How to Get Glam Waves No Matter Your Hair Texture

A sleek crown and side part make Diane Kruger’s old-Hollywood waves, below, work on and off the red carpet, says hairstylist Jen Atkin. Here’s the how-to:

If your hair is wavy: While hair is still damp, work mousse from roots to two inches above the ends. Blow-dry using a flat brush, then create a deep side part and divide hair into four sections (center front, center back, left, right). Starting at the front, curl one-inch pieces from ear level to ends with a half-inch curling iron, and pin each curl afterward to set the wave; repeat on both sides. Move to the back—no need to pin those pieces, though: “You want it to be slightly looser behind,” says Atkin. When curls are cool, remove clips and brush hair through. Use a flatiron to smooth the crown. Last, apply a shine serum and hairspray all over.

If your hair is curly: Prep hair with a heat-protecting smoothing cream, and blow-dry with a round brush until it’s smooth. Blast a shot of cool air on top to prevent frizz. Now part hair and follow the same curl-and-pin method as outlined for wavy hair. Finish with a few pumps of shine spray from midshaft to ends.

If your hair is straight: Build texture with a sea-salt spray before blow-drying. Part hair and continue with the wavy-hair instructions, but use a quarter-inch (not half-inch) iron; your hair needs those smaller coils to stay put. Tease the hidden layers underneath for volume, and finish with a strong-hold hairspray.

__…And if your hair is short: __

To get pretty finger waves on shoulder-length hair, blow hair out first, then wind sections around a one-inch curling iron, starting at ear level and bending ends under slightly. If the bottom gets too curly, “you’ll end up with Shirley Temple curls,” warns Atkin. To fix that, run a flatiron over the tips to straighten hair out a bit.