From Faux Bobs to 1940s Curl Sets: 3 Must-Know Styling Techniques

If you’re familiar with Sarah Potempa, inventor of The Beachwaver®, you know she is an incredible braider, updo artist and, of course, beach waver (she’s the stylist behind the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show hair, after all). So we were pumped to have her back on the BTC stage for a second year—and so was our audience! The following four #truths received tons of applause from the crowd…so you know they’re good. Here are four takeaways from her presentation.  

See all the photos from Sarah’s presentation!

On the Best Way to Create a Faux Bob…
When celebs attend red carpet events, they don’t want 1,000 bobby pins in their hair. That’s why Sarah created The Wrap Up. After doing a full curl set, Sarah applies hairspray to her brush, then brushes through the curls. Here’s how she uses The Wrap Up to complete the style.

On How She Got So Many Celeb Clients…
Sarah says many of the celeb clients she first meets don’t know how to do anything with their hair. And Sarah has found that the best way to keep them coming back is to teach them! “The number one thing I hear [from celebrities] now is, ‘You taught me to curl my hair!’ or ‘You taught me how to braid!’” says Sarah. “They don’t forget that. And they’ll come back to you because you’re the one who taught them. You can give them a really great cut and style…but so can a lot of other hairdressers. So it’s about the connection and the relationship and the memory for them.”

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On How to Spice Up Your Braids…
Forget regular three-strand, fishtail and French braids. Add some interest with Sarah’s signature, 3-dimensional boxed fishtail. Here’s how she does it.

On That Gorgeous Veronica Lake-inspired Set…
The 1940s are so hot right now. Here’s how to make your clients look like they just stepped out of a Film Noir.

1. Select “R” on your Beachwaver Pro® 1-Inch Professional Rotating Curling Iron.

2. Take a section of hair, lift it up, wrap horizontally around your iron and clamp just like you would with a marcel, feeding the ends under.

3. Rotate all the way to the root, then release and slide the iron out, holing the curl in your opposite hand. Set with a small duckbill clip right at the base.

Note: Sarah starts at the bottom and works her way up, row by row.

4. Once the hair is cool, remove the clips.

5. Spray a Beachwaver Co.™ On Set Styling Brush with flexible hold hairspray, and brush through the curls, using a ponytail brush out method. As you reach the ends, roll the hair under.

6. Lay tissues flat against the curls, following the natural curl pattern, and clip with a small duckbill clip, to create movement and enhance the shape.

7. Spray any flyaways with flexible hold hairspray and roll the can over the top to smooth.

8. Gently remove the tissues. Lift the hair slightly at the root to create a bit of extra volume, and voila! Veronica Lake waves for days.