Credit: Instagram @emrata

Have you noticed how the sexiest hair happening right now is kind of also the messiest? Whether it’s Gigi Hadid walking in Los Angeles with looking perfect with every hair out of place. Or Margot Robbie working the Suicide Squad promotional tour in back-to-back sexy, tangled and textured hair looks that are anything but contrived.  And when Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Emily Ratajkowski posted a pic to their Instagram recently, working double-take tousled bedhead on a girl’s night out, we knew the haute mess movement was truly upon us. “It’s hair that isn’t trying too hard and never looks ‘done’,  it’s the anti-Victoria’s Secret hair,” proclaims hairstylist and owner of Oscar Oscar Paddington, Paloma Rose Garcia. “To create this look less really is more, less product and less styling.”

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Still, the Sydney-based stylist says there are some secret tips and stealth styling moves behind creating that sexy, bedhead look that every woman wants. Read her rules below.

First things first, add texture
It’s up to you to pick your product poison, but boosting volume and texture is an essential first step to better bedhead waves. “You can apply it on wet hair with a sea salt spray, or go in dry with a dry texturising spray, it’s up to you,” says Garcia. “Just be mindful not to apply too much sea salt spray as it can make it challenging to tong later on.”

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Rethink your tonging technique
To get tousled texture, watch the way you wave. “Instead of wrapping sections of hair around a tong, take it horizontally and hold it over and under each section of hair to create bends rather than curls,” explains Garcia, who says the first bend should start around your cheekbone level. “When you get to the top later you want a really natural fall, so don’t overdo the waves around the face.”

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If you find that technique too tricky, Garcia says you can use a straighter to get the look. Celebrity hairstylist, Jen Atkin (who counts the Kardashians, Gigi and Bella Hadid and Chrissy Tiegan as clients) shows you an easy way to the same effortless waves below.

And don’t foget you can always air-dry
The best way to get bedhead hair is to actually, uh, go to bed. “You can wash your hair the night before, let it air-dry and sleep on it to get that natural bend,” she recommends, saying that many of her clients will go a step further and tong their hair before bed, for soft texture by the AM. “When you wake up, have a look at what your hair is naturally doing and just follow in the same direction with your tong.”

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Finally stick to your fingers
“You really want to keep that sexy separation in the hair, nothing too perfect or brushed out so always use your fingers to style,” she says. “If you need more, go back in with a bit of dry texture spray and that’s it.”