Hair Styling For Beginners

Part IV: An Easy Style For Medium Length Hair

By Coreen Clark
( © Copyright 1997 )


Subscribers can also read Part one | Part two| Part three | Part four |Part five |Part six |

Wavy Hair P(how)
R(end)
Like many things in life, there is usually more than one way to achieve the same desired end result. This appears to be true with hairstyling too! Though using different styling techniques can vary the final outcome, the differences can end up being only slight, and may not be important to the beginner. At this point, it comes down to preference, in what the individual prefers or is comfortable with. This time, we'll create a totally different style than we did last month. It uses different techniques, but what is shown here is not the only way to create it! For instance, one could just as easily use a styling product, hair dryer, and round brush. Another alternative is to drop the dryer and brush and use the "combi-dryer" (covered in Part II) that combines these two items. To keep things simple, I'll be showing just one method using culers on dry hair. I have been told that a wet set on curlers gives the most endurance to the style than the other procedures, but that was covered last time.

Catchin' The Wave!

This style (shown above... please excuse the pout; I was caught about to blow a kiss!) proved great for the medium length stage, as I continued to grow out my hair. I liked it so much, that I almost decided to keep it at this length (I said almost!). Later, I found it worked well for longer hair too! The bangs are no longer short enough to be used as such, and the remaining hair is getting too long to hold small, tight curls, as was done in the previous "Curly Cute" style shown last month. It features long, smooth, flowing waves which have a lot of movement (they swing and swish about when you move! Read: sexy!)

If you still need some review, it might prove useful to re-read the rolling of the curlers section in Part II one more time, to see how to work with them. Once again, Velcro curlers with hair clips were used, but this time we get into the enormous "Extra Jumbo" 3" curlers! Using these babies allows you to experience some uniquely feminine feelings you may have not had before... the utter fear of anyone seeing you wearing these things (have mercy on me)!

How to do it

Like last time, we start with the hair freshly shampooed and still damp after a towel drying. A medium to light styling mousse was applied to the fingers, then distributed through out the hair, starting at the roots and working it out the length of the hair. Combing with a good quality, wide-toothed comb prevents snagging while making sure the mousse is evenly and fully distributed. A combi-dryer, with brush attachment was then used to fully dry the hair while adding in the initial volume and curl. Sections are combed out to the end of the brush, then rolled back and under to the scalp and held for about 10 seconds. Work over the entire head in this manner, re-doing areas until everything is dry. As always, avoid overdrying as it damages the hair.


P(finished style)

Combi-Dryer Big Curlers-1 Big Curlers-2

Once dry, the curlers can then be rolled up and secured with a flat spring-clip. The partern is exactly the same as last time. Starting at the forehead, they go straight back and down the neck, all rolling in the same direction, towards the back. The big difference is the sections are large and loose, and rolled onto 2" Jumbo Velcro rollers. In my case, it only took two on top, and two down the back.

The same holds true for the sections at the sides, where the 3" Extra Jumbo curlers are used. I used only two each side, all of which were rolled up and under, towards the head. Because the hair is not long enough to make a complete wind on the curler, I found it helped to first stick the ends of the hair on the Velcro and immediately secure it with an extra spring-clip before rolling.

If you had trouble bashing into things last time, just wait to see how big your head is with Extra Jumbo curlers in! You might want a friend to proceed you with a "Wide Load" sign, or use the spring-clips to hold the curler to the head!

Because the hair was already dry, you can wait as little as 10 minutes before removing the curlers in the same order as applied. I prefer to leave them in until after my makeup is done (2 hours!) before taking them out. Unclip and slowly unroll the curler as you gently lift the hair from the Velcro.

When all the rollers are out, bend your head over and brush the hair out gently from back. Use a good quality brush that has a bit of give to the bristles, such as those with ball tipped wire bristles in a rubber base. Even better are "skeleton" brushes, whose bodies actually bend when a snag is encountered. Baby your hair! You can mist with hair spray before &/or after throwing your head back upright. Use your hands to lightly pat out-of-control hairs down, and to poof up the bottom ends of the hair all around.

Pick-2 You can optionally use a pick to lift up the hair, using a light to medium hair spray. As always, remember, check your doo often in a mirror and spruce it up if needed. with your pick, and purse sized hairspray.

Now that was easy, wasn't it! See you again next month...

Pb (to finished style)


Visit Coreen's web page (updated Apr.7/97) or send an email!


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