Hollywood Glamour Waves: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Old Hollywood waves are the most glamorous thing you can do with a curling wand — sleek, glossy, uniform waves that ripple down one side of your head like something off a 1940s red carpet. They look complicated and expensive, which is exactly why they're such a showstopper. But the technique is genuinely simple once you know the two things that make a wave "Hollywood" rather than just curled.

This tutorial walks you through the whole look: what defines Hollywood waves, the barrel size and wrapping direction that create them, the curl-cool-brush-set method, and the finishing tricks that give them that signature vintage shine. Get glossy glamour waves with our range of curling wand online.

What makes waves "Hollywood"?

Where beach waves are loose, messy and undone, Hollywood waves are the opposite — and understanding that contrast is the key to getting them right. Hollywood waves are defined by three things:

• Uniformity. Every wave bends the same way, in the same direction, so they line up into a smooth, continuous S-shape. Nothing is random or alternating.
• A brushed-out, glossy finish. The curls are brushed out into soft, sculpted waves with a polished, high-shine surface — no visible curl separation, no frizz, no texture.
• A sculpted, structured shape. Often swept to one side, with a deep side part, the waves sit close to the head in a deliberate, elegant ripple.

If beach waves are "just got back from the sea," Hollywood waves are "just stepped off the red carpet." Our beach waves tutorial is the perfect contrast — same tool, opposite finish. For where this style sits among the others, see our guide to the different types of curls.

Barrel size and same-direction wrapping

Barrel size: use a 25–32mm barrel. This mid-range size creates a defined-but-smooth wave that brushes out beautifully into that sculpted ripple. Too small and the curls are too tight to brush into a seamless wave; too large and they won't hold enough shape.

The golden rule — wrap every section the same direction. This is what separates Hollywood waves from every other look. Where beach waves rely on alternating directions for a natural finish, Hollywood waves need every single section wrapped away from your face, in the same direction, so the curls line up and brush out into one continuous, uniform wave. Alternating directions here would break up the very uniformity that defines the look.

A deep side part sets the whole style off, so decide on your part before you start and curl to complement it.

How to get Hollywood waves: step by step

The method is curl → cool → brush out → set. Don't skip the cooling or brushing — they're what create the signature finish.

1. Start with dry, prepped hair. Apply heat protectant and, for extra shine, a smoothing serum or cream through the mid-lengths and ends.
2. Create a deep side part and set the wand to a medium heat.
3. Take a horizontal section (roughly 3–4cm) and wrap it around the barrel away from your face. Curl the full length this time — for Hollywood waves you generally don't leave the ends out, since you want a complete, uniform curl.
4. Hold for 8–12 seconds, then release the curl coiled into your hand and let it cool (or pin it — see below).
5. Repeat across your whole head, always wrapping in the same direction, away from your face. Consistency is everything here.
6. Let every curl cool completely. This is essential — brushing warm curls destroys them.
7. Brush the curls out. Once fully cool, take a soft-bristle brush or wide paddle brush and gently brush through all the curls. They'll blend and drop into smooth, connected waves. This is the magic step that turns individual curls into Hollywood waves.
8. Shape and sculpt. Use your fingers (or a comb) to guide the waves into their ripple, encouraging the S-bends to sit where you want them. Some people use large clips to hold the ridges of each wave in place for a few minutes to sharpen them.
9. Set with a shine-finish hairspray.

Getting the signature glossy finish

The shine is half the look — matte, frizzy waves read as "curled hair," not Hollywood glamour. To get that polished gleam:

• Start smooth. Blow-dry your hair smooth first if it's naturally frizzy or wavy — Hollywood waves need a sleek base.
• Use a smoothing serum or oil through the lengths before curling, and a tiny amount after brushing out for shine.
• Brush thoroughly. A good brush-out is what creates the seamless, glassy surface — don't rush it.
• Finish with a shine spray, not a matte texture spray. You want gloss, not grit.
• Avoid over-touching once set, which introduces frizz.

Pinning for a sharper, more defined wave

For a真 sharper, more sculpted vintage wave — the kind with crisp, defined ridges — add pinning to the process:

• As you brush out the curls into waves, push each ridge of the S-wave into shape with your fingers and secure it with a flat clip (duckbill clips are ideal).
• Work your way down, clipping each ridge so the wave holds its structure.
• Mist with hairspray while clipped and leave for 10–15 minutes.
• Remove the clips gently — you'll be left with sharper, more defined waves that hold their sculpted shape.

This extra step gives you the crisp, structured "finger-wave" edge of true old Hollywood glamour, versus the softer brushed-out version. Choose based on how defined you want the look.

Get glossy glamour waves

Hollywood waves come down to a medium barrel, same-direction wrapping, and a thorough brush-out — plus the shine to finish. A wand with even, adjustable heat gives you the smooth, uniform curls this look is built on.

Get glossy glamour waves — shop Kor Hair's curling wands.

FAQs

How do you do old Hollywood waves with a curling wand?

Use a 25–32mm barrel and wrap every section away from your face in the same direction. Let the curls cool completely, then brush them out with a soft brush into smooth, uniform waves, shape the ripple, and set with a shine spray. Same-direction wrapping and brushing out are what create the look.

What's the difference between Hollywood waves and beach waves?

Hollywood waves are uniform, glossy and brushed out, with every curl wrapped the same direction for a sculpted, red-carpet finish. Beach waves are loose, textured and undone, with alternating directions and ends left out. Same tool, opposite finish.

What size curling wand is best for Hollywood waves?

A 25–32mm barrel. It creates a defined-but-smooth curl that brushes out into a seamless wave — small enough to hold shape, large enough not to look tight.

Do you brush out Hollywood waves?

Yes — brushing out is essential. Once the curls have cooled completely, brushing them with a soft brush blends the individual curls into the smooth, connected waves that define the Hollywood look.