I got the Susanna Reid haircut to look younger and my husband was shocked by how good I looked
WRITER and mum-of-two Lisa Jarvis, 40, gets Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid’s age-defying trim and reveals her verdict.
Settling down for my 6.30am cup of tea earlier this week, I switched on my TV to tune in to Good Morning Britain.
Host Susanna Reid was back from her summer break, and it was apparent that she didn’t just return with a golden tan.
Debuting a new, dramatic look — a sleek but wavy bob complete with blonde highlights — Susanna told her co-host Ed Balls she’d had “a few inches chopped off,” before adding: “I feel a little lighter.”
The new do is a huge departure for the 52-year-old, who for much of her 20-year-career in television has opted for a glossy, shoulder-length cut.
She did experiment with a slightly shorter style in March last year, showing off her “fresh trim” to her Instagram followers, but Susanna’s latest look is definitely her boldest and bravest yet.
And GMB viewers couldn’t get enough of her stunning transformation, as hundreds flooded her social media accounts with compliments.
“What an absolute fox, you look fabulous,” one wrote, while another fan said: “Your hair is so trendy — it really suits you.”
“It’s knocked years off you,” a third noted.
“You don’t look a day older than 40,” came another response.
I couldn’t agree more.
Susanna’s new do has definitely helped her roll back the years and, at 52, she looks more youthful than ever.
It was seeing Susanna looking so radiant and carefree on screen that suddenly made me think about my own hair journey.
Much like the ITV presenter, I’ve always worn my thick, brown hair long and on my shoulders.
Sometimes just above, sometimes just below.
It’s only been in recent years, and since having children, that I’ve had the courage to sometimes wear it in a ponytail.
At school, I had a huge complex over my pointy nose, and up-dos only drew attention to it, exaggerating my profile, so they were a big no-no.
I did, however, like many teens of the Nineties, go for “The Rachel” — a shoulder-length cut with feathers to frame the face made famous by Jennifer Aniston’s character in cult sitcom Friends.
I also once experimented with a long bob.
It was a few years later in 1999 and when the Spice Girls were at the height of their fame.
Eye creams and oils
I wanted so desperately to be like Victoria Beckham, and having her trademark cut was the closest I could get — though, as my personality was more Ginger than Posh, I ended up dying it red.
It was when I got to university in 2001 that I started my long and loyal relationship with wearing my hair down — lacklustre, heavy and boring — and I haven’t deviated from that. Until now.
Inspired by Susanna’s young-looking appearance, I decided to take the plunge and chop my locks off too, all with the hope of turning back the years.
Ageing is definitely something that has been on my radar since I entered my fourth decade earlier this year.
Every morning when I look in the mirror I seem to notice a new imperfection or find a new wrinkle.
I’ve spent hundreds of pounds on expensive eye creams and oils, and my décolletage has never seen so much action.
I’ve even been considering Botox on a deep furrow that has taken up residence in the middle of my forehead — and the fear of it making my eyebrows or eyelids droop has put me off.
But perhaps like Susanna I don’t need to go that far? Maybe a Reid Revamp will do just the trick to help me look a decade younger.
Second opinion
In truth, it’s something I’ve been pondering for a while. At the start of the year, I had told my hairdresser that I wanted my thick hair all chopped off to mark my 40th birthday.
Something dramatic and bold to celebrate my big milestone.
“I’d wait,” he said to me.
“You might not like it and you don’t want to look back at your birthday photos and hate them.
“You shouldn’t change your hair for a big occasion.”
This is true, I agreed.
Arriving at posh salon ADEM in London’s Belgravia this week, I wondered if I was doing the right thing.
“Is this really a commitment I’m ready to make?” I asked myself.
“What if it doesn’t suit me? What if it makes my face look fat? Will it accentuate my huge, pointy nose? Will my husband still fancy me?”
But then, over the white noise of the hairdryers came the voice of reason: “It’s only hair. It will grow back.”
As I took my seat at the styling station, I suddenly felt brave and empowered.
My stylist Adem Oygur’s skills have secured him multiple awards and acclaim so I am in safe hands.
As I relax in his chair, Adem tells me I have the perfect hair for this style as it is thick and naturally wavy.
He assures me that it will be low maintenance, which is music to my ears.
He starts hacking away at my locks and before I know it the ends of my hair are tickling my chin.
Adem instantly remarks on how much younger I look, telling me that I should have taken the plunge long ago.
Keen for a second opinion I immediately FaceTime my husband Serdar Copur, 41, to show off the finished results and, suffice to say, I have the desired reaction.
“You look younger and sexier than ever,” he tells me as I blush.
The following morning on the school run my new haircut turned heads as the mums had to do a double take at my glam new look.
They all agreed that I looked much younger.
I am over the moon with my new do.
I feel amazing and like Susanna Reid herself, and I think I really do look younger.
My only regret is I didn’t chop it off in time for my 40th birthday.
I have a feeling salons across the nation are going to be inundated with women asking for “the Susanna”.