We Asked Kit Harington How to Look Like Kit Harington
It’s hard being the best-looking guy on HBO. You constantly get asked about your appearance, when all you want is to be taken seriously as an actor (not to mention as Lord fuckin’ Commander). Kit Harington admits he’s uneasy about the inordinate amount of attention the media pays to his iconic mane and smouldering good looks. “It’s an occupational hazard,” he says. “That’s just what happens, and when it does, it can get frustrating. I feel it’s bad practice to always focus on one’s external appearance.”
Which makes Harington’s decision to sign on as the new face of Dolce & Gabbana’s cologne, The One for Men, seem counterintuitive. That is, until you think about it: now, instead of dwelling on his looks, people will focus on his whole aura. Of course, that didn’t stop us from interrogating him about every aspect of his grooming regimen. Have you not seen those glorious locks?
The Hair
“It constantly causes me wonderment that people get so interested in my hair,” says Harington. It shouldn’t. The dude’s mop achieves the impossible: it makes long curls on a man actually look badass (rather than Kenny G-esque). So what’s the secret to achieving the finest flow in the Seven Kingdoms (besides, you know, being born with naturally flowing, curly locks)? “The longer it’s left without doing much washing, the better. That is the secret. Honestly, if you want medieval hair, that’s how you do it,” Harington confesses.
There’s definitely a case to be made for washing your hair less frequently — for curly hair, shampooing no more than twice a week keeps you from getting into afro territory. Still, a bit more care goes into Harington’s coif than he lets on. Kevin Alexander, the actor’s on-set hair designer, says he usually mixes together wax and putty and, starting from the nape of the neck, scrunches it into Harington’s hair in sections. (“I do this thing that my friends call juzzing — pushing the curls up,” says Harington.) To keep those tresses healthy, he also trims the ends every six to eight weeks, but no more than that or the hair loses its shape — and Harington loses his job. “The studio won’t let me cut it past a certain length,” the actor reveals. “I’m waiting for that next part to come along where I can cut the damn stuff off. It’ll be a weird but brilliant feeling.”
The Skin
“I’m pretty simple with my morning routine,” Kit says. “My dad always said water is the best moisturizer. I don’t know how many clogged pores I’ve got, but I guess I’d have to think about it a bit.” He’s not entirely wrong — drinking life’s most rudimentary liquid is essential for your skin’s health, but applying it alone to your face won’t really hydrate it. Only a good moisturizer can properly seal water into the skin. Should you choose to adopt Kit’s splash-and-go method, however, we recommend using micellar water, which is made up of tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules that draw out impurities. It cleans and moisturizes at the same time, and it’s alcohol-free, which is especially good for people with dry or sensitive skin.
The Beard
Turns out the King in the North does put some effort into that trademark scruff of his. “Actually, the one bit of primping I indulge in is I go and get a proper little beard shaping done from time to time,” he says. “I do go to fancy barbers.” Put down the 9-in-1 electric razor and ask your barber for a beard trim — it’ll keep your chin blanket looking more King Crow and less Duck Dynasty.
The Scent
The weathered warrior Kit Harington plays on TV probably smells like wet horses and old meat. You’re better off smelling like Harington himself, who — and he swears he’s not lying — has been using D&G’s The One for years. With base notes of amber and tobacco rounded out by cardamom, ginger, and coriander, it’s a suitably masculine scent, remarkably in character. But don’t get too carried away with it. “Always just one spray on your neck,” he advises. “Don’t get too heavy. That’s the key.”
