How to Achieve the Perfect Soft Waves.

From the Director's Chair.

While heading to work on a daily basis, I am fortunate to see the streets of my hometown Minneapolis, MN filled with inspiration for the day I am about to begin.  In what used to be a sea of perfect blowouts and coiffed bobs, I am now taken to a fantasy like place where “ethereal” is the only way to describe what is around me. Perfection is imperfect, it limits.  A writer once said, “I believe in a world of opposites.”  What we called “Messy Hair” or “Beach Hair”, has now turned into gentle patterns of texture; so delicate and childlike. 

On a daily basis, my guests ask me for very natural looking hair.  At first, my response was  “ Is my blowout loosing its touch?” In response, the guest applauded the effort and skill taken to create the perfect red carpet style. “Today Benjamin, I want to reflect the me that I will be today, and I look forward to the "Night on the Town" blow dry that I have come to know and love.” With that said, I racked my brain for a way to offer my ladies an effortless look, that had a step-by-step method that could give them this natural, and sexy look.  This journey took some time for me to polish; not perfect.  Perfection is an end.  A limit.

Today I offer you a detailed suggestion on how to create these soft waves in 2 different ways.

Soft Waves with Heat.

Step One. Wash and condition hair thoroughly. Towel dry.

Step Two. Apply a heat protectant that will offer you a matte and dry finish. I recommend using Ciment Thermique from Kérastase.  Apply this product in a quarter size amount from root to tip.

Step Three.  Apply Mousse Bouffante from Kérastase using the applicator tip and applying directly to hair, starting at one inch from root.  Make four lines of mousse going all the way to the end of your hair. Lightly rake the product into your hair until it all has disappeared. You will do this to both sides and the back of your head.

Step Four. Blow-dry using low velocity and high heat; downward with the grain of the hair.  Continue until hair is 60-70% dry. 

Step Five.  Spray 2-3 pumps of Spray Á Porter from Kérastase in each section that you applied the mousse.  You will apply this primarily from roughly 2-3 inches from root to the ends of hair.  (Note, if you have very dense hair, sections can be split in half so product is applied evenly.) You will begin to feel some tug as this product gives the hair some grit, like it has been dusted with fine sand.

See note below before beginning Step Six.

Step Six. Once hair is dry, use a curling wand or 1 inch curling iron on high heat and take 2-inch sections and wrap hair around the iron, leaving the last ½ inch that is left non-heated.

NOTE:  With natural wavy hair, skip step six and apply a quarter size of Cotton Uzu from Shu Uemura to all hair. Twist and massage each section and lightly spray with Laque Dentelle from Kérastase.  Your result should be gauzy and airy waves. 

For straight hair, after curling, follow the above instructions using Cotton Uzu from Shu Uemura  and Laque Dentelle from Kérastase.

Soft Waves with No Heat:

Step One. Wash and condition your hair thoroughly, using sulfate free shampoo and conditioner.

Step Two. Apply Mousse Bouffant from Kérastase, using the applicator tip and applying directly to your hair, starting at one inch from root. Make four lines of mousse going all the way to the end of your hair. Lightly rake into your hair until it all has disappeared.

Step Three. Spray 2-3 pumps of Spray Á Porter from Kérastase in each section that you applied the mousse. You will apply this primarily from roughly 2-3 inches from the root to the ends of your hair. (Note, if you have very dense hair, sections can be split in half so product is applied evenly). You will begin to feel some tug as this product gives the hair some grit like it has been dusted with fine sand.

Step Four. You may braid this in two braids and then sleep on it. If you do, in the morning, remove the braid and rake your fingers through the hair. If you desire more smoothness, apply a small amount of Touché Perfection from Kérastase to the mids and ends of your hair.

If you wish to do this in the morning, AFTER Spray Á Porter is applied, twist small sections of the hair all over the head and continue to twist until your hair is almost dry (this may take a few hours).

"I believe in a world of opposites"