Jamie stevens shares his behind-the-scenes x factor secrets
Published
07th Nov 2011
by rachael
As resident hairdresser on The X Factor, Jamie Stevens is responsible for creating some of the most-talked about hair on television.
In the third part of our exclusive interview, Jamie talks about working with the newly introduced Style Team and making sure the contestants look at their best even when he's not working.
How closely does you work with the stylist and the make-up artist to get the total looks? Does this ever restrict what you would like to do with the hair?
I always say hair is your hero and that your look should be thought through from the top to the bottom, but obviously I do have to work very closely with the rest of the styling team.
For example with an act like Misha who wears extravagant outfits we have to make sure the whole look ties in together. If she's wearing an outfit with enormous shoulder pads I can't make her hair too wide.
Do you have to be on hand to do the contestants' hair for any public appearances as well as the live shows?
No, not at the moment. I have seen some pictures in the press which have annoyed me because they've credited me as the hairdresser. For example, Kitty has been wearing some of her own wigs, which has absolutely nothing to do with me.
However I am trying to sort this out because obviously my name is being associated with every hairstyle the contestants have in their public appearances!
Who was your favourite contestant this week?
"It has to be Misha B again for me this week. As she was doing a Tina Turner track I gave her a much softer feel with the big Afro.
A lot of people will think was an Afro wig but it was actually a straight shoulder-length human hair wig with a fringe.
I put it on Misha, sprayed it with Matrix Zoom Force Hairspray, then took inch by inch sections starting at the nape of the neck wrapping each section over a long metal hair sectioning grip, spraying with Zoom Force and clamping with straightening irons.
I repeated this all the way through, leaving the fringe straight. I then took the wig off and turned it round so the straight fringe was at back at the baseline and went through with a bristle brush to create that natural frizzy afro texture."
Check back next Monday for more from Jamie on life behind-the-scenes at The X Factor.
