Our hair and makeup stylist at Hello Holiday, Rebecca Forsyth of Bungalow//8 Salon here in Omaha, taught me how to style my hair this way a few years ago when I requested that she show me how to style my hair in fingerwaves. The process behind this style couldn’t really be farther from fingerwaves if it tried, but we like to think of it as a modern update for a woman with less time (and patience!). Once I mastered this style, it became my daily go-to, and when done correctly and allowed to set, it will last several days, with curls only loosening slightly. Sometimes, it even looks better on the second day.

So without further ado, follow these directions to style your hair into perfect Mermaid Waves.

1. After applying the proper heat protection and breakage products [we like Chroma Thermique or Ciment Thermique by Kerastase when blow-drying and Fibre Architecte by Kerastase before curling] isolate a horizontal row of hair at the nape of your neck about an inch thick.

2. Using a curling rod [we like a 3/4th inch Marcel iron with the clamp taken off] wrap hair and hold horizontally, starting at the middle of the strand and winding the top up by turning the iron in your hand and the bottom around the iron with your dominant hand.

3. Heat strand until it’s unpleasant to touch on the iron. Photo #3 demonstrates just how a curl that is heating up should be wound. For a more modern look, do feel free to leave more of the ends out. On my hair we prefer to curl the whole strand to produce a more polished vintage inspired look.

4. Complete your first row. Curls should be going the same direction. For curlier hair, take smaller sections and for looser hair, take larger sections. Do not brush through curls as they come off the iron. Hair curls where it cools.

5. Work in horizontal sections up the entire back of your head, keeping the iron at a horizontal position the whole time.

6. Begin on the sides, again working horizontally and keeping everything going in the same direction.

7. At this point your hair may look curlier than you’d like, but this is where it all comes together. Using a large wide tooth comb or bone comb, [our favorite] comb through all your curls to sort of melt them together and create waves. This is when those fingerwave-like ridges begin to emerge.

8. Once your waves are all unfurled and positioned just so, use a spray to hold it all together. We used Does it All by Bumble and bumble for the pliability and texture it offers.

Go forth and be wavy!

xo, Rah + Rebecca