Lebanese hair stylist Charbel Nader has lived and worked in Cannes for the last eight years. The 30-year-old Beirut-born coiffeur leads a glamorous life, flying all over the world to tend the tresses of Arabian princesses, celebrities and their entourages.

What can you tell us about your clients?
I work with a lot of Arabian princesses from the Gulf. Sometimes I fly to the Mandarin Oriental in London for a week to do their hair, styling and blow drying at any time of the day or night. I also go to Lake Como in Italy with another Arab princess and to the Ritz in Paris.

Which celebrities have you styled?
I did Annie Lennox when she stayed at the Belles Rives in Juan-les-Pins in the summer. She has short very blonde hair and I cut it shorter and distressed it a little. I've also cut and styled Dasha Zhukova and her boyfriend Roman Abramovich. He was nice, you don't talk a lot with someone like him but you speak if they are in the mood to chat. It depends what mood they are in. Sometimes these people are a little cold - they would rather you just came in, do it all very privately and leave before anyone has seen you!

Do you work at the Cannes Film festival?
Always. I work a lot at the Majestic Hotel, which is where all the big stars stay with their entourages. Jacques Dessange does the stars and I work a lot with the production people. But that's okay, the stars don't pay for their hair but the production people do!

Is it a high pressure environment?
Very high pressure - sometimes you have just 10 or 15 minutes to style their hair but it's okay, it's a challenge. Often you sweep it up and it looks great.

What are the most in vogue styles of the moment for the red carpet?
I'm doing lots of pony tails with volume on top. If you're going glam in a red dress, a wave always works well, it's always chic but not too classic. I like hair to look relaxed but chic with plenty of shine.

What styles are you being asked for by regular clients right now?
Up until recently, a lot of requests have been for short behind and longer at the front like Victoria Beckham had before her crop - in French it's called le carré plongeant - with a little bit of layering. But right now, people are asking for long layers with a fringe because in summer a lot of people like to wear their hair long. It's not too crazy and easy to manage.

What are the hot colours of the moment?
Blonde is big now - it's sexy and always works for the summer. Not yellow like the sun but Californian blonde. Men like their wives and girlfriends to be blonde and women feel lighter on the face and they are easier to manage when they are blonde! Well, that's what their men tell me! And brunette works well with Italian and Spanish skins - it looks very glamorous - but on English skins with no colour, it's not the best.

What colour isn't in vogue?
Nobody likes red or orange. It's never been very popular in the South of France but sometimes I'm asked for red for one night only so I use a temporary colour.

So, onto the Cannes Film Festival - your hot tips for good bars please?
I like hotel bars like the Majestic. The terrace bar by the pool is a great place to have a drink after work, the stars relax there and they are people, just like anyone else. You can mix with people and chat. Lots of big American stars hang out there - I've seen Sharon Stone, Al Pacino, Robert de Niro and Kurt Russell there. The stars like it because the atmosphere is more like a home, it's personal, like being at someone's house and you can drink quite happily until 2am.

Any other hot bars around?
The Martinez is very commercial and business-like. The pace is faster there and people tend to go there to party. It's nice in the summer.

What about good places to eat during film festival?
I like Astoux et Brun, and also La Mere Besson. Everybody goes there, there are lots of famous faces, the food is always good and the chef is very reliable. The festival people like it because it is very French and they really feel they are eating in France.

What about the best party to hit during the festival?
The D & G closing party is always fabulous - everybody who is anybody goes, all the stars too but you need to go early. By 10pm, people are leaving to go to Sun7 to finish their night. Le Baoli can be fun too, but again, go early before people get too drunk to chat! And I hear the FR2DAY LAUNCH PARTY will definitely be the place to be seen at!

You can contact Charbel on 0609 622395 and he speaks both French and English.