My most requested post is finally here for y’all. I feel like the worst friend ever cause I haven’t gotten this post up until now.. I kept going back and forth with weather or not to film it or just get something up quick. Then it just kept getting pushed and pushed because I want to film it for y’all and I finally thought– “Maddie, they just want to know the products and a few quick tips.. worry about the video later”. So, this is the quick and simple version of how I achieve my everyday waves/curls, there WILL be a video to follow. Y’all do me a favor and hold me to that.

If you’re interested in my extensions you can read about them HERE.

I mention this a lot, but I always like to reiterate it so y’all have all the info– I wash my hair twice a week (depending on my workouts). I know that might seem gross to some of y’all but I really don’t sweat in my hair/hairline and I literally have the most dry hair ever. Y’all can train your hair to extend between washes, but you have to work for it for a few weeks… I promise you can do, just invest in a dry shampoo to get you there.

I say that because I want it to be noted that my BEST hair is actually day three. I even made sure I was on day three for my wedding hair, y’all! The curls last longer and build better. Honestly, by day three I’m just popping a few more waves in and touching up the straight ends and I’m good to go in about 10 minutes! Now, I will say that I am sure some of that is to do with my extensions.. but I think a lot of it is a combination of my tools, products and wash routine.

When I do wash my hair, THIS is the dryer I swear by. It is a splurge, but I promise it’s so worth it. I can get my entire head dry in 30 minutes. I know that doesn’t sound great to some of y’all, but I have a head full of extensions and a normal dryer takes well over an hour. So I’m sure if you don’t have extensions then yours would be much faster, just cut down your normal dry time by 50%.

I also swear by this wand and straightener combo– best I’ve ever tried (plus they’re pretty to look at). I have used THIS iron on occasion for bigger, bouncier curls… but I always go back to THIS wand! It’s just hot enough to get the wave on the first pass, which is nearly impossible with other wands! It’s not only pretty fast for a wand, but this one in particular comes with three attachments so you can achieve three different types of curls/waves. I always use this middle one (seen in the photo above) to achieve my everyday waves. I like the size of this one and usually curl it tight and brush them out for the beachy loose look. Then, as y’all can tell, I never curl to my ends but I like to smooth them a little with the straightener to give the ends a more polished look.

These three products are my everyday go tos! I have to put an oil on the length of my hair twice a day because the extensions don’t create any for themselves and can get dry, but I also love the way they make my curls look ‘piece-y’. Plus, Moroccan Oil is really good for nourishing your hair– win, win. I use a texturizing hairspray VERY LIGHTLY over my curls, just to give them a little grit. I will say that I don’t use this towards the end of my wash cycle to avoid a ton of build up. I most just lightly use it the first or second time I style my hair post wash to add a little texture. The same rule applies for dry shampoo, but in the opposite way. I try to only use dry shampoo when absolutely necessary, towards the end of my wash cycle.

There are several keys to extending your hair between washes, but the two biggest ones are: 1. just stop washing it and get yourself over the hump, you can train your hair in a couple weeks (or less) and 2. use product only when absolutely necessary to avoid buildup– that won’t help make your last, it only gives it a weird texture and makes you want to wash it sooner.

Now to why you’re actually here– HOW DO I CURL MY HAIR? Well, it’s truly not all that exciting or ground breaking… but I will say, it works. I achieve the same curls day after day without a problem when I stick to these four techniques:

1. Use the right size wand and barrel for your hair length and desired curl– i.e. if you don’t have long hair, a smaller barrel will work better if you want more curls.
2. Always curl every chunk of hair in the SAME direction and AWAY from your face *to achieve these curls*. So, I curl everything on the right side of my face back and to the right and I curl everything on the left side of my face back and to the left. I know a lot of girls will switch back and forth to achieve a reallllly beachy look, but I don’t because I like mine a little more polished and easier to keep up with for days on end.
3. ALWAYS hold the wand or tool straight up and down, or close to it like pictured above. Holding it totally horizontal to the ground will give a much different look, try it and see.
4. BRUSH. THEM. OUT. I promise, this is the key. Everyone who has seen me do this cringes and thinks I’ve just lost all of my work, but they bounce right back into this natural looking wave. This is why it’s important to curl them tight though, so you have a little room for them to relax when you brush them out. I use THIS wide paddle brush.
   1.  If they are too tight, add a little oil to help them relax. If they are too loose, use your wand and pop a few more curls in. Sometimes if it’s right after a wash, I’ll have to add a few more on the top of my head after I brush.. that hair doesn’t hold curl great until about day three post wash.

Also important to note that, as you can see, I hold the bottom piece out of the curl so it remains straight– which, in my opinion, adds to the overall effortless look.