Make one wash and blow-dry last until New Year’s Eve! We try the ingenious hacks for staying chic and groomed throughout the festive season

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 For many women, the festive season is a hectic time, during which staying chic and groomed can be a struggle.

But is there a way to make one blow-dry last a week?

Roxy Morgan, principal director at Daniel Galvin, believes with a little forward planning to ensure you’ve got the right tools for the job, you can look your best from Christmas Day through to New Year’s Eve — all with just one blow-dry. Here, Alice Smellie tests out the styles . . .

DAY ONE: THE BIG BLOW-DRY

Alice Smellie (pictured) tried the advice given by Roxy Morgan, principal director at Daniel Galvin for maintaining a blow-dry for one week

ROXY SAYS: The more efficient the blow-dry, the longer your look will last. If you’re blow-drying at home, you need to clean hair properly. Use a volumising shampoo and lather twice for that squeaky-clean feeling. Follow with conditioner from mid-lengths to ends.

Avoid mousse, which can leave hair sticky, but always spritz damp hair with heat protector and a volumising spray.

If you have a frizzy hair line or side sections, do those first. Otherwise, begin at the back, first clipping the top sections of hair so you can do underneath. Work around the head, drying in sections 5cm-wide. We recommend using a round bristle brush, so hair doesn’t overheat.

If hair is at all damp, the style won’t last. To extend the life of your blow-dry, at night twist hair into a loose bun to retain volume and movement, and don’t touch it too much or it will become oily.

ALICE SAYS: Taking time over your hair on Christmas morning might sound a challenge when there’s so much else to do, but extra effort now will save time later. It’s worth the investment.

PRODUCTS: Daniel Galvin Love Your Highlights Heat Protect & Style Spray, £18, danielgalvin.com; GHD Natural Bristle Brush, £18, lookfantastic.com; Louise Galvin Shampoo For Fine Hair, £18, hqhair.com

DAY TWO: BOXING DAY UPDO

Roxy advised using a pintail comb and anti-frizz hair spray to enhance the body of Alice's hair the day after her blow-dry

ROXY SAYS: Use a pintail comb to create the best effect. These are narrow combs with a long, spiky handle good for sectioning hair.

Take a section an inch wide from the crown at the back, then pull the hair forward and spray the 2 in nearest the root with hairspray, before gently backcombing for extra body.

Repeat with two to three more sections around the crown. Make a ponytail from this backcombed section and secure it to the back of the head with pins. Then take a section from each side of the head, pull it around to this base, twist it and secure with pins.

ALICE SAYS: I try this the morning after a late night when I need to get to an early lunch.

Amazingly, my hair looks styled and as though I’ve spent two hours, rather than two minutes, doing it. It lasts all day.

PRODUCTS: L’Oreal Professionel Tecni Art Compressed Fix Anti-Frizz Hair Spray, £8.40, hqhair.com; Tangle Teezer Back Combing Brush, £10, lookfantastic.com

DAY THREE: RELAXED BUN

For swift glamour Alice styled her hair in a loose bun using Sachajuan Light and Flexible Hairspray along with Kirby grips

ROXY SAYS: This look is for days when you need swift glamour.

Spray dry shampoo on your roots and tie a high ponytail on the crown. Spray the ends with hairspray, backcomb, then wrap loosely around the elastic, pinning into a doughnut shape.

Pull out a few strands around your face.

ALICE SAYS: I find this very easy and, because the style is loose, it doesn’t matter that the final shape is a little uneven.

PRODUCTS: Sachajuan Light and Flexible Hairspray, £20, allbeauty.com; Kirby grips, £1.50, boots.com

DAY FOUR: TOUSLED WAVES FOR A PARTY

Roxy advised using dry shampoo four days after the initial blow-dry as well as curling the hair with easy-to-use tongs

ROXY SAYS: Clip up the top layers and spritz your roots lightly with dry shampoo. Then start curling from the sides. I recommend the easy-to-use Babyliss Pro Curling Tong (£19.99, boots.com).

Begin half way up the hair and wrap it around the barrel in sections (the wider the section, the looser the curl). Spray with a light hairspray before and after using the tongs. For more volume, do one curl away from the face and one towards; or for a sleeker look, do them all away from the face.

ALICE SAYS: It takes around five minutes to transform my lank locks into tousled, soft waves.

PRODUCT: Klorane Dry Shampoo, £8, and Bumble and Bumble Does It All Hairspray, £23, both boots.com; OUAI Haircare Medium Hairspray, £22, cultbeauty.co.uk

DAY FIVE: ALL PIECED TOGETHER

Alice attached a natural looking hair piece to switch up her style later in the week

ROXY SAYS: Using a hairpiece couldn’t be easier these days, as they come in so many forms.

Brush hair thoroughly and use dry shampoo on the roots, if you like. Then, using the brush, pull your hair into a high ponytail. Spray a little hairspray over your head to create a sleek look, and secure the ponytail with a band.

Next, attach your hairpiece. Some are on a hairband, others a clip. Once you have attached your ponytail, pull out a small section of your own hair from underneath, backcomb and hairspray it, then wrap it around the ponytail to disguise where the hairpiece meets your real hair, clipping it underneath. (This may not be possible if you have a clip-in).

ALICE SAYS: Although we used a real hair piece by Gold Class, which looks natural, is washable and can be heat-styled, there are less expensive options available.

PRODUCTS: L’Oreal Professionnel Tecni Art Morning After Dust, £9.89, beautyflash.co.uk; Wrap Around Ponytail, from £79.99, hairrehablondon.com; Scunci Light Blonde XXL Ponytail Extension, £25, claires.com; Tints of Nature Dry Shampoo, £11.99, tintsofnature.com

DAY SIX: BRAIDED AND BEAUTIFUL

The day before the end of the week Roxy recommended braids as hair can start to become flat

ROXY SAYS: Braids are very on-trend and they’re a good style for when hair is becoming flat and limp.

Divide your hair into two halves from a centre parting, though keep a few strands at the front to soften the look.

Clip one side out of the way while you French plait all the way down the other side, starting 2in from the front hairline and working all the way down the back.

Secure the ends with a clear elastic, then repeat on the other side.

Pull strands of the plaits out a little, so it’s a thicker and looser plait, rather than wound tightly round your head in a Heidi updo.

Loop the plaits to create a circle at the back of your head and pin each one underneath the other plait for a neater finish.

ALICE SAYS: After two abortive efforts, I can do this look in less than five minutes — and the effect is very impressive.

PRODUCTS: Kerastase K V.I.P. Backcomb Effect Powder Spray, £16.15, lookfantastic.com; Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, £41, spacenk.com

DAY SEVEN: NEW YEAR’S EVE CHIC

At the end of the week Roxy suggested a groomed bun complete with a velvet hair accessory

ROXY SAYS: A more groomed and glamorous take on the loose bun. Spray dry shampoo on the roots and tie a ponytail on your crown.

Use a foam doughnut, pulling the ponytail through the centre, before smoothing hair over the foam and winding it around the doughnut. Secure in place with kirby grips.

Pull out a few strands to soften the look around your face.

Finish with a velvet ribbon or hairband. This will hide roots and create an elegant Audrey Hepburn look.

ALICE SAYS: This is timeless and elegant, yet incredibly easy to achieve in just a few minutes.

PRODUCTS: Hair doughnut, £4, claires. com; Kirby grips, £1.50, boots.com