How to Make Soft Waves with a Flat Iron

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Do you know that you can create gorgeous soft curls without using a curling iron? A flat iron is one of the tools you can use to create beautiful soft waves on your hair.

When buying a flat iron, look for one that straightens your hair and adds waves and curls to your hair. By following the right technique, achieving soft and lived-in waves is an easy task. All you need is your flat iron, heat protectant, and a wave spray.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make soft waves with a flat iron.

Page Contents

#1. Prep Your Hair

Start by washing your hair clean and use a towel to squeeze out excess hair water from your towel. Wet and damp hair will not curl. Ensure you dry your hair completely before you start styling it.

#2. Apply Heat Protectant

Heat protectant is very useful when heat styling your hair. Apply a high-quality heat protectant on the bottom half of your hair. It creates a protective barrier around your hair strands, and it prevents frizz, humidity, and heat damage.

Apart from creating a protective barrier, a heat protectant provides long-lasting moisture and nourishes your hair.

If you have fine and silky-soft hair that does not hold curls, spraying dry shampoo will help to add texture. If your hair is thick, divide it into sections and apply your heat protectant before starting styling.

Spraying the heat protectant on top of thick hair will not get it to the bottom layers, which might cause frizz and burns.

#3. Use the Right Flat Iron

The best flat iron to create soft curls should be thin and has rounded edges to create smooth curls. A flat iron with flat edges will not create soft waves. The best straightener for beach waves works faster and does less damage to your hair and creates smoother beautiful curls.

Plug-In your flat iron and heat it to the minimum temperature to protect your hair from burning. For thin and fine hair, stick to the low-end temperatures below 300 degrees. Normal hair can be ironed to 300-380 degrees and 350-400 degrees for thick and coarse hair.

Before applying heat to your hair, comb out any tangles on your hair.

#4. Divide Your Hair into Sections

Curling your hair into small sections gives better results than trying to curl the whole hair at once. Divide your hair into small sections for easier styling.

If your hair is thicker and coarse, dividing it into smaller sections will make the curling much easier. If your hair is fine and delicate, larger sections will work best.

Once you divide your hair into sections, tie the rest hair into a bun on top of your head to be out of your way.

#5. Create S Waves

Clamp down your flat iron towards the top of your hair section. Pull your flat iron down and once you get to the part that you want the curl to begin, pivot the straightener into 180 degrees or a half turn away from your face.

Pull the straighter down through the rest of your hair. Repeat this process for the rest of your sections to achieve soft waves to your entire hair.

To make more pronounced curls, you can turn your flat iron a full turn instead of half. It gives more complete curls. A little twist on how you turn your flat iron can give unique curls.

You can turn your straightener under and around, over, and around or turn it half of a turn-up and half of a turn down to create unique waves.

#6. Finish Up with Some Hair Spray

To hold the curls in place, use a wave spray to hold the new waves in place. Also, apply hair serum on your palms and gently run your fingers through the hair to separate the waves and seal them with an added touch of shine.

If you are wondering how to make soft waves with a flat iron, following these steps will give you those stunning waves you desire.