Exactly how I get a wave in my hair the fast and easy way.

I have a confession to make.

I can't curl my hair with a hair curler. 

I mean, I can, if I must – but it takes me ages and it always turns out lopsided.

I’ve been getting soft waves in my hair for about two decades now, and I do it with a straightener. I can do it in about five minutes flat these days, and could probably even do it with my eyes closed, but won't attempt it for safety purposes.

It’s all about the wrist action. BUT, let’s start from the start.

I either let my hair air-dry if time allows, but first I spritz in a detangler and heat protectant once I’ve used a microfibre towel to soak up water out of the shower (the Sexy Hair So You Want It All Leave-In Treatment, $32.95, is ace). 

If I don't have time to let it air-dry, I’ll blast my hair dry with a hairdryer, just using my hands (no fiddly round brush), flipping my head upside down towards the end to let gravity do the hard work of getting some volume at the roots. I’ve been using the Halo Jennifer hair dryer, $249.95, lately – it's fast and quiet and doesn't leave my hair frizzy.

Now, to the waves.

Firstly, you need a good quality hair straightener. They say a good workman doesn't blame his tools, but in the case of heat styling your hair while still looking after it and minimising any damage, the quality of your hair tools is paramount. 

Hairhouse is the exclusive stockists of Halo – some of the best quality hair tools on the market – with a professional range of straighteners, curlers, and hairdryers.  

For the past few months I've been using the Halo Farrah Titanium Hair Straightener. 

Image: Supplied.

It’s designed specifically for thick or coarse hair, and while my hair isn't super thick, I have heaps of it, so I need a tool that can handle my mop and make the whole process faster and easier.

The Farrah straightener uses innovative Nano Titanium Technology which effectively and gently conducts heat, ensuring my hair remains smooth and shine-infused throughout the straightening process. It really does leave hair satiny sleek!

The ultra-durable titanium plates help to reduce time styling (a big win for busy people, AKA all of us!) and you can adjust the temperature from 120 to 230ºC, so you can totally customise how you use it. 

Image: Supplied.

Oh, and it has a handy ‘sleep mode’ function so you don't have to stress that you turned your straightener off when you’re in the car and halfway to your destination.

Okay, time to style!

Grab a brush and a crab-claw clip. Pop three quarters of your hair up on top of your head with the clip, leaving the last quarter at the back of the neck out. 

Brush that section (brushing it beforehand is so important so that the straightener can glide nicely over the hair and create a sleek wave or straight section), then divide again in half, bringing each side around to the front for easier access.

Next, grab the straightener (make sure you’ve turned it on and given it a few seconds to heat up to your desired setting). Clamp in near the root of your hair, holding it at each end once it’s shut. Twist it 180 degrees, glide the straightener through to the ends, then release. You'll notice the straightener glides seamlessly through your hair without snagging or pulling - so it's a quick movement.

The 180 degree flick combined with gliding it through the hair will create the curl, you don't need to keep twisting! 

Let the next section down and repeat on each side, and continue until all sections are done. The thickness of each section will depend on your hair type – thinner can use bigger sections, while thick or curly hair might need to work with smaller sections. It will also depend on how tight you want the wave to be.

Once you’ve curled all the sections, you can either rake your fingers through your hair to break the waves up for a more ‘beachy’ look, or use a bristle brush to unify the waves for a more polished result. I do either, depending on my outfit and the overall look I’m trying to achieve.

Image: Supplied.

I finish with a light mist of soft hold hairspray, and that’s it. It’s pretty easy, but does take a little practice to get right. Stick it out and you’ll master it. 

Happy styling! 

Shop the Halo Farrah Titanium Hair Straightener, and the rest of Halo's professional range of straighteners, curlers, and hairdryers, exclusive to Hairhouse.

Feature Image: Supplied.