Sam McKnight's Easy, Breezy Guide to Achieving Wavy Hair
It’s his style signature, but how does Sam McKnight achieve that effortless cool girl hair? Here he shares his backstage secrets
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The Easy, Breezy Guide to Achieving Wavy Hair
It’s his style signature, but how does Sam McKnight achieve that effortless cool girl hair? Here he shares his backstage secrets
By: Verity Clark
From the french girl bob to the return of perm (yes, really), the conveyor belt of hair trends decrees a new must-have style each and every week. Yet one trend that seems to have stood the test of time is one of the simplest of them all: the cool girl wave. But while it might seem totally effortless, learning how to get wavy hair, the cool girl way, requires first mastering a few tricks and techniques.
Who better to teach the art of wavy hair than the king of cool girl hair himself, super stylist Sam McKnight? With over 40 years in the industry, this is the man behind some of the world’s most iconic hairstyles. Princess Diana, Kate Moss (after whom his Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist is aptly named) and Jodie Comer are just three names among a very long list of VIP clients. We sat down with McKnight to get his styling tips for wavy hair…
How to Get Wavy Hair Using a Curling Tong...
The easiest route to wavy hair is by using a curling tong. Here, McKnight walks us through the process: “Hold the tong vertically with one hand. With the other you wrap the hair down the tong, letting it twist naturally. Don’t worry too much about the ends. Hold for a few seconds and then release. Don’t brush or run your hands through that section as it needs to cool down to stay. Then, for the next section do the same but alternate the direction. One section you wrap around the tong towards the face and the next away from the face. Repeat through the whole head and it will give you that effortless, done undone wave.”
How to Get Wavy Hair Using a Straightening Iron…
No tong? No problem. A straightening iron is just as effective, although the end result will be slightly looser. McKnight’s advice? “Take a section of hair, bend it using your fingers so it looks like an S shape and with straightening irons gently clamp just for a second. Begin at the top and lightly press moving down the S shape. This will give a flatter wave.”
How to Get Wavy Hair if Your Hair Is Curly or Textured…
For those of us with curly or textured hair, the best results come to those who prep, which unfortunately involves a little more work. McKnight says: ”If you have frizzy, coarse or curly hair you will need to blow it out and smooth it first. A heat protectant blow dry mist is essential to stop the humidity or hair reverting back [to it's usual texture]. Then you can go in with your favourite wave method.”
How to Get Wavy Hair if Your Hair Is Fine…
While it’s still possible to achieve the waves of your dreams on fine hair, what this hair type lacks is staying power, so an extra product is needed. “For hair that needs more oomph and staying power, use a volume boosting foam or hair mousse pre blow drying. Don’t forget a heat protectant! Once it’s blow dried, then you can add the wave in,” McKnight recommends.
How to Undo Over-Curled Hair...
If your styled hair better resembles corkscrew ringlets than soft, undulating waves, hope is not lost. You just need to loosen it. McKnight says: "To loosen tight curls, hold the curl, stretch it out with a hairdryer on a warm setting. It will help relax the waves.”
How to Make Wavy Hair Last All Day...
No one wants to go to all that effort only for your waves to drop and droop come lunchtime. “The trick is to use light layers of products that have hold but feel weightless,” McKnight recommends. ”When you’re blow drying use heat protection plus a styling foam or mist that has hold and finish with a a lightweight hairspray.
