HOW TO CREATE HOLLYWOOD WAVES

Nothing beats the polished, bouncy elegance of Hollywood waves, but keeping them intact from morning to night can be a challenge. The good news is that a few pre-approved tricks and the right tools can give you long-lasting, red-carpet-worthy waves. Here’s how you can make it happen: 

Begin with clean, textured hair 

Waves need a little grip to hold their shape, so always make sure your hair is clean but textured. Wash your hair and blow-dry it so it’s completely dry before using a volumising mousse or texturising spray. Curls Gone Wild is the perfect prep spray that makes sure your waves stay soft, touchable, and full of life all day long. 

Always use a heat protectant

Nothing kills a Hollywood wave like frazzled, heat-damaged hair. A protectant shields your hair from damage while helping set your style. ghd Bodyguard utilises a two-fold action of protecting polymers and conditioning agents, ensuring a sleek and smooth look every time. 

Curl in one direction

For that effortless Hollywood silhouette, curls should sweep in one direction to create uniform waves. These curls frame your features and give you the old-school glam we so often see on red carpets and at premieres. Most people like to alternate the direction of their curls for a messier, mermaid look, but when you’re going for the Hollywood look, always curl in one direction.

Pin curls while they cool

If you want to give your curls a better chance of holding for a more dramatic look, always pin them while they cool. After curling each section, take a thin pin and secure the curl together or to the base of your head. This helps the waves hold their shape far longer and gives them that signature bounce. 

Finish with a lightweight holding spray

Finish your look with a lightweight spray. A stiff, crunchy hairspray won’t just ruin the vibe; it’ll also weigh the curls down and cause them to fall quicker. Instead, look for a fine mist that gives a good amount of hold without the extra weight. ghd Perfect Ending keeps your hair locked in place while protecting it against humidity and flyaways. 

Even with the right tools, small mistakes can make your Hollywood curls fall flat or look uneven within a moment. It’s not uncommon to run into some pitfalls when you’re experimenting with Hollywood waves, so don’t get discouraged if they don’t turn out perfectly the first time. Here’s some of the most common mistakes you can make with this style, and how to fix them fast:

Curling random-sized sections

Curling uneven sections of the hair can leave you with inconsistent curls. Considering one of the most important traits of Hollywood hair is its uniformity, inconsistent curls are your greatest enemy. Some pieces might drop out within an hour, while others hold too tightly, giving your waves an unbalanced, unfinished look.

To fix this, section your hair beforehand and use clips to keep track of where you’ve curled. Depending on the thickness of your hair, section it into top, middle, and bottom layers and work methodically through each one. Sections can also prevent you from passing heat over the hair multiple times to avoid heat damage. 

Forgetting to brush them out

Leaving your curls untouched after styling keeps them tight, resulting in a ringlet effect that feels more vintage perm than modern red carpet. While ringlets can look gorgeous in their own right, if you’re aiming for Hollywood glam, you’ll want to brush them out gently to loosen them up. 

Wait until your curled hair is completely cool, then gently brush through with a soft-bristled brush or a wide-toothed comb. This melts the curls together into the signature S-shaped wave pattern. The ghd The All-Rounder is perfect for finishing your style. 

Using too much product

Loading your hair with oils, serums, and heavy sprays can weigh the curls down and stop them from forming properly. It can also create a build-up on your styling plates, making them more likely to distribute heat unevenly. Even if the products don’t affect the actual styling of your hair, the extra weight can cause the curls to drop earlier throughout the day. 

To avoid this, keep product use to a minimum before and after styling. Use a lightweight heat protectant like ghd Bodyguard or, if needed, a 2-in-1 texturising spray that doubles as a protectant, such as Curls Gone Wild. After styling, stick to a light mist of flexible hairspray, like Perfect Ending, to set your waves. 

Skipping the cool-down step

If you immediately let your waves drop after heat styling, they might not hold. The shape needs time to set as it cools, so skipping the cool-down makes your hair less likely to stick, leaving you with limp, lifeless waves. 

Luckily, there’s an easy fix for this. After each curl falls from the styler, cup it in your hand for a few seconds until it cools down. Carefully pin it with a setting clip in its coiled form and move on to curling the rest of your hair. Once the whole head is done and cooled, gently release each curl and brush through for a lasting wave. Of course, don’t forget a light mist of hairspray!

Don’t have time to visit a styling chair to get the perfect style? Here’s what our expert stylists recommend for flawless, long-lasting Hollywood waves at home:

Always prep with a heat protectant: This shields your hair from heat damage and helps curls hold better without weighing the hair down or ruining the waves with frizz.

Use setting clips while styling: Pinning curls while they cool is one of the oldest, most effective tricks in the book for longevity - if you haven’t tried it yet, get ready for this absolute gamechanger!

Hold your styler horizontally for larger waves: Vertical curling creates tighter, beachy curls, so holding your styler horizontal is key for old-school glam.

Section your hair into (at least) three clear layers: Make sure you don’t miss any hair and create a cleaner, professional finish by sectioning your hair evenly before styling.

Work from the bottom up: Always start with the lower sections, moving up to the top of your head, to prevent the previously curled hair from being disturbed.

Curl small, consistent sections: Irregular sections create uneven wave patterns, which is the exact opposite of what Hollywood curls are all about. 

Mist a flexible-hold hairspray before brushing out: A lightweight fixing spray keeps the shape of your Hollywood waves but leaves your hair touchably soft.

Use a shine spray for a final polish: If you really want to perfect the look and make your hair sparkle, use a red carpet gloss to polish the style without stiffness (we love ghd Shiny Ever After). 

Emma Lewis, a senior stylist at ghd, says, “The secret to long-lasting waves is heat control and patience. Always let curls cool before touching them, and trust the process. Hollywood waves usually look a little crazy before you brush them out!”