Blake Lively says her hair is her security blanket.

The 'Gossip Girl' actress would never cut her long golden locks since she likes to hide behind them and says her enviable wavy mane makes her feel more confident.

She confessed to France's ELLE magazine: ''My hair is my security blanket, it helps me conquer my shyness. I like having a lot of it, like a curtain, and I especially like it to look natural, like it hasn't involved any effort.

''My secret for that is my Mason Pearson hairbrush, which gives my hair volume and shape.''

Despite wanting to achieve an effortless look, Blake conceded taking care of her tresses takes a huge amount of time and effort.

She said: ''My colourist, Rona O'Connor, is a real artist. She looks at hair like it's a canvas and thinks about colour in a special way...

''I have an appointment every six to eight weeks, when I feel brave enough to sit in a salon for three and a half hours!''

Regular hairdresser appointments are about as high-maintenance as Blake gets, however, and she vehemently denied exercising or following a strict diet like most of her fellow female celebrities.

She insisted: ''I don't exercise! But I should, because I know what happens when I don't... It's a lot nicer when you're pulling on your jeans to not struggle to do up the top button.

''I love to eat! Its one of my favourite things in life, so there's no way I'd deprive myself of something, it would be like banning myself from my biggest hobby.

''I love cooking too... so, no, you can't really say I pay attention to what I eat...''