Copy Kylie Jenner's Iconic Waves With This TikTok-Viral Hair Hack
Kylie Jenner has undergone a style transformation since dating "Dune" star Timothee Chalamet — a true metamorphosis. Along with toning down her wardrobe, Jenner has adopted a newfound love of soft and understated style, which includes swapping her signature updos for mermaid waves. Jenner's natural beach waves are the perfect hairstyle for those with poker-straight hair or anyone wanting to experiment with the lazy-girl waves trend, which falls somewhere between loose, sea-salt spray waves and juicier ringlets. These voluminous waves are a happy medium and offer just enough bounce to keep all eyes on you. Although Jenner has yet to share her styling secret, a viral TikTok video by user @rachelocool reveals the best method to perfect Kylie's effortless mermaid hair.
In the video, which has racked up over 250,000 likes, Rachel OCool uses a hair dryer, a flat iron, and a substantial amount of hairspray to recreate the soft glam waves. This hairstyle edges toward full-bodied curls, but it's flexible, so you can adjust the steps to create looser curls for a beachy S-wave look or tighter waves to resemble classic barrel curls. But to pull off Jenner's style, you should aim for looser curls.
First and foremost, prep and dry your hair before styling
Begin by applying your post-shower products to washed hair, including any hair oil or detangler products you typically use before styling. As this hairstyle requires two heat-styling tools — a hair dryer and a flat iron — you'll want to apply a heat protectant to reduce damage. Remember to evenly distribute the heat protectant by gently raking it through your hair with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to prevent breakage. TikToker Rachel OCool also applies a volumizing and thickening mousse for lift and hold. Any volumizing mousse works here, but OCool uses the IGK Big Time Volume and Thickening Mousse.
@rachelocool Replying to @Jedo WE FINALLY GOT THE KYLIE JENNER WAVE LETSGO #kyliejenner #hairtutorial #wavyhair
After distributing the products, bend forward and flip your hair over to blow-dry your hair. This upside-down drying method creates more volume. Feel free to blow-dry as normal, but if your dryer comes with a nozzle or diffuser attachment (that you haven't tossed out), do your hair a favor and use it. "A nozzle is a must for a smooth finish! The nozzle keeps the air flow concentrated, and without it, the hot air disperses, causing frizz." Glamsquad creative director Giovanni Vaccaro told Self.
Next, flip it back over and focus on the sides of your hair. "These side wings being voluminous is very important," OCool explains in the video. "Hold out those side wings and blow dry them in place. And also comb the hair back at the hairline and push it forward. Blow dry there to get some really nice lift at the root."
Use a flat iron to curl your hair
Once your hair is dry, section off the top half and pin it in place with a claw clip or hair band. Rachel OCool uses a rounded edge to create the waves. Clamp it at the root, and flip the flat iron 180 degrees one way. Pull down 1 inch, and then do another flip the other way. Pull down another inch and repeat until you get to the bottom, ending in a normal curl.
"Do this around your whole head and vary the size of the sections for a more natural look," OCool says in the video. When you reach the face-framing pieces, curl toward your face to mimic a voluminous curl pattern. For your bangs, style it with a traditional barrel curl toward your face, and then you'll want to go in with a fine-toothed comb, lift the hair at the root, and spray it with hairspray. Finally, dry that section on the lowest setting to prevent it from moving.
Repeat the same steps on the other side while re-curling and spraying the sections until satisfied. If the curls are too tight, wait an hour to see how they fall before deciding to brush them through. Tedious as it may be, the results are worth the effort. However, if this style is too tedious to replicate throughout the week — or if you find it simply doesn't suit you — no one will judge you if you resort to a heat-free beach wave routine instead.