How To: Perfect Hair Waves

Step One – Separate your hair into layers. We will start from the bottom first. Lightly spray with hairspray.

Step Two – Grab a decent size chunk of hair – about an 1-2 inches. Then, using a 1 1/2″ curling iron, curl your hair starting at the top of the hair section. Hold for a few seconds and then continue to curl down the hair section. Once you have the hair section completely wrapped up in the curling iron hold for about 7-12 seconds and release in a downward motion. Lightly spray and continue through the rest of the sections. Repeat this step for the rest of your layers. Typically I have about 5 layers (the top section taking up two of those). One key thing to remember when curling your hair is to curl your hair with the barrel. When you curl away from the barrel your hair will kink!

Step Three – Grab the section that you want to pin back – typically I grab the group of hair right above the half way point (at the eyebrow level). Separate into three sections, twist back each section and insert a bobby pin to hold.

Step Four – Tease as necessary. My hair doesn’t need it because of all the volumizer I use. Finish with hairspray.

Step Five – Done! Don’t brush the curls out, they will relax throughout the day. Because of the size of the curling iron, your hair won’t have tight curls to begin with so don’t worry. This is how my hair looks right after it’s curled. The second picture shows my hair after a few hours at work. Not bad right?! The trick is not brushing it out after curling.

The tools that I used to complete this look are my curling iron, hair spray, bobby pins, and Hot Iron Holster.

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.