Veronica Lake Hair

[Lola Valentine]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum, so first of all would like to say a big hello! I've been reading the posts for a while, and it's great to find somewhere to share/gain advice!

I know this will have probably been asked so many times before, but I can't find it in the posts, so how would I go about getting a Veronica Lake hair style? I'm a bit rubbish with hair, so the easier the technique, the better for me!

Thanks so much xxx

 

[VivianRegan]

Yeah, someone pipe up, because I'd sure like to know, too! Before I get angry and lop it all off, back to a Louise Brooks bob...

 

[Honey Doll]

Welcome!

Hi Lola! I'm relatively new here as well. Welcome!

I generally effect a Lauren Bacall do, so maybe I can help a bit. My hair isn't quite long enough for Veronica....

I get the best results with a 1 inch barrel curling iron. I make a wide part first, then spritz with thermal seting spray by biolage--with the hair closest to my head I curl turning the hair under and hold the curler for maybe 5 or 6 seconds. Instead of pulling the curler free, I open the curler and gently let the curl off and hold the curl with my finger before it droops, pin it to my head until everything has cooled (otherwise the wave gets lost by the weight of hair pulling it out before it has cooled). With the rest of my hair I curl under, but don't pin for cooling since the wave settles to the bottom. After it has all cooled, I brush. at the temple I push the hair up a bit and hide a bobby pin in it to secure the wave away from my head then spritz with hair spray.

Hope this helps.

Honey Doll

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I achieve 'Veronica Lake' hair with Hot Sticks or a cold set using rag curlers. When the hair is cool/dry, I remove the curlers and simply flip my head upside down and brush pretty thoroughly/briskly through with a round brush. This loosens the curls quite well.

I can also achieve the Veronica 'do following a reverse roll set. When the hair is unrolled and brushed through, if forms soft, smooth waves with minimal height (Veronica’s hair was quite flat because it was naturally very fine and resistant to curling.)

 

[Brooksie]

Hi Y'all,

You can also achieve this look with those big huge velcro rollers. Shampoo hair use a styling product appropriate for your hair type then blow dry hair till it is almost dry then take a good size section of hair (more hair on each roller will provide a bigger looser wave) unless your hair is extremly thick then you will need less hair on each roller, spray it with a little bit of hair spray then roll on the large velco roller, do this over entire head, then you can let your hair air dry the rest of the way or you can use a combination of blow drying and air drying the rest of the way, or you can just set your hair on the velcro rollers while hair is towell dried and with a setting lotion (like the old fashioned way) and let air dry but this will probably take a whole day. When hair is dry take rollers out then I would just gently break apart the curls with my fingers and then I would use a brush (I would use fingers first because incase the ends were a little tangled or crispy you will not rip or pull your hair out.) Brush the hair just enough to achieve the "Veronica Lake" look you are going for then use a soft airosol spray over the entire head - do not use to much because you do not want hair to be stiff it needs to be soft and touchable looking. Also it helps to have a similar texture to what Veronica Lake has as was mentioned before-the fine straight hair texture but with a lot of it. This is just my two cents worth...but I am also a licensed cosmetologist since 1988 and I did hair for 9 years... I did lots of shampoo sets durring this time. In beauty school we were also required to learn sets, finger waves - which are extremely hard to master and marcell ironing!!! Among many other things. But as you can tell by now there are many ways to get the look you are going for... you just need to find the one that works the best for you. So good luck my dears.

Brooksie

 

[texasgirl]

Thanks for all the tips! I've been wanting to try this out

 

[Novella]

(Veronica’s hair was quite flat because it was naturally very fine and resistant to curling.)

My hair is very fine and resistant to curling. The last time I successfully pincurled my hair it looked Veronica Lake-ish! The hair type must be part of the reason.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

My hair is very fine and resistant to curling. The last time I successfully pincurled my hair it looked Veronica Lake-ish! The hair type must be part of the reason.

To some extent, most definitely. My hair is actually quite thick and will curl very well (increasing in volume all the while)--but I can still achieve the look with a good brushing out of the curls

I have to add that velcro rollers never did a thing for my hair--they didn't curl it at all.

 

[ITG]

Brooksie, do you roll them downward or sideways toward the back of the head?

 

[Brooksie]

Brooksie, do you roll them downward or sideways toward the back of the head?

Part the hair on the side and place the rollers in downward all over the head.

Brooksie

 

[Lola Valentine]

Thanks so much to everyone for all the advice.... I'm just hoping that I can now achieve this without ending up looking like an electrocuted poodle

 

[Novella]

electrocuted poodle

That's a funny mental image. Once I did some quick, messy pincurls before I went to bed, woke up in the morning, jumped in the shower without thinking, steamed up the room, then got out of the shower and promptly took the pincurls out. Well, my hair was about as close to electrocuted poodle as I'd ever seen it before. Gave me a good laugh, which was nice at least.

 

[GOK]

fftopic: Quick hijack - Novella, where in Colchester are you from? I lived there until a couple of years ago and my eldest son is still there, studying music. Small world eh?

 

[thebadmamajama]

Doing my first real set for a swing dance extravaganza weekend, I'm praying that when I take these curls out they'll be Veronica...ahhhhhh!!! Thanks for the help!!!!

 

[sarah smith]

thank you all for the advice!

 

[rubyredlocks]

I don't have anything to add to the set instructions that everyone has left,but would like to point out the difference in her haircut versus todays one length cut.
Stylists often cut a one length in a square shape,which means it is straight across in the back and on the sides.
Hair cuts of the 40s are often a U-shape.Curved in the back and then rounding the sides upward toward the face.
On the right side of the pic previously posted you can see that rounding of Veronica's hair nicely.I think it's so much softer looking than todays version.