Revamp sees Gillian go back to long, dark locks

CAITLIN McBRIDE

JUST when we were getting used to Gillian Quinn's latest hairdo, she has given herself yet another makeover.

The top model (38) stunned us in 2009 when she debuted her daring new 'do' -- a blonde, pixie-style cut. But the catwalk queen has outdone herself again.

The mum-of-two is now rocking a much darker, chocolate brown shade with new extensions, which she debuted on Sunday at the Marie Keating lunch at the Leopardstown races.

Gillian previously revealed that she made herself over in 2009 after extensive styling throughout the years damaged her signature curly locks.

The First Option beauty told the Herald that she couldn't stand her hair short, and had been desperately trying to grow it back to its previously glory, but had to eventually resort to hair extensions.

SEAL

"I'd been trying to grow it for the past six months, but every time it would only reach that annoying 'in between' length, then work would come in and I'd have to cut it to make it presentable again," she told the Herald.

"It was growing, but then it would get to that stage in between. I just couldn't get past that, I had to keep cutting it for work. I got hair extensions put in after Christmas. They're real hair, it's not supposed to destroy my hair, it's not glued or plaited in, and there's no heat applied so I've been assured my hair will not be damaged when I take it out in six months."

And she admitted that her family have given the seal of approval for her new look.

"They like it, they think it's kind of reversing straight back to two years ago. I don't curl it, I keep it straight so I'm not getting back to the past where it was a big curly mop, it's an intermediary measure to getting to the length I want.

EAR

"Everybody just thought it was the old Gillian back. They really liked it short, I'm not bothered what anyone thinks though," she said.

Although she is one of the country's best-known faces, the down-to-earth model admitted that the shorter 'do' required a lot more maintenance that she expected.

"I want it long again, it was very hard to maintain when it was short. You have to get it constantly cut every four weeks and coloured all the time, it felt like I was never out of the hairdresser.

"When I take these out, if I don't like it, I'll either cut it up or let it grow. I'll just play it by ear, in the meantime, there's a bit of maintenance for these."