Channel your inner Old Hollywood star

The glossy style that works perfectly with a LBD

Beauty Crew Digital Content Director / April 11 2016

Want an instant hit of glamour for your next big night out? Then consider this Tinseltown classic. Think: glossy, thick tresses with cascading, brushed-out waves. “This [hairstyle] takes slightly longer to achieve and is a little harder to master, but the result is both classic and supercool,” says Mark Hampton, Toni & Guy global hair ambassador.

Since there’s no better time than now to learn, here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering Hollywood waves.

1

Create lift at the roots

Apply a volumising mousse – a golf ball-size for medium to long hair or more for thicker hair – create a deep size part using a tailcomb.

TryMoroccanoil Volumizing Mousse

Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse

2

Blow-dry for a smooth finish

Blow-dry your lengths using a large round brush. You want a smooth finish with some volume at the roots, so be sure to lift your hair up and away from your scalp while directing the nozzle of the dryer down the hair shaft.

3

Curl hair

Separate your hair into four even horizontal sections. Clip the top three sections away and take a small curling wand held vertically and wrap a two-inch sections around it. Release the curl and pin against your head using small sectioning clips. Repeat, wrapping the curl in the same direction as you move through the lower section.

Try: cloud nine Croc Clips

ghd croc clips

4

Repeat

Repeat Step 3 on the remaining horizontal sections, being sure to change the direction you wrap the curl for each one – that’s how you achieve the beautiful S-bend.

5

Soften the curls

Once curls have cooled, unclip and brush out using a paddle brush.

Try: ghd Paddle Brush

ghd Paddle Brush

6

Position your style in place

With the nozzle of your blow-dry directed away from the part, blow-dry this area again to flatten and smooth. Finish with a generous mist of hairspray.

This is a very old-school technique, but it works the best. A straightening iron can achieve a similar wave, but it won’t be as beautiful.”
Mark Hampton
/
Toni & Guy
global hair ambassador

Main image credit: Getty

Alex is BEAUTYcrew’s Digital Content Director and has been since the site launched in 2016. She’s constantly on the search for the perfect shade of nude nail polish and lipstick for fair skin and battles with keeping her fragrances on rotation to under a dozen. You can find her words right here on BEAUTYcrew, and in previous issues of marie claire.