Southern Weddings

Growing up in the South, one thing I learned early was the importance of big Southern hair. My mama loves to use the Steel Magnolias quote “just tease it and make it look like a brown football helmet” anytime she has her hair professionally done, and I’m with her — there’s just something fabulous about voluminous hair that gives me a little pep in my step! Today, I’m delighted to share the teasing tips and tricks I’ve learned over many years of practice, so if you’re curious about how to tease your hair, this one’s for you! :)

Big thanks to my friend Brooke of Colorbox Photographers for these fun photos!

The right products can make or break your hairdo, and these three are my go-to for big hair! After washing my hair, I apply a bit of this mousse to my roots only before blowing dry my hair. Then I spray a liberal amount of this amazing anti-humidly spray ALL over my hair. It’s pricy, but worth it with our Southern humidity!

After applying the spray, I like to start with velcro rollers. I love these and have two sets, so I can add extra volume since my hair is currently pretty long. I use the larger ones in the front and on the side I part my hair on since the hair is heavier there. I always roll backwards on the top and down on the sides to give it some shape.

I secure the rollers with large bobby pins and then blast my whole head with warm air from the blowdryer to help ‘set’ the volume. Then, of course, I spray it with hairspray. I’m currently loving this one because it holds but is still pretty flexible!

I like to leave the rollers in while I do my makeup or go about my business of getting ready to be sure I give them an ample amount of time to work. After removing the rollers, it’s time to start teasing! I like to go back and forth between a teasing brush and a comb, so this combo pack is perfect for me, but you can use any standard fine-toothed comb.

Starting on the crown of my head, I scoop up my hair (about a temple’s width) and start teasing from the back. Placing the comb about three or four inches from my head, I gently pull down toward my head. I like to do this a few times to really build in the tease.

Then, I re-section the same piece, remove what I’ve already teased, and tease again. I do this until I reach the last piece, right in front of my face. I only tease that a little, as that will be the last layer that covers the rather fuzzy looking part. Flop the hair back over the pile of teased hair, and slowly and carefully smooth out the top layer. The key is finding the right balance between combing out all the teasing you’ve done, and creating a smooth top layer. Once I have done this down the center of my hair, I go back and do the same steps on the sides, just a bit less aggressively.

After I’m happy with the volume I’ve created, I fluff it with my fingers and cover any parts where the teasing is showing. This is where the brush comes in handy, too — it’s great for carefully smoothing over any rugged areas. Then the last step: a heap of hair spray!

And that’s it, friends! I’d love to hear if there are any tutorials you’d like to see in the future!

Photos by Brooke Glassford of Colorbox Photographers. Shot at Kim Box Studios.

Written with love by Marissa