How to Do Vintage Hollywood Hair Waves -

If you would like to learn to do vintage Hollywood hair waves, see my tutorial below!

Vintage Hollywood wave hairstyles, a big favorite on the red carpet, are something I get called on to do a lot. People always have questions about how to do these big, beautiful, smooth S waves.

Also called vintage finger waves, these classic Old Hollywood hair waves were made famous by starlets in the 1940s: particularly Rita Hayworth and Veronica Lake. Although they used a wet set, nowadays we end up doing these with a curling iron and pins. Read more about the pinup icons in my other blog posts.

If you do this correctly with a nice hot curling iron, the style will hold! Vintage waves are gorgeous for weddings, and present a timeless, classic Old Hollywood look.

Here is what you will need to do Vintage Hollywood Hair Waves:

Thermal heat setting spray to protect the hair, and to help hold the set. I use Kenra Professional Thermal Styling Spray 19
Tools you will need for this: ¾” barrel curling iron, Hot Tools Signature Series Gold Curling Iron/Wand, 3/4” : The gold standard!
Spornette little wonder teasing comb and brush. The teasing comb really gets in there, and the smoothing brush creates smooth, shiny waves.
Suavecita pomade to smooth the flyaways. Also adds a bit of nice shine to the hair.
3.5” duck bill clips to clip your s waves.
Medium to firm hold hairspray. I like Sebastian Re-Shaper Hair Spray. It provides a firm hold, but you can brush it out, and it’s not sticky.

Follow my steps to get classic vintage Hollywood glam hair waves:

Step 1: Spray thermal heat spray throughout the hair.

Step 2: Part on one side.

Step 3: Section hair in about 2” square sections and curl toward the face, beginning on the side with more hair, and continue curling that direction all the way around.

Step 4: Let sit for 15 minutes, then pull out the duck bill clips.

Step 5: Finger separate all the hair

Step 6: Brush hair with spornette smoothing brush and smooth out with Suavecita pomade.

Step 7: Tease the front bumper curl

Step 8: Tease the underside of all the hair.

Step 9: Using the spornette brush, smooth everything on the outside, leaving the teased bits underneath intact.

Step 10: Find your “s” shapes and pin!

Step 11: With your fine tooth comb, gently comb the surface to smooth the hair and continue pinning!

Step 12: Spray the hair and remove the clips.

Step 13: Gently smooth flyaways and spray again.

Step 14: Carefully pull the style hair apart to add volume, and spray. Be careful with this step!

These waves are also called Classic Old Hollywood waves, sleek waves, S waves, faux finger waves, and soft glam waves. These are wonderful for brides and can be wedding glam waves, and glam waves for red carpet.

Whatever you call them, they are classic glamour, and you can do them too! If you have any ideas for future blog posts and tutorials, be sure to leave a comment!

Hi there! My name is Stacy Lande, and I am a Los Angeles based hair and makeup artist. I am in love with the vintage style, and have been transforming women into the most glamorous versions of themselves for weddings, events and photo shoots since 2009.

The best vintage inspired lingerie has to be What Katie Did!