Finger waves are a developing skill for me. Those of you have have gone to beauty school know that they are really a foundation for dedicated hair dressing. If you can master finger waves, it has long been determined that you can master almost anything in the hairstyling field. Some of the more elaborate and deeply ridged styles of the 20's and 30's are veritable works of art and I'll be the first to admit, they baffle me.
Since this era is not what I consider the most flattering,it's hard for me to truly dedicate much time to it. However, I am always up for a challenge and so I will continue to push for the intricately waved sets. For now, I have been focusing on a soft finger wave, similar to the picture of Ruby Keeler at the top of this entry.
Duckbill clips make this relatively simple and a good option for a 'beginner' finger wave set. Waving Clamps are another good option, to further accentuate the ridge. I will attempt a video tutorial using them at a later date. A hooded dryer is also a great investment, if you plan on doing this very often. It will take a very long time for the set to dry, since water waving requires hair that is almost sopping wet. Not quite dripping, but pretty dang moist.
Instructions for finger waving are difficult to understand in written form...for me
anyway. But this book has some really good illustrations that make the jargon more easily understood. Keep in mind that this style was actually conceived for wavy haired ladies...as a means to harness those lovely undulations. It is difficult to create a lasting finger wave set on straight hair. Most women of the era got a permanent wave to assist in accomplishing this popular style but it certainly can be done on straight hair, with persistence. As a matter of fact most beauty schools make finger waving straight hair part of the final exam, since it's quite the challenge. So if you choose to try it out, practice on hair of varying textures and thicknesses to get really comfortable w/ the method.
To assist in setting, a variety of products can be used but you will likely need a generous amount of whichever product you choose. Hair schools usually suggest gel and gel definitely helps the hair retain its shape. However, I usually find that
gel, once it's combed thru, tends to flake. A gel that I love, and will soon be selling here on my site, is Layrite Gel by Hawleywood's. It smells lovely, hold great, and doesn't flake after brushing. Setting lotions are also ideal. Lottabody is a liquid that you must dilute with water before applying. The product I used in the attached video is Motions Foaming Wrap Lotion and it worked beautifully on Tori's hair. Can't wait to try it out on my own pin curl sets. I'll keep you posted with the results.Until then, here is a brief tutorial for a soft finger wave and I hope to revisit the style soon, as I become more adept at the deeply ridged version of the look.
