Leighton Meester On Kissing Dan, Trenches & Herbal Essences 
There are certain celebrities that are rarely caught with a hair out of place and are known for their effortless style. Leighton Meester, actress, musician, and trend-setter is definitely one of those ladies. I joined Meester (wearing a gorgeous Missoni dress) and celebrity hairstylist and Herbal Essences spokesperson Charles Baker Strahan to chat about new products and how we can get hair like Leighton's. I left with some Gossip Girl scoop, Leighton's favorite spring trends, and her hair secrets.
First, fill me in on this new product line!
Leighton Meester: I love the new products, I love the new formulations, and I love it because it's pretty much all I have to do. I'm pretty much low maintenance when it comes to my hair, but on a regular basis it's great to just have to shampoo and condition your hair and have a great shiny base to work with. It's nice to have a beauty regimen that you can stick to and I can stick to this. I love Hello Hydration for my hair because it gets all kinds of heat styling all the time and it's good to add as much moisture as possible. I also love Long Term Relationship because it's great to mend your hair.
Charles Baker Strahan: The new formulations have a molecule that breaks down in water which allows the surfactant and hydrator to maintain a separate function - previously they had to be coupled up. So now, you can get double the hydration.
When you're constantly having your hair teased and pulled like Leighton is on shoots, how do you get life back into it?
CBS: Hydration components are so incredibly important, but the different styling tools like ceramic technology or low EMF output, things like that that help to maintain the charge level of the hair but also great styling products like the Long Term Relationship like if you're a style junky and like to do it on your own are key products.
Leighton, you kind of have a signature style with your loose waves. How did that come about?
LM: I have naturally really straight hair and I think that the grass is always greener, so I like to add curl to my hair to add movement and body, and it's a good base if you want to then put it up. And, it probably came from always going to work and starting off with my character on the show's pristine curls, and then brushing them out. I like it because it's simple, and easy, and I don't want to always go back at my hair with a curling iron.
What trends are you most looking forward to for spring?
LM: I'm just looking forward to spring at all, because it's not here yet! I love in spring that I get to bring out all of my trenches, I have a nice Topshop trench and a nude Burberry trench – when it's still sort of chilly outside, I love cashmere scarves and always associate spring with a little chill in the air. I also love flats instead of boots, and hats like fedoras. I always wear Autumn Cashmere's line of bright hats and just tuck my hair up there when I travel – I just like wearing colors.
CBS: For hair trends specifically I think one of the shows that inspired me for hair was Marc Jacobs show inspired by DVF's studio 54 days with wild curly hair and all of the models had such wild hair that just set such a tone of liftoff – it was kind of like screw you, I want to be full on out there and show my wild curly hair and be a rough girl, and it was just like yes, you're a breath of fresh air. Also you're seeing braided elements through hair – I think a pleat or a braid is nice and it gives you a sense of structure. The other trend that has just kind of popped up is that cropped off Emma Watson or Michelle Willams and Carey Mulligan look. It's that short hair and the focus and beauty is on their face and there's a sort of effortlessness.
Okay, now we have to talk about Gossip Girl since we've been missing it for weeks with the show on a break! What's going on with Blair and Dan?
LM: All I'll say is, it's not what you expect.
And, what does that mean?
LM: I always put my own feelings towards it because I've grown to love Blair and she's a real person to me and lives this whole life, and I get to portray it and it's wonderful to me. I really like working with Penn so that's really cool and it's been a fun aspect of them being together. But, I think they're better as friends. I think she belongs with a prince. Or I might be talking about myself.
Do you think playing Blair has had an affect on your personal style?
LM: In a way yes, I think before I started the show I lived in L.A. and just auditioning and living the life as a struggling actress. And then I moved here and you get to experience N.Y. and I learned a lot from the show and the stylists and just from the dialogue – so I'm much more aware of my own personal style, designers and trends. I've learned to have a lot more fun and to go out a lot more, but as far as my own style I've definitely learned a lot, and it's definitely helped me living in N.Y. Blair and I are definitely different, she's more high maintenance, I thinks she's a little more snobby when it comes to brands. I think I tend to wear what I like, and as far as her hair goes that's definitely not my hair at all, and she has brown hair and I have to dye it.
You also just wrapped shooting on your next film, Monte Carlo. What was that experience like?
LM: That was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, we filmed in Budapeste, Paris, and Monte Carlo over the entire summer working with Selena (Gomez), Katie (Cassidy) and a bunch of other really great people, and they changed my life. They're wonderful and I can't say enough amazing things about them, because it's so hard to find amazing girls and they really are amazing, smart and talented and we were on the most amazing vacation adventure of our lives while making a movie. And, I saw it and it's wonderful.
And lastly, can you tell us about what's going on with your music?
LM: I'm still writing a lot of music, sort of moving on more to the process of recording. I wrote a lot while I was in Europe so I've been writing for the past year and being as pure and true to myself as I possibly can be and making the music for myself and crossing my fingers so that other people like it. You know, it's a passion – in no way does it feel like a job and you know it's a part of me so I'm working with the band and experimenting with different sounds but it's very fun.
