How to Get Perfect Loose Waves

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.