How to Get Sexy Sports Illustrated Beach Waves
Learn how to get sexy Sports Illustrated beach waves. (Photo: Robin Black)
The recent Swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated featured a whopping 52 pages of flowing, beachy, perfectly wavy, slightly undone hair courtesy of mane maestro, John Ruggiero. When Ruggiero isn’t traveling to exotic locales with Sports Illustrated, you can find him on set creating beautiful hair for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair. He also works with top celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Amber Heard, Lena Dunham and Mireille Enos. So when we wanted to know exactly how to achieve those beachy waves (short of a tropical vacation) we knew who to ask. Lucky for us, Ruggiero came to the studio to do a live demo and brought actual Sports Illustrated model Samantha Hoopes with him. And yes, she is really that gorgeous, not to mention hilarious.
Read on to find out exactly how Ruggiero creates the look.
Model Samantha Hoopes in step one. (Photo: Robin Black)
Step One:
I like to start with slightly damp hair, prepping by spritzing Bumble & Bumble Thickening Spray ($29) section by section, focusing on the root. Once I have all of the hair saturated, I brush it gently to evenly distribute the product. Then I lightly mist Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray($27) following the same steps as the Thickening Spray but applying much less actual product to the hair. I then dry the hair on medium heat and use a brush to get as much root lift as possible. If you are doing this at home, flipping your head upside down and blasting the root will help you achieve the same effect.
Model Samantha Hoopes in step two. (Photo: Robin Black)
Step Two:
Once the hair is completely dry, I start to add a wave. Using a flat iron, not a curling iron!, I go through the hair creating 1/2 inch sections. For each section I make an “S” wave following the natural shape of the hair. I press the “S” wave with the flat iron, working my way from the root to the ends of the hair. It takes a bit of patience the first time your try it but the wave looks so much more natural than with a curling iron.
Model Samantha Hoopes in step three. (Photo: Robin Black)
Step Three:
When I’ve waved the entire head, I have the model flip her hair over and apply a generous amount of Bumble & Bumble Does It All Spray($28). It’s important to hold the spray can a good distance from the hair so that it doesn’t dampen the waves. After I complete this step, I try to let the hair set for a while. This is the perfect time to do makeup.
Model Samantha Hoopes in step four. (Photo: Robin Black)
Step Four:
Now that the hair has had time to cool off and the waves have settled in, I have the model flip her head upside down again. I run my fingers through the hair and give it a good shake out. I massage the roots of hair very gently and use my other hand to separate the ends. When the proper texture is achieved, I have the model stand upright and I create a part based on what is the most flattering. The hair should look a bit wild, a bit unkept, very sexy, loose and not to “done.” Then I do a last spritz of the Bumble & Bumble Does It All Spray ($28).
Related:
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models Answer Our Sexy Beauty Questions
