What’s your best fall look? Are you going to go with soft and carefree waves or straight and sassy? There’s a statement to be made this season–what’s it going to be? 

Both styles are proving to be popular with A-list celebrities. In fact, your favorite celeb (think: Selena Gomez) might be wearing their tresses both ways. One one day, the other the next. 

If you learn how to rock both styles, why not bounce back and forth between springy waves and slick straight style. Either way, the straight iron is going to be your best friend. 

Who’s making waves

For style inspiration when it comes to curls, we love the recent look of gorgeous singer Rita Ora. With short but lush locks, Ora needs versatility to rock the stage. She can do it straight and sassy, but it’s when it’s loosely curled that the look really sings.

How to get flat iron beach waves

♦ If you want to get that undone wave look, start with dirty hair. Freshly washed hair is simply too soft and clean to hold a curl well. 

♦ Refresh your hair with Hair La Vie Dry Shampoo to give it a clean look and smell while adding lift and texture.

♦ Don’t forget to add a few spritzes of a heat protectant if you’re going to use your flat iron. 

♦ Use your flat iron like a traditional curling iron by wrapping your hair around and then rolling the iron. This gives part of your hair the curl and another part that stays straight. Don’t expect beachy waves; these are much more casual and looser.

♦ Use a finishing spritz to keep curls in place without shellacking them rigid.

How to get silky flat iron straight hair

♦ Always wash and condition with smoothing products before straightening. Use a paddle brush in the shower to work the conditioner through and then rinse gently.

♦ Don’t dry your hair by rubbing it with a regular towel. Instead, use a smoothing hair wrap to keep your hair from frizzing.

♦ Apply Hair La Vie Serum to smooth and polish your hair prior to blow-drying.

♦ Blow downward to encourage your hair to lie flat. Use a paddle brush to tame any natural waves.

♦ When flat ironing your hair, try to avoid the highest heat setting. This was never meant to be used at home and regularly because it causes too much damage. Coarse hair needs more heat than fine hair, but your regular setting shouldn’t exceed 350 degrees, even better, keep it around 300.

♦ Section slowly. Don’t randomly pick sections to straighten, do one small section at a time, and work patiently around your head.

The length of it

Hair length is big news this season with a lot of celebs sporting cropped hair that rests somewhere between their chin and shoulders. Others are going for super long tresses. While really long hair is always glamorous, it’s also a lot of work. 

The good news is you can get a cropped look that fits in with today’s chic clipped style, and then you can add some extensions to get the length you want for special occasions. 

This means you can have short and long hair and straight and curly hair. It’s the hair equivalent of having your cake and eating it too. What a great time to be a hair expert and style savvy!

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for your own personal signature style this season, how about making it your year of many different looks. Be as versatile as you can, and express a new mood and a new you each time you head out the door.

The casual comfort of a sleek straight style and softly tousled curls makes it possible to slide from one to the other. That is, as long as you maintain the health of your hair and stick to products like the Hair La Vie Serum, which can lock in that gorgeous shine.

The focus should always be on keeping your hair healthy and letting the style unfold. If you’re doing damage to get a look, it’s time to rethink your approach.