Pia Velasco is a New York-based beauty reporter with over 10 years in the industry — swatching lipsticks, interviewing experts, and finding the best products on the market. She's currently the Senior Digital Beauty Editor at Meredith, and writes for InStyle, Shape, and Real Simple. She received a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from New York University and her Master of Science in journalism from Columbia University. In addition to her love for beauty, she's also passionate about yoga, and acts as an instructor in NYC.
Whether you have long, medium, or short hair, there are hundreds of way to style it. And soft, loose curls are one look that never go out of style, think beach waves, for example.
However, while the ever-classic technique is near and dear to our hearts, there's a new type of wave in town.
S-waves offer a more laid-back feel than traditional barrel curls do. As such, they lay closer to the head and give hair a glossy, effortless finish.
Celebrities such as Margot Robbie and Hailey Bieber are repeat fans of the S-wave style, so we tapped two celebrity hairstylists to break down what exactly they are and how we can create them at home by ourselves. Read their tips, below.
"The S-Waves are a Hollywood-inspired brushed out wave," explains celebrity hairstylist and Sexy Hair ambassador, Danielle Priano. "Instead of making a full, traditional curl pattern, you will create 'S' like shapes throughout the hair."
Additionally, Amanda Lee, a celebrity hairstylist and MoroccanOil Global Color Ambassador, says that S-waves can be achieved with a flat iron, unlike other types of waves which require curling wands. "[This] creates a very effortless, natural-looking texture that has become super popular and my most requested hairstyle," she says.
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To get this style at home, all you need is a handy hot tool and the right technique.
For a visual step-by-step, you can also refer to the below tutorial by Richard Mannah, a celebrity based hairstylist and Joico's Global Artistic Director.
Since S-waves embrace a little bit of messiness, there aren't too many things that can go wrong while creating the look. However, Lee says that working with either too large or too small of sections can lead to undesired results. If they're too large, your waves may not get that defined "S" shape, and if they're too small, it could create dents in the hair.
And speaking of dents, Priano says that a common mishap when using three barrel irons is clamping too strongly on the hair. "If you close it too tightly, a crease will be left on the hair and not create the desired look," she explains.
When styling the back of your hair, she also recommends using an additional mirror to see those hard-to-reach areas and make sure you're styling even hair sections.
It may take some trial and error to nail the technique, but don't lose faith. "Although it's a bit tricky at the start, once you practice a few times, it'll become so easy," assures Priano.