Hollywood Glam Modern Updo Tutorial - Sam Villa

Hollywood Glam Modern Updo Tutorial

For those of you following our step by step tutorials on the Sam Villa Blog, welcome back! If you haven't seen my other hair tutorials, make sure you check them out by clicking here. I promise that you'll love the biggest fishtail braid tutorial :)

This month, I'm excited to share a modern take on a go-to classic: Glam waves with a quick fix updo in the back! Our beautiful model Kenna had very thick hair that she is currently growing out. It falls just past her shoulders, which can sometimes make an updo a bit difficult having thickness without the length. But Kenna has the most gorgeous "Old Hollywood Glam" facial features, so it was meant to be!

This look works best with hair lengths just past the shoulders average to long layers.

How To Create The Modern Hollywood Glam Updo

Part the hair into a heavy side part and section off a two inch rectangular section on the top of the head from the hairline to just behind the ear area. All of this hair will be curled towards the face at the end.

Using a thermal protecting spray, mist each section and comb through the hair to distribute the product so you protect the hair from heat damage. Curl all of the hair on the head in the same direction, holding your curling iron or wand vertically wrapping all of the hair either to the right or the left, depending on which side is your heavy side. After each section that you curl, mist with a workable hold hair spray to set the curls.

I focused mainly on the front face framing section, making sure my curl set was nice neat for a perfect brush out. After you have finished curling all of the hair, allow the curls to cool off (about 5 minutes). If you don't let your curls cool there is a higher chance they will come undone.

Once you have allowed your curls to cool, use your Sam Villa Styling Brush to smooth through your curls. Don't be afraid to brush through the curls! They won't "fall out" and this is how you create your wave pattern.

Mist lightly with hair spray and fine tune the curl pattern using a Professional Tail Comb.

Once you see your face framing waves emerge, coax them into perfection, mist with hairspray and using a playing card, place it onto the wave and clip to hold it in place as it sets. The card also keeps your clips from creasing the hair. I like to use all of the Queens from the deck.

While the front waves set, finish brushing through your curls to bring out your wave patterns. Then section off the heavy section with the face framing waves so they are out of your way for the next step.

Mist the remaining hair with Redken Wax Blast 10 for added texture, hold grip. Don't use too much, just a few sprays will do the job.

I liked the idea of twisting the hair towards the side of her face that her waves would be laying on, then gently incorporating the front wave section into the side twist style. To do that, I gathered the hair from the opposite side of the head to center back and begin twisting the hair upwards into itself.

Secure using bobby pins back against into the twist. Don't open your bobby pins, simply push them in. Use as many as you need to secure your twist.

Continue twisting until you've twisted all of the hair, except the front side that you parted off, and secure with an elastic. The back twist is quick somewhat easy. You may have to work with it a few times. If you twist pin and it's not cooperating, it's always okay to start over until you get it right. It only takes two minutes to start it over re-twist! But sometimes, those imperfections are what make the best hair styles, so use your artistic eye wisely.

Coil "mush" the twist into a cool side bun and pin into place.

Remove the playing cards gently lay the front section onto your bun pin.

If your waves aren't cooperating in the length, you can gently backcomb them from the underneath to get them to stay in place. Finish the look with hair spray.