Short hair is pretty easy to manage. But getting that soft, undone wave can be a little tricky.
You know the look. The hair has some volume, the ends aren’t perfectly curled, and everything just looks easy. That’s what we’re going for here.
This style also works well if you’re in that in-between stage with medium length hair. It only takes a few minutes once you get used to it.

What You’ll Need

Nothing fancy:

• Curling iron with a clamp
• Hair clip
• Teasing comb
• Light hairspray or texturizing spray
• Blow dryer and round brush
• Flat iron, if you need one
• hair toppers & wigs

I like a curling iron around 1 to 1¼ inches for this. If yours is smaller, just be careful not to hold the hair on it for too long.

Start With Dry Hair

I always start with smooth hair. If your hair is thick, curly, or gets frizzy, blow-dry it with a round brush first. It doesn’t have to be super straight. Just get the frizz under control.
One little thing that helps a lot: turn the ends inward when you blow-dry them. Short ends love to flip out. We don’t need that today. If one or two pieces still stick out, quickly run a flat iron over them.

Start at the Bottom

Clip the top half out of the way. Now work on the bottom.
If the pieces at the back of your neck are really short, leave them alone. They’re too short to do much with anyway. For the rest, take a small section, around an inch wide.
Put the curling iron near the root. Give it a quick curl and move it through the hair. Don’t hold it there forever. You’re looking for a bend, not a ringlet. For the bottom layers, getting a little closer to the root will also give you some extra lift.

Keep the Ends Relaxed

This is probably the biggest trick. Don’t curl the ends too much. Let the curling iron pass through them quickly and then let go.
If you curl everything from root to tip, the result can look a little too ”done.” Leaving the ends loose makes the waves look much more casual. It also works really well on shoulder length layered hair.
The layers already give you some movement. You just need to bring it out a little.

Now Do the Top

Let the rest of your hair down.
Do pretty much the same thing. Take a section. Wrap it around the iron. That I wouldn’t worry about making every curl exactly the same. Some pieces can be a little bigger. Some can be a little looser.
Actually, that’s better.
Perfect curls can make this look feel too polished. For the top layers, don’t hold the iron right at the root. Just smooth the hair first, then add a bend around the middle. And stop before you get to the very ends.

Give It a Shake

Now put the curling iron down. Run your fingers through your hair. Fluff it up. Move your part around.

Don’t be afraid to mess it up a little. If you want more volume, grab a teasing comb and lightly backcomb the roots around the crown. A few quick passes are enough. You don’t need to tease every section.

A Note on Hair Length

Not sure whether your hair counts as short or medium?
A hair length chart can give you a general idea, but you don’t really need to worry about the label.
Hair texture, layers, and thickness all change how a certain length looks.
For example, two people can both have medium length hair, but one person’s hair may sit at the shoulders while the other’s falls closer to the collarbone.
The same curling technique can work for both. You may just need to take slightly smaller sections if your hair is shorter.