When it comes to hair, the “grass is always greener” attitude seems to be a common thread among women. I, for one, have had poker straight hair all my life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of having wavy, luxurious locks. I have dabbled in hot rollers, but after a certain age there’s something about hot roller curls that just aren’t… well, cool (at least on me). I have plenty of friends with long “horse mane” hair who can look totally cool (and hot) post hot rollers.
The beach wave look is the most popular, and enduring, hair trend out there…and for good reason! It’s understatedly glamorous and radiates an effortless vibe without looking too sloppy or undone. The best part? It’s super easy to create.
Here are my step-by-step tips to achieving sexy waves in less than ten minutes.
Step 1: Start with hair that isn’t freshly washed. If you are one of those people with fine hair (like me) and swear you have to wash your hair everyday, start just shampooing the front and top of your scalp. This method keeps you from stripping your hair of essential oils. Another option if your hair is too oily, spray a bit of dry shampoo. This adds texture too, which is helpful. My favorite kind is Batiste Dry Shampoo ($8.99), with a hint of color for dark and deep brown hair.
Step 2: Gather the essentials: a curling iron, L’Oreal Elnett Hairspray, and Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray.
Step 3: Once your curling iron is hot, grab it and turn it upside down so that the handle is in the air. It’s ideal to have an iron without a clamp, but I use the one I have that does have a clamp and just keep it open (which can be tricky). The reason for this is to prevent any kind of crease in the hair.
Step 4: Start with the hair closest to your face, grab a small section, and wrap it around the barrel of the iron, making sure it’s going away from your face. You will have to hold the end of your hair and leave it there for 10-15 seconds. Release and move on.
Step 5: If you have more than 10 minutes, continue on to the next strand. If you are in a time crunch (which I am, most of the time), select random sections and don’t stress if you miss a lot of hair. Just make sure you make it all the way around your head so that it’s even.
Step 6: The next step is to spray the Surf Spray all over your head (make sure not to spray too close to your hair). As you spray, gently scrunch small sections of hair with your hands. This will give the sections you weren’t able to curl some wave, so that everything blends together. If your hair has some natural wave, you probably need less product.
Step 7: Once you’re finished with this step, spray your entire head with Elnett. It’s not stiff even though it’s a strong hairspray, so you can easily move your fingers through your hair and re-style if necessary. To get added volume, lift the hair up at the roots and spray.
The thing to remember is not to strive for perfection. Often times, the less perfect, the more modern and sexy the outcome is. I always suggest trying a new beauty trick when you have time. The more you do it, the easier it will become, and the less amount of time it will require the next time.
What are some of your daily hair rituals? Tell us in comments!
– LIZA COLLIS
Liza Collis is a fashion magazine editor in Manhattan and a beauty guru to her friends. She believes that the best thing about being a woman is the opportunity to experiment with beauty every single day.