How to Make Big Hair Waves

Learning how to style your hair or updo with big waves can be simple with the right tools and techniques:You can get gorgeous waves using rollers or a curling iron. As with all things, practice makes perfect; for the best results, follow some expert tips and techniques to perfect your waves and learn how to get creative with your hair.

Things You'll Need

• Rollers or curling iron Gel (optional) Hairspray Hairpins

Instructions

Using Rollers

1. Begin with dry hair, divided into small sections of about 1 inch to 2 inches (depending on the size of the rollers). Take a section of your hair in one hand, beginning with sections at the nape of the neck. Make sure the hair is free of tangles. Use gel to lightly coat the hair, if desired, for additional hold.

2. Use rollers to curl your hair into big waves. Heat your hot rollers (for electric rollers only) and prepare your hair. For larger and looser waves, use larger rollers; for smaller and tighter waves, use smaller rollers.

3. Using your fingers, hold the tip of your hair section against the roller. Keeping the ends securing pressed against the roller, rotate the curler so that the section of hair wraps around the hot roller. Continue rolling your hair tightly around the roller until you reach your scalp and the entire strand is wrapped around the roller.

4. Secure your roller in place against your head with a roller pin, snap or other provided closure. Repeat the steps to place rollers on all strands of hair, working from the nape of the neck to the crown of the head.

5. Allow the rollers to cool completely (for hot rollers only) or let sit until the hair is dry from the gel; increase the amount of time as desired for better-holding curls, beginning with one hour. Remove the rollers one at a time, beginning at the nape of your neck and working upward towards the crown of your head. As you remove each roller, keep your hair in the resulting curled loop with your fingers and re-secure this loop against your head using a hairpin. Spray hairspray over the pinned curls. Allow the pinned hair hair to sit another hour, or until you are ready to style. Remove the pins and arrange your curls in the desired style. Use additional hairspray as desired.

Using a Curling Iron

1. Begin with dry hair, divided into small sections of about 1 inch to 2 inches (depending on the size of the rollers). Take a section of your hair in one hand, beginning with sections at the nape of the neck. Make sure the hair is free of tangles. Use gel to lightly coat the hair, if desired, for additional hold.

2. Use a curling iron to make big waves in your hair; for larger waves, choose a larger barrel, and for smaller waves, select a smaller barrel. Take your first section of hair and, holding the curling iron in one hand, open the curling iron clip with your thumb.

3. Place the ends of the first sections between the curling iron clip and barrel, and allow the clip to close over the ends of your hair. Roll the barrel (with ends still secured against it) toward your scalp, wrapping the remaining portion of the strand around the barrel. Continue until you nearly reach your scalp, but avoid contact with your head.

4. Hold the curling iron steady for 15 to 30 seconds. Depress the button to release the ends of your hair from the clip and slowly rotate the curling iron to release the strand of hair. Spray with hairspray. Continue curling sections from the nape of the neck upward to your crown.

5. Using your fingers, brush or adjust your curled hair to form looser waves. The more you brush, the looser your curled waves will become. Use your fingers to piece together your waves in the desired style.

Tips & Warnings

• Contact of the curling iron with your skin can result in burning.

References

• HairBoutique.com: Creating Curls