How to do fashionable waves

All About You online 06.03.2008

After a few years in the fashion wilderness, waves and curls have made a comeback. Eve Cameron explains how to get the look.

Woman smiling with brown wavy hair For those of us who have only just mastered the art of getting our hair poker-straight, the challenge is remembering how to do waves and curls without looking like '80s throwbacks. Or even how to do them, full stop.

If you've got natural curls or waves, you've got a head-start. Just use curl-enhancing products and diffuser-dry your hair. To make sure you get this right and avoid the dreaded frizz, take a look at 'Taming frizzy hair'.

For everyone else, it's time to dig out your Carmens and curling tongs. Here's a reminder of what to do with them, plus some fresh tips. Try a more tousled look with pin curls

Making waves

One of the simplest ways to get pretty waves is to use large-barreled curling irons (as they are now more fashionably called). Staff at Charles Worthington's Percy Street salon, London W1 (0207 631 1370) gave us these step-by-step tips to making great waves!

1. Starting at the nape of the neck, divide your clean, dry hair into chunky sections, spraying them with a heat-protective styling product. Comb through each section so the product is evenly distributed
2. Clamp your curling irons over the ends of the section and wind them up the length of the hair, stopping about four inches from the scalp. This will ensure a loose, modern look
3. Leave the curling irons in the hair for five seconds then gently unwind and repeat the process, working from the back of the head around to the front, until all of your hair has been curled
4. Carefully use your fingers to break up sections of larger curls for a softer look
5. Finish with shine-enhancing serum or hairspray

Roll up for curls

If you're going to use curlers to create your waves, make sure your hair is dry first as the weight of residual water will make your curls drop quickly. Section your hair using clips and apply a styling product to encourage curls and to make them last longer. Large sections (and large rollers) will create bigger, looser curls, while smaller sections (and smaller rollers) create more defined curls. As a general rule, use smaller rollers on the top of your head, saving large ones for the back and underneath.

Twist and pin

You could also try a more tousled look with pin curls. Experts at Mahogany (www.mahoganyhair.co.uk) suggest the following technique.

1. After towel drying and applying styling spray, take medium sized sections of hair (about the diameter of a 10p coin) and twist the hair from root to end
2. Take the twisted section and curl it around two fingers working from the end to the root
3. Lie the coiled section flat to the head and secure with a couple of Kirby grips in a cross
4. Leave to dry naturally or if time is tight, dry using a low setting on your hairdryer, being careful not to blow the hair loose
5. When it's completely dry take out the grips and shake your hair through. For a fuller look, run your fingers through your hair, turn your head upside down and spray with a light-hold hairspray