You’re not alone if you’ve ever appreciated the timeless elegance of old-fashioned hairstyles. Vintage curls are classic and offer a level of refinement that contemporary looks sometimes lack. They embody the spirit of classic Hollywood glitz and refined charm, and they have been mainstays in the beauty industry for decades.
Although it may seem difficult, you can achieve retro curls at home with the right methods and a little practice. Understanding how to style these curls can change your appearance and give you more self-confidence, whether you’re getting ready for a special event or just want to dress up your regular outfit.
We’ll walk you through the process in this guide to get those flawless curls that will have you looking like you just stepped out of a vintage movie. With the right styling advice and necessary tools, you’ll be able to effortlessly incorporate a vintage vibe into your hairdo.
Step | Description |
1. Prep the hair | Wash and dry your hair, then apply heat protectant to avoid damage from styling tools. |
2. Section the hair | Divide your hair into small sections to make curling easier and more precise. |
3. Curl with a curling iron | Wrap each section around a curling iron, hold for a few seconds, then release. |
4. Pin the curls | Use bobby pins to pin the curls in place while they cool to help them set. |
5. Style the curls | Remove the pins and gently brush through the curls for a soft retro look. |
6. Add hairspray | Lightly spray with hairspray to keep the curls in place and maintain their shape. |
- What is it
- Features of the hairstyle
- Retro curls at home
- Using a curling iron
- Using curlers
- With a hair straightener
- Using invisible hairpins
- Using a tourniquet
- Video on the topic
- Super retro hairstyle. #hair #hairstyles #hairtutorial #makeuptutorial
- How to make retro curls – add elegance and sophistication to your look
- How to make retro curls – add elegance and sophistication to the image
- How to make retro curls – add elegance and sophistication to the image
- Unusual lip makeup + styling with a retro flavor = 💔 how do you like this image?
What is it
The term "Hollywood wave" was coined because of how common this styling was among those era’s movie stars. The characteristics of retro-style curls include glossy hair, volume, and smoothness.
Their hair’s glossy exterior conveys both their beauty and well-being. Every strand appears sophisticated and graceful, with no harsh creases or lines.
Take note! Every curl ought to have the same form.
Retro curls are the ideal way to effortlessly combine modern style with vintage charm, giving your appearance a dash of sophistication and elegance. You can improve your look and lend an ageless elegance to any ensemble or occasion by learning how to make these traditional curls. Retro curls can completely change the way you look and create a bold statement in your hair, whether you’re wearing them for a special occasion or every day.
Features of the hairstyle
- This curl is quite universal. The only limitation is a very short haircut. Retro styling looks most impressive on medium length hair, since even the ends are involved in creating the image. Ideally, when the hair is of the same length. If the owner has a "torn" haircut with asymmetrical edges, then it will be quite problematic to make such a hairstyle.
- There are also no strict limits for the color type. Retro curls on blonde are considered a classic option, but this is largely a tribute to the fashion of those years. With uneven hair color, with individual strands highlighted, such a hairstyle will only emphasize the beauty of the coloring.
- The curls themselves can be of different sizes. You need to stop your choice on any one of them, depending on the shape and oval of the face. Correctly selected styling can correct the shortcomings and emphasize the advantages. Medium curls are suitable for almost everyone. For a wide face and large features, you should choose them, but it is better to refuse small curls – they will create a certain disharmony. On an oval face, any curls will look advantageous.
- A classic hairstyle also requires a certain style of clothing. Ideally, it is suitable for attending any events where a floor-length or midi-length dress with a classic twist will look organic.
Retro curls at home
A trip to the salon is not required to create such a hairstyle. You can complete it at home. Generally speaking, the method remains the same for any length. The primary distinction is the type of tool used to create curls.
Additionally, bear in mind the following general guidelines:
- Curling with hot tools can only be done on completely dry hair.
- It is better to dry them with a brushing – a large round brush, to add extra volume.
- When using styling devices more often than 2 times a week, you should definitely use thermal protection products.
- Hair should be clean, without residue from hairspray or gels.
- Parting is usually done straight or to the side.
- All strands separated for fixation should be approximately the same size.
The following tools are needed to create a hairstyle: a brush, a regular comb with rare teeth, a hair dryer, clips or hairpins, a flat iron, curling iron, or curllers, and strong hold hairspray.
Using a curling iron
Using a curling iron is the easiest and fastest method.
- It is better to choose curling irons and flat irons with a ceramic coating.
- The size of the styling tool should be selected depending on the required size of the curls.
- There are cone-shaped curling irons without a clamp. On the one hand, it is easier to curl strands on them, and there are no clamps left. On the other hand, doing it yourself is not always convenient and requires a certain amount of skill.
- There is a curling iron with three heating elements, which can be used for this styling option.
- The average temperature for curling is 120–160 degrees. Preliminarily make the necessary parting.
- Select a strand and twist it into a tourniquet, not tightly, but simply for convenience. Do not separate a very thick curl, as it is difficult to warm it up completely.
- Wrap it on a curling iron away from the face, without closing the clamping part, and hold the end of the hair with your fingers. This is done in order to avoid kinks.
- Warm it up for 20 seconds and carefully, without unraveling the bun, release the tongs. Fix the bun with clamps so that it does not fall apart and there are no kinks.
- Hold the tongs parallel to the parting during all actions.
- Do the same with all the hair.
- After waiting for the curls to cool down, carefully unravel them, starting with the lower layers.
- Gently comb the curl along the entire length with a comb with large teeth.
- To give structure to the resulting waves, secure the clamps in the places where the hair bends and spray with hairspray.
- Remove the hairpins after 5 minutes – the hairstyle is ready.
Please be aware that medium-length hair works best with this technique.
Using curlers
You will need specific thermal curlers for this type of styling.
- Before curling, apply mousse or foam for styling and dry the hair roots, giving them volume.
- Divide all the hair into small strands, about 2 cm. You should not take thicker ones, since this method of curling is gentle and simply will not warm the curl completely.
- The cooling time of such curlers is about 10 minutes.
- Remove the curlers and run a rare comb over the curl.
- Then distribute the hair in the desired direction and fix the result with hairspray.
Curler styling works best on medium-length and longer hair types.
With a hair straightener
An innovative modern tool that has never been used before is a hair straightener. As a result, the curls made with its assistance won’t be exactly like the traditional ones. Still, with a 21st century shade, you can get great results with it.
- We divide all the hair into separate equal zones – temporal, crown, upper lower occipital. Each of them should be mirrored by 2 – on the left side of the head and on the right.
- Fix them so that they do not interfere.
- Undo one of the zones and curl it as follows – curl the temporal, lower occipital and crown towards the face, and the remaining – in the opposite direction.
- The result does not need to be combed, just corrected with your fingers. Spray with hairspray. If necessary, some curls near the face can be fixed for a few minutes with clips.
Using invisible hairpins
Use specific hairdressing clips or hairpins for convenience. Short hair lends itself best to this method’s convenience.
Apply styling mousse to the hair since this method does not use styling tools.
- Divide the hair into a side parting, from the wide side of which near the face we select a small strand of hair and lay it in the shape of the letter S.
- Pin the formed strand with clips so that the shape is preserved. Continue the wave to the very back of the head, every 2-3 cm, fixing it with a hair clip.
- 2–4 cm below, create the same wave, but the top of which looks in the opposite direction.
- All hairpins should be parallel to the parting and to each other.
- We do similar actions up to the ear level. All hairpins form arcs that are located from one ear to the other.
- We curl the lower hair into rings and fix them.
- The hairstyle is dried, then we remove the hairpins and go through the hair with a comb with rare teeth.
- We carefully spray the styling with hairspray.
Using a tourniquet
Another, albeit already "cold," method to get curls in the vintage style.
- We apply styling foam to clean, damp hair.
- We distribute the hair into fairly thin strands, which we twist around their axis into tourniquets.
- We collect individual tourniquets on the head in the shape of a snail and fix them with clips, after which we thoroughly dry the hair with a hairdryer. The hair dryer mode should be set to cool air, otherwise the hair will dry out a lot.
- After drying your hair, let it down and adjust it with your fingers. Fix the result with hairspray.
Classic hairstyles are updated with new and innovative ideas from modern fashion. Using contemporary tools to interpret retro styling no longer necessitates meticulous planning ahead of time. Even at home, you can give your appearance a dash of 1930s elegance and glitz.
Practical hair curling advice:
- how to make curls last a long time;
- features of curling short hair;
- what is root volume, how to make your hair voluminous;
- how to make curls on long hair, important nuances of styling:
- how to curl your hair overnight;
- how to properly curl your hair with curlers.
Retro curls are a classic way to add sophistication and elegance to your appearance. Learning how to rock this timeless hairstyle will improve your look for any kind of event, from formal gatherings to laid-back days out. You can attain that glitzy, retro charm that never goes out of style with a little practice.
Through trial and error with various curling methods and products, you can achieve the perfect look that accentuates your individual style. Try experimenting with different techniques, such as using curling irons or hot rollers, to see which one works best for you. The secret is to enjoy the process and embrace the opportunity to create a chic look that gives you self-assurance.
Keep in mind that sporting retro curls is all about enjoying the process of getting there as much as the final look. With the correct resources and a little perseverance, you can elevate your regular appearance to something truly exceptional. So get ready to draw attention and accentuate your image with gorgeous retro curls!