How to Create Old-Hollywood Glam Waves

Updated on Dec 24, 2014 at 9:00 PM

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One look we never tire of seeing on the red carpet is Old Hollywood-style waves. Though it might seem otherwise, you can achieve the polished style at home — without the help of a glam squad. Just grab a blow dryer, round brush, curling iron, pins, and some hair spray, and you're well on your way to chic curls. We headed to the Patrick Melville Pipino Salon, where celebrity stylist Ric Pipino gave us his tips on creating the glamorous look at home.

Start off with damp or towel-dried hair and apply a styling gel like Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel ($6-$19) for hold and shine.

Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel

From

To create a crisp side part, Pipino recommends concentrating a little extra gel along the part to get that sleek, smooth result.

Use a round brush to straighten your strands. "The tension of the round brush will smooth out even curly hair types," Pipino says.

Once your hair has been smoothed out with the blow dryer, grab a large curling iron to form your waves. Start off by sectioning your hair at the nape of your neck and spray each section with a flexible hold hair spray like Kérastase Double Force ($39) for heat protection and hold. Then, wrap your hair around the iron, making sure to curl all the way to the end for an even curl.

Kérastase Double Force

From

$39

After you've curled a section with the curling iron, create a pin curl using a duck bill clip to set the look.

Continue curling your entire head and secure each section with duck bill clips to hold your pin curls. They should all be curling down, and the hair on top of your head should be curled away from your face.

Once your hair has set, take the clips out and brush your curls. "I like to spray the brush with hair spray and brush through the curls," Pipino says. "This helps soften the curls, but with hold." Just keep in mind: the more you brush your hair, the more the curls will fall.

Brush and smooth the hair around the part for a sleek look.

You can mix a shine serum with a little hair spray in your hands to really smooth out the hair around the part.

Pull the waves to one side, securing the hair with bobby pins at the neck to keep it in place.

Apply shine serum or hair spray for a polished finish.

Be sure to manipulate the curls with your hands until you get your desired look. And, voilà! You have a style fit for any Hollywood starlet.