If we said to you “Hollywood waves” or “Jessica Rabbit hair”, we bet you'd picture exactly the kind of hairstyles we’re talking about: deep waves in an S-shape that scream vintage glam. It’s a classic look, no?
“It’s such a highly-requested hairstyle now, especially for weddings, as we regularly see A-listers adorn this style for red carpets and special events,” says hairstylist Chloë Swift. “Hair looks immaculate and shiny, hence why it’s perfect for a special occasion like a wedding. Not to mention it’s such a classic, it will never date and is great for all hair types – so long as you’ve done the right hair prep!”
Neale Rodger, style director at STIL Salon, agrees that Hollywood waves have a timeless, glam appeal that never truly goes out of fashion. “For a bride, I would say Hollywood waves are the hair equivalent of a couture gown,” he tells us. Despite the vintage vibe, it can still be tailored to modern weddings. “It’s the perfect balance of classic with a modern spin, which will make your wedding photos timeless,” Neale continues, adding that this flattering style “is very controlled and refined and is great with deep side parts, veils, or styled with pearl hair pins and combs.”
Want to create a Hollywood vibe on your own hair? Here’s how to get the lewk, step by step, plus a load of inspiration pics to inspire you (or show your hairdresser, obvs).
How to do Hollywood waves
Now we will say that the really classic-looking, deep-set Hollywood wave – where the hair looks like it moves in one unified ‘S’ shape, if you like – can be quite tricky to create yourself if you aren’t a pro hairdresser. If you’re booking wedding hair, show your potential stylist lots of pics of the exact look you’re after so that you know they’re comfortable creating this look before you lock in a trial. The good news is they’ll know how to make this style last all day, leaving you worry-free.
For those taking the DIY route, our pros have listed the key steps to help you nail an at-home Hollywood wave look…
Step 1: Prep, prep, prep
It’s true what they say: the secret to success is all in the prep. Start with clean, dry hair; for curly hair types, you’ll want to really stretch and smooth out your hair from the root when drying to create a smooth foundation for your Hollywood waves. Aside from some form of heat protection for hair, your prep products will vary a little depending on your natural hair’s texture, thickness and how well it holds a style.
“Begin by applying a heat protectant spray, a smoothing blow-dry cream and hair oil to your hair and create a smooth, flawless base first,” Chloë says. “This is so important for those with curly or textured hair to align the cuticle and have a smooth, flat base to begin.”
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil Mini
Step 2: Part and section
“The signature Hollywood wave starts with a dramatic side part,” Neale explains. “I like to use a tail comb for precision and definition, then divide the hair into four to six horizontal sections, depending on thickness.”
“The hair needs to be sectioned, working from the bottom upwards and all sections need to be the same size, ideally no bigger than 2” squared,” Chloë adds. “With a true Hollywood wave, there will be a deep side parting with all curls falling in the same direction, meaning that one side falls onto the face. This is the side that then gets tucked behind the ear.”
Step 3: Curl
Once you’re sectioned up, it’s time to get into the curling process. “A curling iron curl is the best tool to create classic Hollywood waves,” says Chloë. “My favourite is the ghd 1 Classic Curl Tong.”
“If you want tighter waves, use a smaller barrel, or for a looser, more modern shape, go slightly larger,” says Neale. For textured and tightly curled hair, “You could [also] create waves using a straightener in an ‘S’ motion, which will give more control.”
All our experts agree that the key here is to curl every section of your hair in the exact same way for that uniform, Hollywood feel. “At home, you may find it easier to curl in vertical sections rather than horizontal, but the trick is doing everything in the same direction; away from the face on both sides and meeting in the middle at the back,” says trend forecaster, hairstylist and Cosmopolitan Contributing Expert Tom Smith.
Step 4: Pin as you go
To really help your Hollywood waves set as you go, pin them. “After curling, pin the curl in place with a dent-free clip and allow it to set while cooling,” says Neale. “This helps ‘bake’ the shape.”
Tom also recommends curling, pinning and then leaving to cool. “Some people use rollers, but that tends to give more of a root lift and less kind of bounce to the curl itself,” he says.
Step 5: Cool *completely*
This step is absolutely essential, OK? Don’t skip it. “It’s important to let the pinned curls cool completely before removing them,” Neale stresses. “This is a crucial step to ensure you get a long-lasting hold.” As Chloë echoes: “This ensures that the hair sets and therefore holds and lasts.”
Step 6: Brush through
Once your hair has completely cooled down, remove any pins or clips. “Then, section by section, brush it out,” says Tom. If the hair is very soft, “Shape things with a styling powder to take away too much silkiness; you don’t want silkiness with Hollywood waves because then they separate and move too much, you want them to kind of be held together. Styling powders like Evo Haze are really good for that.”
“The main key is brushing through the cooled curls until they eventually form into the melting waves,” says Chloë. “I love to use a dressing brush for this, like the Denman D81M.” She also suggests spraying some flexible hairspray onto your brush before brushing everything out.
Step 7: Set and finish
Finally, it’s time for finishing touches for definition and hold. “Smooth the surface of the hair with a light serum, a shine spray or pomade – but be mindful that a little goes a long way,” says Neale. (Particularly if your hair is easily weighed-down, you don’t want to overload it here; you can always add more product but not take it away!) “For textured hair, opt for a hydrating serum or light oil to keep the wave glossy without frizz.”
“I then love to finish with a shine spray on the crests of the waves,” Chloë adds. “Color WoW Xtra Mistical Shine Spray is great for this.” Then, apply some hairspray to the finished look – strong hold is best if you’re really going for longevity – let it settle and you should be good to go.
Color WoW Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray 162ml
Now for those inspo pics we mentioned…
Hollywood waves hairstyle inspiration
Classic Hollywood waves with a clip
Just look at that unified shape! We can’t take our eyes off these classic Hollywood waves, complete with a cute hairclip.
Side-swept Hollywood waves
Sweeping most or all of the hair over to the side on which it’s heavily parted can look super glam, as Margot Robbie proves here.
Wet look Hollywood waves
Wet look roots is a great way to make even more of a statement with this look, just like Gemma Chan's gorge look for the 2022 Met Gala.
Lifted Hollywood waves
Adding a more voluminous, swept-over wave at the crown is a great way to give the overall style eye-catching lift.
Hollywood curls
We are nothing short of *obsessed* with these vintage-inspired Hollywood curls on Megan Thee Stallion. Paired with a red lip? Chef’s kiss.
Hollywood waves bob
Feeling more “today” thanks to the added movement in the style, we love the modern-meets-vintage feel of this Hollywood waved bob.
Side fringe and Hollywood waves
With that signature deep-set parting and tucked behind one ear, this vintage-inspired look on Emma Stone suits her down to a tee, made a little more modern with a soft side fringe.
Ultimate S-shape Hollywood waves
Another great example of the perfect S-shape wave throughout the hair. Soooo pretty!
Softer Hollywood waves
We love this subtler take on the Hollywood wave silhouette, which still has the glam appeal of the classic look.
Big and bouncy Hollywood curls
JLo’s vintage-inspired hair had a whole lot of body for the 2024 Golden Globes; look at that bounce!
Accessorised Hollywood waves
Using one or two clips to accessorise the “tucked” side of your Hollywood waves is a great finishing touch to this look, espesh for a wedding hairstyle.
Shorter Hollywood waves
Though you’ll often see them on long hair, Hollywood waves can work super well on bob hairstyles and shorter lengths, as Vanessa Hudgens proves.
Ultra shiny Hollywood waves
Complete with the brushed-over side parting, we love how glossy these undone Hollywood-inspired waves look.
Bejewelled waves
*Obsessed* with the jewelled detailing throughout this soft Hollywood wave look.
Curved Hollywood waves
With curved-under ends to her Hollywood wave that gave her hair more of a rounded shape, Selena’s style here still has that vintage feel to it.
Extra long Hollywood waves
Actually, sometimes more is more and we love these extra-long Hollywood-inspired waves.
Lucy Abbersteen (she/her) is a freelance beauty writer for Cosmopolitan UK. Having started her career at Marie Claire UK, she's since also written for titles including Stylist, Refinery29, woman&home and Glamour. Over the years she's done everything from report on the beauty trends at fashion week to grill some of the world's leading hairstylists and derms. Her writing covers everything from buzzy nail trends to haircare know-how and industry deep dives. She even has her own website: lucyabbersteen.com
