Finger wave

[~landgirl~]

How do you achieve a finger wave? I have sooo much hair and it's layered quite a bit - I had a go but either I am doing it wrong or it collapsed under the sheer weight of itself. If someone could talk me through a step by step dummy guide and even take pics of themselves doing it - as the diagrams on the net have only confused me.

Thanks ladies!

[Honey Doll]

I use a triple barrel curling iron to approximate a finger wave. Hopefully someone will post with more vintage instruction than that ;)

There used to be some good instructions on the nocturine page, but when I checked it last the pic links were broke.

Honey Doll

[Nashoba]

I've always had that problem with the nocturne site :( I've never been able to see the pictures...

[Rosie]

http://www.hairfinder.com/hairstyling/fingerwaves.htm

http://www.revampvintage.com/30sfingerwaves.html

[Rebecca D]

I've had really good luck using sponge curlers and then brushing in a wave. And when I'm in a hurry, I'll wrap the top, front portion of my hair (where I would have bangs if my hair weren't all one length) around small hotsticks, using another hotstick to curl the bottom into what looks like a pin curl. Does that make sense?

In other words, I'll take a small strand of hair at the root and wrap it around the small hotstick leaving the ends loose. Then I'll use another small hotstick to curl under the end to mimick a pincurl. Then I use medium sized hotsticks around the rest of my head to curl the ends into what look like pincurls. I have shoulder length hair, but when I'm done I have a chin-length wave/pincurl set that lasts all day. I part my hair on the side and use a vintage barrette or flower to pin back the wave so it doesn't fall in my face.

And oh yeah, I have extra hotsticks that I bought on ebay.

[~landgirl~]

I use a triple barrel curling iron to approximate a finger wave. Hopefully someone will post with more vintage instruction than that ;)

There used to be some good instructions on the nocturine page, but when I checked it last the pic links were broke.

Honey Doll


thanks ladies! cheating sounds ok to me though, what is this triple barrel curling iron u speak of?:)

[Nashoba]

I've had really good luck using sponge curlers and then brushing in a wave. And when I'm in a hurry, I'll wrap the top, front portion of my hair (where I would have bangs if my hair weren't all one length) around small hotsticks, using another hotstick to curl the bottom into what looks like a pin curl. Does that make sense?

In other words, I'll take a small strand of hair at the root and wrap it around the small hotstick leaving the ends loose. Then I'll use another small hotstick to curl under the end to mimick a pincurl. Then I use medium sized hotsticks around the rest of my head to curl the ends into what look like pincurls. I have shoulder length hair, but when I'm done I have a chin-length wave/pincurl set that lasts all day. I part my hair on the side and use a vintage barrette or flower to pin back the wave so it doesn't fall in my face.

And oh yeah, I have extra hotsticks that I bought on ebay.

Wow that sounds like a really good method! I'm going to have to give that one a try. I've been using the pillow curlers because really I'm just lazy and don't have the motivation to do the pin curls. But it usually poofs on me and it takes several hours to coax into a style. I'll have to try the hotsticks. I havn't used them in years.

[Faye Valentine]

I don't know if anyone posted this link up yet but it has direction with pictures for fingerwaving.

http://www.vividinfinity.com/fingerwave/

Hope it helps you out. I also have some cosmetology books from the 30s/40s with some instructions. I'll see if I can scan some of the fingerwaving directions.

[~landgirl~]

Thanks everyone - I will have a go just as soon as my head gets better !

[crystalface]

Yesterday morning I actually just put setting lotion in my damp hair and it came out fingerwave-ish. But I do have a natural wave, so it probably only just fluffed it up a bit. [huh]

[Honey Doll]

thanks ladies! cheating sounds ok to me though, what is this triple barrel curling iron u speak of?:)


This is a triple barrel

http://www.folica.com/Hot_Tools_Profe_r1043_1.html

I got mine at Sally's for less than $20. Works great.

Honey Doll

[Polka Dot]

Thanks, Faye Valentine! I think that's the best fingerwave tutorial I've ever seen online. I'm hopeless at doing my own hair, but I have a friend who's a cosmetologist and maybe I can persuade her into doing my hair in fingerwaves sometime.

I actually wore them to my senior prom; they didn't look super authentic because the hairstylist wasn't great at it, but I love the style.

[KAT]

honey doll...do you have apicture of the waves you create with the triple iron?
i always see it at the supply store and i always wanna buy it but i never do!
maybe you can convince me buying it!
;)

[kirawoidan]

I actually considered buying the triple barrel, but I looked up the marcel wave, made with a curling iron. It's like a finger wave, but it was made originally with a single barrel "marcel iron". I tried it with a regular curling iron and its very cute. It takes a little time, but it's worth it. You make the waves by making a crimping pattern. Alternating upside down and right side up, it creates a fingerwave like style and you don't have to buy another gadget!

[~landgirl~]

This is a triple barrel

http://www.folica.com/Hot_Tools_Profe_r1043_1.html

I got mine at Sally's for less than $20. Works great.

Honey Doll

I will have a look online to see if I can get a pair in the UK! Thank you!

[Faye Valentine]

Thanks, Faye Valentine! I think that's the best fingerwave tutorial I've ever seen online. I'm hopeless at doing my own hair, but I have a friend who's a cosmetologist and maybe I can persuade her into doing my hair in fingerwaves sometime.

I actually wore them to my senior prom; they didn't look super authentic because the hairstylist wasn't great at it, but I love the style.

You're welcome! That site is quite useful but I'm too scared to try it on myself. I don't think I'd be able to do it. Plus, my hair seems kinda long for that.

[RetroModelSari]

Ups... I had postd a tutorial that was already here..

[thebadmamajama]

that was FABULOUS! And now I am most definitely investing in a 3-barrel curling iron.

[Honey Doll]

honey doll...do you have apicture of the waves you create with the triple iron?
i always see it at the supply store and i always wanna buy it but i never do!
maybe you can convince me buying it!
;)


Let me see if I can post this.... I used the curler over a brushed out set (which I wouldn't normally do), but it gives you a general idea

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m152/AimeeKo/image_00629.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m152/AimeeKo/image_00631.jpg

Honey Doll

[~landgirl~]

It looks just how I want mine to look! I have found a pair on e-bay, babyliss ones. I couldn't find the hairtools pair on any UK sites, unless anyone else has spotted them?

[Faye Valentine]

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m152/AimeeKo/image_00629.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m152/AimeeKo/image_00631.jpg

Honey Doll

When I used one of those (I actually stille it in my bathroom drawer) my hair looked a mess! It didn't look nice and neat and like actual fingerwaves like yours. Perhaps you used it in a special angle?

[Honey Doll]

When I used one of those (I actually stille it in my bathroom drawer) my hair looked a mess! It didn't look nice and neat and like actual fingerwaves like yours. Perhaps you used it in a special angle?


I start with a broad, flat section of hair beginning at the crown and close the iron holding the section of hair from the ends, then open the curler and slide down the length of hair, close again and so on. Were you using narrow sections of hair or starting away from the crown?

Honey Doll

[Grantgirl]

Faye I was just about to post the same link I believe. That link is the BEST instructions I have found for fingerwaving and STILL I am so sick of trying them out on myself I'm ready to throw in the towel!!!!

http://www.vividinfinity.com/fingerwave/index.html

These instructions will work GREAT on the shorter hair girls. They were OK on my med length hair. You know I purchased some vintage wave clips just KNOWING they were the key to fantastic finger waves and I still have no clue how they help the process. If I was working on someone else's hair, I'd have them done in no time. On yourself, that is another story. My arms will just about FALL OFF trying to get it right.

In a recent ebay auction however, I found something I never expected to love. I bought a lot of vintage hair items- including wave clips, klippies or whatever those two prong pins are called, and these things that look like metal perm rods- they are FANTASTIC. To me, these were genius curlers, the clamping holds the hair like in a curling iron and then the clip on holds the curler in place. They replicate a pin curl perfectly and will give a HEAD FULL of curls to someone with fine straight hair like myself. I found I didn't have the 'fish-hook' ends that I would often get with a pin curl. Of course if you let the hair completely dry you could look like orphan annie but pulling some of the curl with a hot curling iron creates a great, long lasting, bouncy curl.

I'm glad I didn't throw out or give away those old metallic perm rod thingies. If you see them, grab em.

[CherryBombRock]

It looks just how I want mine to look! I have found a pair on e-bay, babyliss ones. I couldn't find the hairtools pair on any UK sites, unless anyone else has spotted them?
I've got some Bayliss ones that I've tried to use and failed! I think my hair is too short (just below my chin) as it just goes a bit big and lampshade like! If they were smaller it might work but I think they're better for longer hair as you'd see the pattern more!
Landgirl - if you're interested I can sell you mine, I need a clearout of stuff I can't/don't use! PM me if you're interested!

[Miss Dottie]

This is a triple barrel

http://www.folica.com/Hot_Tools_Profe_r1043_1.html

I got mine at Sally's for less than $20. Works great.

Honey Doll

Thanks Honey Doll--that thing looks intense. I fear I may burn myself with it! Is it easy to use?

[sweatyspaghetti]

i have a triple barrel culring iron that my grandma bought me, with her beauty school teacher discount thing,it was $90. I love it to death,but it won't wave my hair if i have it on for about 12 seconds!! But i found that if you brush some hairspray through and then put on high gloss pomade,it will deffinatly wave really deeply.;)

[Mary]

I'm wondering if anyone has read this book and found it helpful?

http://www.amazon.com/Finger-Waving-Recreating-Vintage-Hairstyles/dp/1934268348/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221162338&sr=1-1

Lovely pictures but I'm guessing it's more inspirational than helpful. Please let me know if you like the book!

M

[LelaViavonie]

I WIsh I could do finger waves in my hair... but.. my hair is so long and thick.. its a no go :(
Oh well.. the closest I can get it like what Honey Doll said.. rollers and comb it out :)