Blake Lively On Why "Cocktailing" Is The Secret To Her Big Hair

Blake Lively knows her hair is iconic. From her perfectly tousled strands as Serena Van Der Woodsen on Gossip Girl to her voluminous curls in It Ends With Us, there’s no denying that the actor’s hair is a star in its own right. And she likes it that way.

When Bustle asked her what her fave way to wear her hair is, Lively had a one-word answer: “Big.”

She’s also a fan of a classic look. “My favorite hairstyle that I’ve ever worn to a red carpet event was at the Los Angeles premiere of Savages in 2012,” she says. “Rod Ortega, who I’ve worked with for many years, did such beautiful old Hollywood hair that felt classic, but also sunny and modern.”

Lively is admittedly more of a hair person than a makeup person, after all. “I like classic, fresh makeup, probably because, for me, the main event is always hair,” she says. “I like it to be big, whether it's air dried and my natural waves, or a big hairdo for a night out. It’s also the most critical part of styling to me — how you style your hair with an outfit sets the tone.”

It’s really not surprising, then, that she of all people launched a hair care line — Blake Brown — earlier this year. What is surprising, however, is how low-maintenance her hair regimen actually is. In fact, Lively tells Bustle she usually lets her strands air dry (after washing with a Blake Brown shampoo and using the Mask Duo, of course).

So how, exactly, does the star get such enviably voluminous hair? “Cocktails.” If you’re not familiar, “cocktailing” means mixing two or more beauty products together to create a blend that targets your particular concerns (think a hyaluronic acid serum with a foundation for an extra dewy finish).

“I’ve always made my own concoctions with existing products when I can versus buying a very specific one that I may not use as often,” she says. Her go-to hair cocktail recipe? “I mix our Blake Brown Glam Mousse with equal parts Blake Brown All-In-Wonder Leave-In Potion to make an air dry cream-slash-curl cream. It’s worked great for me and everyone I’ve personally recommended it to across many hair types.”

Since it is a cocktail, though, you can tweak as needed. “Some people may want more leave-in, where others may want more mousse,” says Lively. “I always say listen to your hair — it tells you what it needs.”