘She also briefly tried a Bardot-style fringe and softer waves.’
Colour
Kate Middleton’s hair colour has similarly undergone some changes. ‘During the earlier years, her hair colour was a deep brunette, almost chocolate brown,’ highlights Domenico. ‘She then switched to a subtle auburn, with more reddish tones. But nowadays Kate’s hair adopts bronde strands teamed up with a delicate balayage – still brunette, but lighter, warmer and sun-kissed.’
‘Kate’s colour is a beautifully rich, glossy brunette with a natural-looking dimension,’ adds Jason. ‘It looks healthy, expensive and timeless. To maintain such a flawless tone, I’d estimate every 6–8 weeks for root touch-ups and tonal adjustments, with occasional gloss treatments in between to boost shine.’
What Is Kate Middleton’s Hair Philosophy?
Timeless, sophisticated, consistent – these are the qualities most associated with the Princess of Wales’ hair evolution. ‘Kate’s hair success comes down to consistency,’ adds Jason. ‘She’s found a style, cut and colour that works for her and sticks to this look, updating it subtly over time.
‘Her style doesn’t follow fads, instead, it’s a masterclass in timeless beauty, which keeps people coming back for inspiration.’
Hair health also plays a key role in refining her look, adds Domenico. ‘Kate’s hairstyle is the perfect mix of royal polish and natural beauty – always styled, never stiff. She rarely has a “bad hair day”, even in wind or rain, and her hair always looks healthy, thick, and glossy, making it aspirational.’
Kate Middleton in 2017 (c) RHS
Which Salon Does She Go To?
The Princess of Wales allegedly divides her hair appointments between Chelsea salon Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa and on-the-go hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker.
The royal has been a regular at Richard Ward for many years (reportedly since before she married Prince William), and continues to get her colour touched up there – opting for hair gloss treatments that maintain the health and shine of her strands. ‘She likely receives regular glossing treatments – semi-permanent toners that enhance shine and refresh colour,’ adds Jason. ‘She may also opt for deep conditioning or keratin-infused treatments to smooth the cuticle and combat frizz while maintaining bounce.’
Domenico adds that she likely also has ‘regular trims to keep the split ends away at the salon,’ but styling is handled by a separate team.
Amanda Cook Tucker took on the role of styling the Princess of Wales’ hair back in 2012. She, alongside stylist Natasha Archer and personal assistant Sophie Agnew, makes up Kate Middleton’s go-to team when it comes to hair styling for royal engagements and overseas tours.
What Is Kate Middleton’s Hair Wash Routine?
‘Kate Middleton reportedly washes her hair every other day, not daily, to maintain natural oils and shine,’ notes Domenico. And, as part of her hair routine, she uses a range of high-quality products, including:
Shampoo
The royal’s top choice of shampoo? A familiar favourite: Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin Riche Shampoo. She reportedly picks one up (as well as its matching conditioner) from Richard Ward when she pops in for a hair appointment.
‘She likely opts for a salon-quality shampoo that’s moisturising, volumising and sulphate-free,’ adds Jason. ‘Something that protects colour and boosts shine without weighing the hair down. Look for ingredients like keratin, panthenol or silk proteins.’
Domenico adds that, ‘she’s looking to preserve the hair colour for as long as possible, while maintaining moisture and hydration’ – suggesting that she’d ‘likely gravitate towards brands like Sachahuan and Kérastase.’
Conditioner
Since she has the shampoo, it would make sense that Kate Middleton would opt for the matching Kérastase Nutritive Lait Vital Conditioner. Domenico notes that this conditioner is, ‘lightweight but hydrating’ and helps to ‘manage frizz and smooth the cuticle.’
‘She’d likely use something with smoothing ingredients like argan oil or shea butter to help detangle and maintain that soft, silky texture,’ emphasises Jason. ‘A lightweight but nourishing conditioner focused on mid-lengths to ends.’
Hair Treatments
Just as she would in the salon, it’s thought that the Princess of Wales also carries out regular at-home treatments to keep her strands looking and feeling fresh between appointments. ‘She likely opts for a weekly deep conditioning mask or glossing treatment to maintain moisture, shine and colour vibrancy,’ suggests Jason. ‘Something like a keratin-infused or bond-repair mask would work well to keep her hair strong and resilient.’
What Is Her Styling Routine?
While most of Kate Middleton’s public engagements entail a stylist (usually Amanda Cook Tucker) tending to her hair, on the days she’s left to her devices the royal sticks to a carefully crafted routine.
Pre-Styling
‘She’d prep with a heat protectant spray and likely a volumising mousse or thickening spray at the roots for lift,’ suggests Jason. ‘A smoothing serum or cream through the ends would also help keep her style sleek and frizz-free.’
Tools
As for styling tools, Domenico notes that the royal likely sticks to a ‘professional-grade hairdryer with a concentrator nozzle’ as well as ‘velcro rollers or clips’ and ‘multiple round brushes in different sizes.’ These help create the Princess of Wales’ signature blow-dry and soft curls.
Finishing Touches
And to finish, Jason suggests: ‘A lightweight shine spray or finishing serum to boost gloss and a flexible-hold hairspray to keep everything in place without looking stiff or crunchy.’
How To Recreate Kate Middleton’s Bouncy Blow-Out
But what does the Princess of Wales actually do to get her hair in the right shape? For step-by-step styling, see Jason’s guide below:
- Wash & Prep: Start with a volumising shampoo and conditioner. Towel-dry and apply a heat protectant, volumising mousse at the roots and a smoothing serum through the ends.
- Section The Hair: Divide hair into manageable sections – top, sides and back.
- Blow-Dry With A Round Brush: Using a round brush, pull sections upward and away from the head to create lift at the roots. Roll the ends around the brush to shape the wave.
- Cool & Set: After drying each section, roll it up and clip it to set while it cools. This helps to achieve Kate’s signature longevity and bounce.
- Release & Brush Out: Once cool, release all sections and brush through gently with a paddle or bristle brush.
- Define With Tongs (Optional): Use a large curling tong to redefine a few sections, especially at the front.
- Finish: Mist with shine spray and a light-hold hairspray for movement and gloss.
How To Ask For Kate Middleton’s Haircut In The Salon
And if you want to replicate the cut in the salon, there are a few things you can discuss with your stylist. ‘Start with a great cut – long layers that add movement without losing thickness,’ suggests Jason. ‘Use a round brush when blow-drying to add bounce and shape. Soft curls created with a large-barrel tong will help replicate her signature wave, but it’s key to brush them through for that soft, uniform finish.’
As for the colour, Domenico recommends asking for ‘a multi-dimensional brunette with warm caramel or honey balayage. Keep it natural at the roots, with light-catching highlights.’
‘These subtle warm highlights should be just one or two levels lighter than your natural tone,’ adds Jason. ‘The key is minimal contrast, it should look sun-kissed, not streaky.’
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