faux bob side short waves

Tutorial: Bob Hairstyles on Long Hair

The freshness of a bob without the commitment to the length... what's not to love?

A few hair wishes: A world where we all have lush hair extensions, a celebrity hairstylist to help us put them in, and the ability to completely change our entire overall look on a whim. Fact: Most of us lead hectic 9-to-5 lives with no room for error. We pay for hairdos like bob hairstyles that are relatively easy to maintain, and we stick to what works. As for long, #MermaidHair blue ombré one day, and a futuristic silver crop the next? Ah, we’ll leave that to Hollywood.

Fortunately however, there are still some ways we can change up our day-to-day looks without resorting to drastic cuts or permanent changes in color. One of these hair hacks is the faux bob, which was a hot S/S 2016 runway trend that we’ve been seeing more and more in real life. It’s the best of both worlds, really: The freshness and fashion-forward aesthetic of short bob hairstyles, but without committing to a real haircut. It’s a style chameleon’s best friend!

Click on for our special All Things Hair tutorial on creating your own faux bob hairstyles below:

How to Create Bob Hairstyles on Long Hair

1

Start on clean hair.

Shampoo, condition and blowdry hair until it is damp to dry. Coat strands with a heat protectant like TRESemmé Platinum Strength Heat Protect Spray, making sure to evenly coat hair all over. Some can also add a wave-creating cream, like TRESemmé Make Waves Shaping Gel Cream, for extra structure.

 

faux bob step 1 clean hair
2

Blowdry straight.

Using a vented drying brush, blowdry hair straight, ensuring the concentrator nozzle is pointed downwards for a more focused airflow.

faux bob step 2 blowdry
3

Section hair off and begin curling.

Using darby or duckbill clips, divide hair into medium to wide sections (random widths are okay!). Begin curling each section with a 1 1/4″ curling iron barrel, starting with the bottom layers and leaving your hairline and bang area for last.

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4

Curl the entire back of the head.

Leaving the leftmost and rightmost temple sections untouched, curl the sections on the entire back of your head. Ed’s note: Twirling in different directions will give a more natural look to your wavy bob.

faux bob step 4 curl back sections
5

Do the hairline.

Once you’ve finished curling the hair on the rest of your head, begin curling your front hairline sections.

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6

Finish curling all your hair.

Let your ringlets set after you’ve finished all sections. Once they’ve cooled (or after 30 seconds, whichever comes first), gently brush out the ringlets with your fingers to separate and soften them.

faux bob step 6 full curls
7

Create your Flapper waves.

We’re going for casual glam here! Also, the more texture you have going on, the easier it is to conceal the seams of your faux bob. Once your curls have loosened up, set them into a beautiful, vintage wave pattern by clipping them with some duckbill clips. Remember to line up the curl pattern before clipping so you end up with neat, uniform bends.

faux bob step 7 duckbill clips
8

Divide hair into two main sections.

Separate your hair into two main sections. Some hairstylists recommend creating a baby braided bun at the center of your nape to act as a makeshift bump for your faux bob, or as anchor for your bobby pins once you start tucking hair under.

faux bob step 8 braided bun
9

Twirl and tuck.

Working in slightly uneven, larger sections, loop hair over once using your finger and tuck underneath against your nape. Secure each loop with a bobby pin or two.

faux bob step 9 twirl hair under
10

Continue on all sections.

Finish twirling and tucking the rest of your loose waves underneath. Secure each section onto your scalp (or the baby bun) with bobby pins.

faux bob step 10 secure with pins
11

Done!

Refine all loose ends and secure the look with a light dusting of hairspray such as Dove Style+Care Flexible Hold Hairspray if needed. You’re all set!

 

fancy hairstyles for any occasion faux bob

Have you ever tried faking your way into having bob hairstyles?

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