Styling

How to Get Wavy Curls

Have you ever found yourself watching one of your favourite TV shows and wondering how long the actresses spend in their makeup and hair trailers prior to going on set to shoot a scene?

Not to mention, how many times they return to the set’s trusted hairstylist between scenes for a quick touch-up? Especially following a particularly dynamic storyline that involved a lot of movement that may even have caused them to break a sweat under their make-up.

It’s not really fair is it, how our beloved TV and movie characters always seem to have their hair in perfect check, no matter what they’re doing.

Whether they’re jogging, doing housework or removing their motorcycle helmet after a wild ride, we never see a single strand out of place, an unruly curl sticking up in an act of rebellion.

They just seem to wake up and go through life with perfect hair every day – and that makes living in the real world pretty frustrating sometimes.

Especially when your own hair remains relentlessly stubborn, no matter how many times you give it a talking to, regardless of how many layers of gel or spray you try to tame it with. Well, at least we find relief in the fact that TV hair doesn’t exist in the real world…

Oh, but it does! Some women really do have a knack for styling their hair to look like they have just walked out of a salon – and that on a daily basis.

They know how to give it that volume, that beautiful shape and all those little touches that make it look set-worthy, and they don’t even spend hours in front of the mirror to achieve it. They just turn to a few of their go-to tricks and tools et voila – they’re ready for the cameras.

A woman curling her hair

Don’t believe it can be done in less than fifteen minutes? Visit YouTube for about five-hundred-thousand if not millions of videos that will tell and show you otherwise. Get out your pen and pad and start taking notes – you’ll learn a thing or two.

Yes, even the most rebellious straight or curly hair can be tamed into submission and maintained between styling sessions. The only question now is, what hairstyle are you going to go for? What will give you that ultimate hair-role-model look?

Wavy Curls – Stylish, Timeless and Easy to Maintain

There’s one hairstyle we all find ourselves drawn to, one we would love to achieve ourselves, one that is incredibly stylish and timeless – wavy curls.

They are that perfect compromise between straight hair and full, curly curls and just give us that extra je nai se quoi we are all looking for.

Next to that, they will allow us to appear as though we have spent an hour or two in our hair trailers, when really, all it takes is a little know-how, the right products and a little bit of patience to get there.

The same way accessories such as bracelets or necklaces can dress and outfit up or down, your hair can too. Just think of any one of your preferred seasonal outfits and match it with straight and un-styled hair or some romantic, curly waves – the choice really isn’t hard here.

Now that we’ve established that wavy curls are a fabulously stylish without requiring too much time or hassle to get there, let’s take a look at what you will need to do to get them yourself. We promise it won’t take a whole crew of experts to make it happen every morning!

Choose Your Waves

So you’ve settled on curly waves – but do you know what type of waves you are going for? There are a whole lot of different styles for you to choose from.

Have a flick through some hair styling magazines or scroll through Pinterest pages dedicated to wavy hair and you’ll see there’s a whole world of curl types out there. Are you going for those spiral-types waves or an easy beach look? Bouncy curls or light and loose waves?

Think about your hair type, the tools and time you have at your disposal and make your choice accordingly. Some wavy curls will need more time and attention, others might only be possible to achieve with a curling or flat iron, and that’s not something everyone will want to commit to.

Once you’ve settled on what style you are going for, check out our list of the most popular wavy curls below to learn how to make them happen for your own hair. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make your hair work with you instead of against you!

Holiday Vibes Without Having to Leave the House –  How to Get Those Beachy Waves

There’s a good reason why so many of us are smitten by those beachy waves we typically only get upon emerging from the ocean, after our hair has soaked in that glorious mix of saltwater, sand and sunshine.

And no, it’s not just because they evoke those holiday feelings in us. Beachy waves also happen to be the easiest curls to achieve without much effort. Most importantly, you do not have to use any heat-based tools to get the look, and that is a major plus point for many.

You can get your beach waves by going old school with overnight braids – yes, it really is that simple! No need for curling irons or five different products to perfect the look, just a nice little braiding session before bed time.

If you’re usually one for the morning shower, swap it for the evening time. Go through your usual hair-washing and conditioning routine, then let your hair airdry or towel dry it until it is just a little damp.

Brush your hair and make sure to detangle it thoroughly, then flip your head over and gather it into a high pony tail, leaving a few strands out from the front. Tie it into a loose pony-tail – too tight and you’ll be left with a crease or lack of volume on top – and start braiding it down.

Use your index finger to work the strands you left out into a twist and clip it to the side of your head, to add a nice s-shaped wave to your fringe. Now all you need to do is go to sleep and wait for the final results the next morning!

Upon unravelling your braid the next day, you can either finger-brush it and leave as is or use a product such as the FudgeUrban Salt Spray for extra texture, volume and hydration.

Last update on 2023-09-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Keep it Chill with Another Braiding Method for Relaxed Curls

One of the reasons that has kept so many of us from making the switch from straight to wavy, curly hair, is the impression that they all required some form of heat-based styling.

A before and after showing a woman with straight and wavy hair

Many of us are opposed to flat and curling irons, mainly because they are damaging to our hair but also because they can be rather pricey, and it takes time to get used to using them properly with the desired results.

Hence, many of you will be stoked to find out that there are other ways to go about these wavy curl styles, namely braiding. This is a hair styling technique that most of us have practised and go back to time and again anyway, which will make the transition to waves all the easier.

If you’ve always fancied a head full of gorgeous, relaxed curls – not too tightly wound, not too loose either – you’ll be happy to know that they too, will rely on the braiding skills you have acquired during childhood pyjama parties with your girlfriends.

All you’ll need for this particular wavy look, is a pair of Dutch braids (also known as boxer braids), though you might want to work them into slightly wetter hair than the above beach waves – not dripping wet, of course, but at about 50%.

Leave them to airdry for two hours or overnight, before you un-braid them. For a longer-lasting effect and extra definition, use TIGI Bed Head’s Foxy Curls Curly Hair Cream.

Last update on 2023-09-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Get Loose Waves with Overnight Twists & Knots

Loose waves – those that look like s-shapes that have been overstretched – are what many of us consider the true classics. These are the kind of curly waves that immediately give us an air of elegance, that can dress up any natural make-up look or outfit.

They work great for a fancy gala and a cocktail dress and look just as fabulous when rocked while wearing jeans and a t-shirt – they just add that classy sassiness we are all after.

For those of us who were not blessed with that innate flair for styling, they always felt somewhat unobtainable because we were certain the only way to get them was by using heat-based tools.

Fortunately for us, vloggers have debunked this myth for us by presenting us with different ways to get the look without reaching for the curling iron. One of the most popular method’s is by ways of overnight twists and knots.

In other words: exciting news for all of us who never even learned how to braid properly, and couldn’t make a Dutch braid happen if our life depended on it! The twist and knot technique is one everyone can handle and execute successfully.

For this method, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to get started on wet hair (i.e. towel dried) or dry hair. If you opt to work with wet hair we do recommend keeping a water spray bottle near just to dampen it down and make it easier to manipulate.

  1. Start by brushing your hair out and dividing it into two sections on either side of your head.
  2. Divide either section into a further three sections until you are left with three, thick strands.
  3. Using your index finger and thumb, twist each section and wrap it into a knot.

You can either use your own hair to tighten the knot or bobby pins, to ensure they are secured into place. As you can imagine, it can be rather uncomfortable to sleep with your hair full of knots, so make it easier on yourself by covering your hair with a scarf or a bonnet.

Leave your twisted knots in overnight and unravel them in the morning. Use your fingers to lightly comb through them if there are any tangles you want to smooth out. For the final touch, use the Toni & Guy Glamour Serum Drops to add a high shine to your waves. You can also opt to do this prior to twisting your hair into the knots.

Last update on 2023-09-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Make a Wave

As you can see, there’s not much to getting those perfect wavy curls, and you won’t even have to invest in any tools. Simply brush up on your braiding techniques and you’re good to go!

Hati

Hi I'm Hati and my hair is naturally very curly, obviously! I have started this blog to share curly hair stories and what I use to manage my own hair. Hopefully you will find it useful! My other main passions are food, art and animlas. I have a little cat who I love very much.

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