The reason this picture of Helena Christensen, taken in New York on Tuesday, caught my eye is because her hair is similar to mine in colour, style and length – but looks about a million times better. Damn.

This will be the picture I take as visual reference next time I go to the hairdresser, but in the meantime, some Helena-inspired tricks I’ll be trying myself:

Helena has paid loads of attention to the condition of her hair. I’m terrible at looking after mine but I know using a mask or crème at least once a week would make all the difference. I’ll start slathering on Shu Uemura Art of Hair Prime Plenish Vitalising Treatment, £37.50, or the divine-smelling Hydrate Hydracure, £27, part of new hair care range Pureology which launches next week (Friday).

The honey and caramel tones in Helena’s hair give it dimension and shine, but I love the freestyle feel of her lowlights. Forget my return to au naturel, I’ll be booking in for some baliage (a free-handed technique used to deliver pretty, multi-tonal colour to hair in a casual way), courtesy of Sibi at Daniel Hersheson. And I’m going for a rich, chocolate base to get rid of the greys.

An uneven parting is great at making hair look fuller and it’s softer – and therefore more flattering – than a straight-down-the middle one. I’ll be rough-drying my hair with plenty of mousse in it, then doing the last stages of smoothing and shaping along a non-symmetrical, parting like the one Helena’s sporting.

I love the centre-swept layers that frame her face so prettily. Use a small paddle brush to dry your fringe or front layers flat – that way they stay close to your face and can be swept to each side to frame it.

Finally , I love the extra inch or so she’s got on my length. My hair’s not quite long enough to skim my shoulder blades that sexily… but I’ll just have wait for that.