Technical File: Finger Waves

Masterclass: Finger waves Lottie 14^th April 2016

Wet sets

You will need:

Water spray

Hair gel

Pintail comb

Sectioning clips

Wet set method one: traditional

Completely wet the hair using the water spray and put gel through all of the hair as well.

Then brush the hair through with a comb.

Put a middle or side parting in the hair depending on what look you want.

Use a fine tooth comb to brush the hair backwards or forwards depending on which you want for your look.

Put the comb into the hair and push it up to shape the hair.

Use two fingers horizontally to pinch the section of hair you have just pushed up.

Then remove the comb but keep your fingers in place.

Brush the hair below your fingers in the opposite direction to as you did at the beginning so if you brushed the hair back then brush it forwards or the other way around.

Then remove your fingers and put a sectioning clip just below where your fingers were to keep the hair in place.

Then repeat the method of using your comb to push the hair up and using your fingers to keep the hair in place and then brushing the hair underneath in the opposite direction.

Wet set method 2: S Bend Method

This creates more of a  ‘s’ shape than the traditional finger waves.

Prepare the hair as described above with water and gel.

Use a fine tooth comb to brush the hair either forwards or backwards.

Place to fingers on top of the hair and then comb the hair underneath your fingers in the opposite direction, using your comb to angle the hair slightly to create a nice shape.

Then move your fingers and place them on top of the hair you have just combed and brush the hair underneath in the opposite direction again.

Carry on doing this all the way down the scalp.

Dry set finger waves

You will need:

Sectioning clips

Hair Comb

Hair tongs or rollers

Hairspray

Put a parting in the hair.

You can either use heated rollers of tongs to create this look. There are many different sets you can use depending on the look you want to create.

Start at the top and make sure that the sections of hair you curl are even to create a nice finger wave shape.

Take a section and curl it away from the parting by either placing a heated roller in it or by using a curling tong. If you use a tong, start at the end of the piece of hair and wrap it around the tong, hold in place for a few seconds and remove the tong, use a sectioning clip or grip to hold it in place. If you use a roller place it in the hair starting at the end of the hair and wrap the hair around the roller.

Do this until all of the hair is curled and leave the hair to cool and set.

Take the hair out and brush it through, then use your fingers to manipulate the hair into the shape you want. Use sectioning clips to help you create the shape and then when you have finished remove them

Use hairspray to keep the finger wave in place.

Evaluation:
I found the technique of the wet set finger waves a bit complicated as it was difficult to manipulate the hair and the technique was not like any other technique I have used before. After some practice I found the S bend method a lot more straight forwards than the other wet set method. The technique I thought was the most successful was the dry set method, probably because I am used to doing the set that was required for this method.