Blake Lively's Holiday Beauty Vibe Is Inspired By "Big Hair, Always"

Blake Lively's effortlessly done—yet also perfectly undone—golden blonde hair has been a part of her signature style since early Gossip Girl days. To this day, her hair strikes the perfect Serena Van Der Woodsen-worthy balance: Polished enough to fit in at an Upper West Side boarding school but with a casual, "I woke up like this vibe." Her haircare line, Blake Brown, which launched late this summer, was a long time coming, and it has since become a staple in Lively's winter beauty line-up. Speaking of winter beauty, we tapped the newly minted beauty founder on what's inspiring her this season, her winter beauty essentials, and more.

It wouldn't be a Blake Lively hairstyle without lots of volume. And we mean lots. So, it only makes sense that volume is a common theme in her holiday hair inspiration. "I like big hair always. Up, down, styled, natural – doesn’t matter. I just need volume," she shares, adding that the Blake Brown Glam Mousse and Dry Shampoo are a go-to for providing body and texture into her hairstyles. "Hair sets the stage for me. From there, I’ll accessorize with vintage costume jewelry to make it feel festive."

Once she's confirmed her hairstyle vision, the next stop for Lively popping over to Instagram to check out New York City jeweler Kimono Dragon's for inspiration. "She has amazing vintage costume finds," says Lively who explains that vintage styles are a key source of inspiration for her, and that she prefers looking to the past rather than opting into current trends. "I usually look to times past for hairstyles, she says, "Maybe because I wouldn’t know where to look. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved exploring inspiration from the past." Flea markets, thrift stores, and vintage finds are key to developing her aesthetic: "So much of my style in home, fashion, and beauty comes from the past."

As to what beauty she keeps on deck once the season turns? "Hand cream and Blake Brown All-In-Wonder Leave-In Potion," she says. "My hands and my hair always get so dry in the winter. Once businesses and homes turn their heaters on, I have to double up on the moisture." Lively's hydrating routine is key to surviving party season styles that require lots of styling, heat, gel—you name it. "I’ve always followed the rule: if you take from something, you have to give back to it. That also applies to hair. If you’re putting your hair through a lot, you have to replenish it."

Her replenishing routine as is follows: She sleeps in the Pre-Shampoo mask overnight, sometimes even wearing it throughout the next day in a slicked-back bun. Check. "Wash it out with our Nourishing Shampoo and Mask Duo." Double check. "And, even after all that, I always use our All-In-Wonder Leave-In Potion." Triple check. "I do that as often as my hair needs for a full reset back to what more virgin hair feels like," she says. "Sometimes that's multiple washes in a row until it feels good again. Other times my hair only needs it once a month. It all depends on what my hair feels like it needs."

This hydration-first approach to hair has been a constant in Lively's routine for almost 20 years when two decades ago she received the advice to swap her everyday conditioner for a hair. "Use ample amounts of mask as if it were conditioner" she says. "I go through about 2 mask jars per shampoo bottle."

No matter the hairstyle, Lively can always be found with a matcha latte before heading out to a buzzing event: "I usually have an iced oat milk matcha with honey from Interlude in NYC. So tasty," she says. Although she adds that she doesn't "usually love matcha," sipping on the drink from the family owned business in the city has become somewhat of a ritual. "Everything they make is terrific from drinks to pastries," says Lively.

Come time for the holidays, the tradition of giving back keeps Lively grounded. "It’s so easy to think of all the things we all want to acquire and to do, so in our family we make sure to spend time thinking of other people," she says. "We’ve made giving back to families through organizations such as Baby2Baby, Feeding America, and Covenant House part of our holiday tradition."

"It’s something my family did with me growing up, too. My sister used to take me to Ronald McDonald House to cook, or we’d go to churches to hand out food, and I appreciated it so much. It always feels so good to give back, and paying that forward to future generations is critical to us."