How to make Hollywood curls and photo examples

Hollywood curls are the height of sophistication, lending a sense of refinement to any ensemble. For decades, these glossy, voluptuous waves have been a mainstay on runways and red carpets, epitomizing classic beauty.

Though it may seem difficult, you can create these gorgeous waves at home if you have the right tools and know how. It’s not as hard as you might think to master this timeless look, whether you’re getting ready for a special occasion or just want to dress up your regular outfit.

We’ll walk you through the steps of creating Hollywood curls in this post, along with some advice on how to get the ideal finish. Additionally, we’ve included picture examples to help you decide on your next glitzy hairstyle.

What is a Hollywood wave

A soft bend and one-to-one hairstyle is known as a Hollywood wave. It fits into the retro styling category because it was created at the turn of the century. She was dubbed "Hollywood" since they mostly adopted the actress’s hairstyle.

It’s interesting that, given the era’s strong preference for short hairstyles among women, curls were mostly used on short hair at that time.

Although long-haired girls are now the main users of Hollywood curls, we will undoubtedly showcase Hollywood on hair of various lengths in one of the upcoming sections.

When it comes to who fits the Hollywood wave, we can say with confidence that nearly everyone does. Girls and women of all ages, shapes, and statuses do the hairstyle. Girls with round faces are the only ones who should use this style sparingly because it can draw attention to this aspect of their appearance.

Highlights of the Hollywood wave:

• Smooth lines. The hair canvas creates smooth but clear waves that seem to be a single structure, and not separate curls. The curls themselves are large, voluminous.
• Accuracy. In the case of this styling, the hair should be styled perfectly, without protruding "antennas", excess styling products.

• Mobility. For the hairstyle, use light styling products that maintain the mobility of the strands and do not stick them together;
• Shine. What is Hollywood without dazzling shine? Make sure that your hair shines, and if its own shine is not enough, use special products, for example, a hair booster – it will add shimmer and visual health.

Making waves can be done in two ways:

Since the hot method relies on using a curling iron, the cold method entails creating curls without the use of thermal tools.

You only need the right tools and techniques to create gorgeous Hollywood curls; a professional stylist is not necessary. With photo examples to help you get inspired, this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step so you can achieve glamorous, red carpet-worthy waves at home.

Cold method for creating Hollywood waves

Using a cold method for Hollywood styling helps you avoid doing too much damage to the hair shafts. When the hairstyle first appeared, this technique was employed.

Essential equipment and supplies:

• Foam or mousse for styling;
• Weak hold hairspray;
• A comb with frequent teeth;
• Clamps. It is better to use invisible hairpins or hairpins so that they do not leave creases on the strands. The number of clamps depends on the thickness of the hair.

How-to guide for making Hollywood waves in detail:

1. Greatly lubricate clean, damp hair with foam or mousse for styling, but do not overdo it, there should not be too much styling product;
2. Divide the hair into 4 zones – 2 temples, the back of the head and the crown;
3. Start from the back of the head – separate wide strands and twist them into the letter "C" forming something like a curl and fix with a clip;
4. Do the same for the remaining hair at the back of the head, then the temples and the crown. Note that all curls should be curled in the same direction;
5. Wait until the styling product and hair dry naturally, then remove the clips, loosen the curls and comb them with a fine-toothed comb. If you did everything correctly and curled the curls in one direction, after combing the hair will merge together, complementing each other and forming a beautiful wave;
6. Fix the styling with a small amount of hairspray and, if desired, add accessories – a headband, hairpins, hairpins.

In accordance with the same scheme, you can create a curl without using the letter C by inserting the strand right into the wave and using invisible or hairpins to grasp each bend. This choice is appropriate if all you need to do is create a wave with your front strands or bangs.

Hot styling – instructions with 2 tools

Different versions of thermal tools are used for the hot styling method. Let’s look at two methods you can use to make your own Hollywood wave:

• Ironing;
• Classic cylindrical curling iron.

Hollywood curls with an iron

To style, you will require:

• Leave-in moisturizer. This is especially important for girls with split ends and dry hair, since for the smoothness of the future Hollywood wave, it is important that the rods are heavy, and porous damaged hair will stick out in different directions. For moisturizing, it is better to use cream or lotion for hair – its texture is more elastic, and the composition is softer and does not contain alcohol;
• Heat protection.Heat protection will protect your hair from exposure to high temperatures and prevent it from overheating. If the cream that is used to moisturize has the function of temperature protection, then additionally thermal protection can be used;
• Iron. For the curling procedure, it is better to choose a straightener with a tourmaline or ceramic coating. The strand glides better on these materials, they do not electrify the hair and do less damage to the hair shaft;
• A comb with frequent teeth.

How to style your hair in a wave:

1. Apply a moisturizer – cream or lotion – to clean, dry hair. If only the ends are damaged, then it is enough to apply the product only to the bottom of the length;
2. Apply heat protection. To ensure even distribution, after applying, comb the strands with a comb with frequent teeth;
3. Turn on the iron, setting the temperature to 160-180 °C. It is not recommended to set the temperature higher, as the hair will be exposed to even more influence and even heat protection will not save them. A temperature of about 180-200 ° C is recommended only for girls with an Asian hair type – they are characterized by rigidity and high density and are difficult to style at low temperatures;
4. Separate the top section of hair and secure it on the crown with a clip or elastic band;
5. From the remaining layer, separate a medium-sized strand – 3-4 cm.;
6. Using an iron, grab the strand from the top, stepping back a couple of centimeters from the roots and wrap it around the iron in the direction away from the face, and then with the iron itself, also away from the face, curl it again around the strand. You can hold the iron horizontally or slightly diagonally;
7. Slowly, but without stopping, holding the tongs clamped, move towards the ends;
8. Slightly curl the resulting curl and leave it to cool, and in the meantime, do the rest of the hair. If your curls are unruly and do not hold the styling well, use a hairdresser"s life hack – twist a hot curl into a ring and clamp it with an invisible pin. A strand that cools in this position will hold its shape better;
9. When all the curls are ready, comb them with a fine-toothed comb – when loosened, they will become soft, uniform waves.

If desired, use a tiny bit of weak hold hairspray to fix the style. Using a weak hold hairspray is crucial to keeping the hairstyle flexible.

Hollywood wave with a curling iron

Get ready for the styling:

• Moisturizing hair product;
• Heat protection;
• A fine-toothed comb;
• Clips, hairpins or invisible hairpins without teeth – for thick hair you will need about 20-25 pieces;
• A cylindrical curling iron without a clamp. Diameter 25-33 mm. If you have a curling iron with a clamp, then during the curling process do not press the strand with it, so as not to create a fold.

How to use a curling iron to create Hollywood waves:

1. Comb your hair, moisturize your curls with cream or lotion and treat with heat protection;
2. Divide your hair into 4 zones – 2 temples, occipital and crown. Fix each area with clamps or elastic bands. First, curl the back of the head;
3. Separate a 3-4 cm strand, twist it into a loose bundle and wind it on a curling iron, starting from the root – apply the working part of the styler to the root part of the hair, stepping back a little so as not to burn the skin, and holding the curling iron horizontally, wind the entire strand on it;
4. Wait 5-10 seconds and carefully remove the resulting curl without unraveling. In the collected position, fix it with a hairpin or invisible hairpin. The curl should cool down in a twisted state – this way it will take shape better and will not unravel when combing in the future;
5. Repeat the previous two steps with all the density – finish the back of the head, then curl the temples and the crown;
6. When all the strands are curled, undo the blanks and comb with a fine-toothed comb – the curls will loosen up and become soft, well-defined waves.

Use hairspray to secure the hairstyle if needed, and then add headbands, pearl-studded hairpins, combs, or other accessories.

5 tips to create an ideal hairstyle

Five rules will ensure that your hair waves perfectly:

1. Even hair cut. The hairstyle will be laconic and stylish only on evenly cut hair. If you have a cascade, shag or ladder – you will not be able to create a harmonious styling;
2. Curling in one direction. This is one of the main rules for creating the perfect "Hollywood wave" hairstyle. If you curl the strands in different directions, when combing the curls will not be able to connect, which means they will not create a single canvas "hair to hair";
3. Strands of the same thickness. Separate strands of the same size so that the result is waves of the same intensity. If one strand is thinner and the other thicker, then in the first case you will get an elastic curl, and in the second – a barely noticeable curl;
4. Combing. Some sources suggest loosening the curls with your hands after curling, but in this case it is almost impossible to get a wave, since you will get separate small curls or waves. Be sure to comb your hair at the end with a fine-tooth comb – this is the only guaranteed way to make smooth, soft, uniform waves;
5. Weak hold. If you generously spray your hair with strong or extra strong hold hairspray, it will be smooth and shiny, but at the same time stuck together and stiff. Use styling products that are gentle in their action.

Hollywood curls are a classic method for getting glamorous, red carpet-worthy hair. Anyone can achieve the famous, voluminous waves that have defined innumerable star-studded looks with the correct tools and techniques.

Choose a high-quality curling iron or wand that is appropriate for your hair type first. To keep hair healthy while styling, use the right heat protection. Evenly dividing your hair ensures that every curl is consistent and enhances the polished look as a whole.

Once you get the hang of curling hair, you can play around with different curl sizes and directions to give your hairstyle more dimension and movement. Hairspray and light mousse are two products that can help keep curls in place without making your hair crunchy or stiff.

It can be very beneficial to use photo examples to help visualize the steps and finished product. Having a clear picture to guide you makes the process easier and more enjoyable, regardless of whether your goal is loose, cascading waves or tighter, more defined curls.

You can achieve gorgeous Hollywood curls that accentuate your beauty and give you more confidence with a little time and practice. Accept the grace and refinement that accompany this timeless haircut, appropriate for any formal event or casual elegance.

Video on the topic

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