Best Hair In America

The Bang

Winner: Nicole Richie

“The full bang is very late ’60s, early ’70s, so it’s the perfect vintage accessory,” says Richie’s stylist, Andy Lecompte. “Nicole Richie’s look really resonates with our long-haired clients who want a change but won’t compromise on length,” says Adrienne Rogers, co-owner of Hush Salon in Philadelphia.

The Bang

Runner-Up: Zooey Deschanel

Retro-adorable Deschanel is the runner-up.

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The Bang: Pro Pick

Richie totes a Mason Pearson Boar Bristle & Nylon brush to touch up bangs.

The Bang: Pro Pick

Lecompte adds a dab of Phyto Professional Matte Texturizing Paste to “lightly define” fringe.

The Bang: Pro Pick

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray “soaks up excess oil without leaving behind white residue,” Lecompte says.

Long & Straight

Winner: Reese Witherspoon

“I cut face-framing layers from the top of the head, not by holding them out to the side,” says her stylist, Mark Townsend. “This adds bounce and keeps ends from looking stringy.” And because straight hair reflects the most light, her style boasts extra shine. “This style is so popular because it’s super flattering,” says Sanda Petrut, a senior stylist at Chicago’s posh Maxine Salon.

Long & Straight

Runner-Up: Beyoncé

Hitmaker Beyoncé comes in a close second.

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Long & Straight: Pro Pick

Townsend spritzes a bit of Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray onto his palms and lightly distributes it through Witherspoon’s hair “to separate and define layers.”

Long & Straight: Pro Pick

Townsend’s blow-dry essential: Dove Body & Lift Volumizing Mousse to “keep hair full of volume all day.”

Long & Straight: Pro Pick

Townsend’s other blow-dry essential: His Spornette Porcupine Rounder Brush, which “gives amazing bounce.”

The Wave

Winner: Kim Kardashian

“I give Kim bouncy waves by vertically wrapping hair from root to end in small sections around a 1.5-inch iron,” says her stylist, Frankie Payne. Hawaii’s salt-spray beaches make [her] beachy strands a hit: “Hawaiians have always had an affinity for long hair,” says Joe Randazzo, owner of J Salon in Honolulu. “Our clients love the versatility of Kim’s layered waves. ...”

The Wave

Runner-Up: Taylor Swift

Women envy Swift for more than her talent and her friendship with hunky Taylor Lautner; they love her natural coils.

The Wave: Pro Pick

Payne uses Hot Tools 1.5" Curling Iron, working from the nape of the neck up: “It really makes curls last.”

The Wave: Pro Pick

Bumble and bumble Thickening Hairspray coats strands to make a “perfect base” for waves, Payne says.

The Wave: Pro Pick

A dab of T3 Boost “seals in shine and eliminates frizz.”

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