Marcel Iron Tips & Styling How-To from Sam Villa

‘Tis the season for beachy waves and tousled tresses, thanks to spring break on the horizon. This is a great how-to you can teach your clients to recreate while they are on vacation and it is also one that is easy to achieve when you’re pressed for time in the salon and need to give a client a finished look in a flash.

“The perfect beachy waves seen all over Instagram may look like people just rolled out of bed with gorgeous texture, but as stylists, we know that it takes a lot of effort to look effortless,” says Sam Villa, co-founder of Sam Villa and Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken.

Creating this look can be achieved by using either a curling rod, a marcel iron or a flat iron. Since Sam is one of our upcoming presenters at our West Palm Beach Sola Session, we are going to show you how to get the look and provide you with some care and styling tips.

Wrap and Twist Technique

• Pick up section and spray with Redken iron shape 11 and comb through.
• Using a Sam Villa Artist Series 2-in-1 Marcel Iron & Wand, season hair with a pass of heat to break up the bonds.
• Working with the barrel on the top and blade underneath, direct hair back and away, wrap a half coil, twist underneath until the ends and release so hair slips out and cools.The wrap should start about 1.5 to 2 inches from the head and the ends should be left out.Beach waves tend to sit midshaft.

Beachy Wave Comb Out

• Take head forward and shake it out, then spray Redken wax blast 10 to add texture and a shattered effect on the ends…this makes hair look like it was cut with a razor.
• Spray hands with Redken fashion work 12 and work through hair to finish waves with the perfect amount of hold with ultimate flexibility.

“The comb out is critical for beachy waves because you want to create a small sense of movement and volume with an organic finish…so don’t overwork it,” adds Villa.

Styling Tips:

• Always apply a thermal heat protectant before curling hair to minimize damage from heat.
• Work with the iron non-conventionally to create loose texture versus crisp curls.
• Do not be precise with sections, work randomly - the smaller the section, the more intense the curl, go for larger sections to create softer movement.

Iron Care Tips:

To remove the buildup, I mix hydrogen peroxide with baking soda until it’s a thick paste (you only need a small dash of the hydrogen peroxide). Coat the barrel of the marcel iron with the mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften the buildup.  Then, wipe off the mixture and use a sponge to get any excess off the barrel.  You can also use a toothbrush to get the remainder off, as long as it doesn’t scratch.”

Styling How-To:

Watch Sam Villa demonstrate a wrap and twist technique with a Marcel iron to create the perfect beach waves that are definitely Insta worthy.