Natalie Portman's French Twist Updo

Introduction

Front View of French Twist Style

DailyCeleb.com All rights reserved - 2006.

Natalie Portman is having a great year. Not only did she win the Golden Globe for her starring role in The Black Swan, she recently picked up the Screen Actor's Guild Award and thought to be the favorite for winning the Oscar.

Natalie also is newly pregnant and engaged to her Black Swan co-star.

When the actress attends the various award shows she tends to wear her hair up in a basic French twist with her hair brushed back off her beautiful face.

French Twist In An Instant

Natalie understands how to take a hard core classic twist and make it her own in an instant. Of course she has access to some of the best celebrity hairstylists to coif her chocolate brown tresses into a elegant and sleek French twists.

Natalie's French Twists tend to start with a lot of soft fullness built into the sides and the crown area.

The height which extended from the front of her hairline towards the back twisted section, added a perfect balance to her square shaped face.

Depending on the gown Natalie is wearing at the time, her face shape morphs between square and oval. Sometimes her jaw line appears more prominent than at other times. Again, this is a reflection of the hairstyle she's adopted.

The actual twisted updo section was created with precision, but it's designed to give the impression of tousled messiness.

Steal This Style

Side View of French Twist Style

DailyCeleb.com All rights reserved - 2006.

The actual twisted section was created with precision but designed to give the impression of a "just out of bed" messiness.

A French Twist style, whether soft and flirty or more defined, is perfect for adding a wide range of hair accessories ranging from skinny crystal encrusted headbands or a flirtier array of sparking beads and rhinestones.

Step By Step Instructions - French Twist Style

Listed below are the detailed steps to recreate Natalie's spectacular French Twist style:

1. Cleanse hair with product designed for your hair type, texture and length. If you prefer, cleanse your hair with a Diluted Shampoo (DS) formula, Conditioner Only (CO), Water Only (WO) or a combination.

Keep in mind that hair that is allowed to "age" a few hours may be less slippery to work with than hair that is freshly washed.

2. Apply a rinse-out conditioning product designed for your hair type, texture and condition.

3. Finish with a cool or cold water rinse to close cuticle and encourage shine.

Back View of French Twist Style

DailyCeleb.com All rights reserved - 2006.

4. Towel blot tresses to remove excess water.

5. Apply detangling or leave-in/detangler and working from the ends to the roots, carefully detangle strands. Create desired parting (front, side, high or low).

6. When hair is completely detangled, apply a styling cocktail that includes a mixture of leave-in conditioner and/or styling cream or mousse.

If your hair is naturally curly or wavy, you may wish to apply a straightening balm or defrisant.

Note: If your hair requires extra hold you may wish to apply a styling glaze and/or gel in addition to a leave-in product.

7. Use a blow dryer set on medium heat and a large flat paddle brush. Separate hair into 2-4 inch sections with one hand as you direct the heat down the shaft from the roots to the ends with the blow dryer.

8. Continue to work completely around your head from side to side working with individual sections until the entire head has been completely dried and straightened.

9. Brush hair smoothly back from your forehead using the boar's bristle paddle brush. If necessary use a flat iron to remove and bends, wrinkles or other unwanted texture.

Natalie Portman French Twist Style

DC Media All rights reserved - 2006.

10. Use your fingers to gather hair into a loose ponytail with the base situated at the nape of your neck.

Note: Do not anchor the ponytail with a bungee, Blax or elastic band. This will alter the shape of the twist. Encircle & hold the base of the newly formed pony with your thumb and index finger of your right hand.

11. Hold the base of the ponytail in your left hand. With your right, hold its end up, pointing toward the ceiling.

12. With your left hand, twist the pony hair in a clockwise direction lifting the pony hair up towards the ceiling as you continue to twist hair. Continuing twisting the pony hair until it forms a hair roll.

Note: If your hair is exceptionally long or thick, you may need to fold the hair over to form two rolls. Blend the two rolls into one before pinning into place against the scalp.

13. Create a "seam" by tucking bobby pins along either side of the twist where the hair roll meets your scalp starting at the bottom.

14. Place bobby pins all along both seams up to the top of the roll, concealing them just under the roll.

Natalie Portman French Twist

DC Media All rights reserved

15. When hair has been completely pinned and is ready to be finished, spray the entire head with a firm hold hairspray.

16. Finish with a light spritz of hairspray and a light application of shine spray or drops carefully palmed over the top of the waves to prevent them from getting too much product which can make hair greasy or oily. Remember, a little goes a long way.

17. Attach desired hair accessories such as a single flower, jeweled accent clips or barrettes.

18. This style looks stunning with either a strapless gown to show off your shoulders or a halter top gown, as shown above.

Summary

The classic French twist, elegant and sleek, is perfect for special Prom and Party Hair events.

The modern French twist, a flirty modification to the classic, is good for cocktail parties, work or a night out on the town.

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- Revised Publication Date: 04/23/11

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