Shay Sullivan’s wedding hair deserves its own moment.
Set against the rolling hills of Siena, Italy, Shay’s wedding celebrations called for two seriously good hair moments. Dom Pelli, our Brand Ambassador, brought each look to life with the NAK Hair range, from a romantic French twist up-do for day one to a soft, bouncy blowout for day two.
Now, Dom is breaking down the products and techniques behind each viral look, so you can recreate a little of the magic yourself. Consider your bridal hair inspo sorted.
Look One: The French Twist Up-Do
For the first celebration, the brief called for something romantic, undone and unmistakably Italian.
Taking cues from the timeless glamour of Sophia Loren and the villa setting on the outskirts of Siena, Dom created a modern French twist up-do with movement, layering and softness around the face. Think less perfectly pinned, more effortlessly put together.
Step 1. Build the Body
Great up-dos start long before the pins come out. Work Volume Foam through the hair before blow-drying to create body, fullness and the foundation needed to give the finished style that airy, voluminous feel.
Rather than making the hair feel overly styled, the goal here is to give it enough body and movement to work with.
Step 2. Prep & Protect
Before bringing in hot tools, mist through Thermal Shield to help protect hair from heat styling.
This step is especially important when creating shape and movement throughout the hair before pinning. It gives you the freedom to style while helping protect the strands underneath it all.
Step 3. Add Effortless Texture
The secret to keeping a French twist from feeling too perfect? Texture.
Dom used Done & Dusted to add grip, body and lived-in texture, helping create the soft layering and movement that made Shay’s up-do feel modern rather than overly structured.
The result was romantic, touchable and just undone enough.
Look Two: The Bouncy Blowout
For day two, the hair came down and the volume went up.
Dom created a soft, bouncy blowout with Shay’s face-framing bangs taking centre stage, finished with a white headscarf for the ultimate dolce vita moment.
Glossy, full of movement and effortlessly polished, it’s the kind of bridal blowout that works just as well beyond the wedding weekend.
Step 1. Frizz-Free & Humidity-Proof
The secret to a better blowout starts with the prep.
Apply Blowout Smooth Mist before styling to help smooth frizz and create a sleek, polished foundation for the blow-dry. It helps hair stay smoother for longer, making it the perfect first step when you want bounce without the fluff.
For Shay’s look, that smooth base allowed the volume, waves and face-framing pieces to do the talking.
Step 2. Smooth & Shine
Once the shape is there, Styling Polish brings everything together.
Work a small amount through the finished style to smooth flyaways and refine the ends without taking away from the movement and bounce you’ve just created. The aim is polished, not perfect.
Step 3. Make It Last
The final step is Fixation Finishing Spray, helping hold the shape and movement in place.
A light mist over the finished blowout gives the style the staying power it needs while keeping those soft, bouncy waves looking like they can still move. Add a white headscarf and suddenly you’re somewhere in the Italian countryside.
Watch Dom Pelli Create The Look
Want to see exactly how it’s done?
Dom Pelli takes you behind Shay Sullivan’s bridal hair and breaks down the techniques and NAK Hair products used to create the look, step by step. Watch the tutorial below and save this one for your next big hair moment.
From a romantic French twist up-do to a soft, bouncy blowout, Shay’s wedding hair proves bridal styling doesn’t have to mean choosing just one look.
The common thread? Movement, softness and hair that still feels like you.
Whether you’re planning your own wedding, saving bridal hair inspiration for later or simply want to master a seriously good blowout at home, consider this your sign to take a little inspiration from Shay, Dom and the la dolce vita lifestyle.
