How to Get Perfect Loose Waves
Follow hairstylist Eva Scrivo's 4-step plan for the ideal oversized curl.
Photo: Chris Eckert/Studio D
When Julie Rath, a 33-year-old men's image consultant, tried to play up the natural wave in her long, thick hair, she aimed for a style that was smooth and sophisticated. "But what I ended up with was often just scraggly," she says. Hairstylist Eva Scrivo, author of Eva Scrivo on Beauty, showed Rath a foolproof process for achieving lush, elegant waves.
Before You Begin:
Get the right haircut. If your cut is too blunt (like Rath's was), the thick ends will weigh down your curl. To cultivate loose, bouncy waves, Scrivo cut long layers into Rath's hair.
Photo: Chris Eckert/Studio D
Step 1
Prep damp hair with the right styling product for your texture. If you have thick hair, work a smoothing oil from midlength to ends to control frizz. If you have extremely straight or fine hair, you'll need extra hold to keep waves intact, so comb a mousse from roots to ends.
Photo: Chris Eckert/Studio D
Step 2
Blow-dry completely, using your fingers to pull hair taut as you direct the dryer's nozzle downward.
Photo: Chris Eckert/Studio D
Step 3
Starting around the face, use a 1¼-inch curling iron to create waves in two-inch sections. Twirl the hair away from the face, and keep the iron at a 45-degree angle.
Photo: Chris Eckert/Studio D
Step 4
Clip the completed front sections out of the way and curl the back half of the hair. Hold the iron vertically, with its top just above ear level.
Photo: Chris Eckert/Studio D
Once all of the waves have cooled, gently comb through them with your fingers.
Published 02/22/2011
