I have distinct memories from my childhood of my mother plaiting dozens of skinny braids before bedtime in an attempt to mimic the crimped look that was so big at the time — this was the late ‘80s, mind you — without using an actual crimper. And while I’m in no rush to recreate that look, I am fully living for the more contemporary post-braids waves that Kate Hudson (who, being born a week after me, surely also did the overnight crimping trick back in the day) has been wearing for the last couple of days.
On January 24, Hudson shared both still shots and a video of herself to Instagram to promote her Inbloom brand, in which she’s wearing the cutest pink and orange PH5 dress and even cuter zig-zaggy waves in her hair. Anyone who’s ever slept in braids would be able to identify the tell-tale signs of the styling method: It’s a bit straighter on top (indicating she didn’t braid all the way up to the scalp), packed with tight, uniform waves through the length, and then straighter again at the ends (suggesting she might have tied them off an inch or so from the bottom).
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She shared another post on January 25 showing how she took the waves out for a stroll in New York with her daughter, Rani Rose. She was then spotted in neon green (above) still sporting the waves with what appeared to be a second-day zhuzhing — perhaps a little curling-wand action to redefine and smooth the braid waves.
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Orlando Pita is credited with styling Hudson’s hair, but you definitely don’t need a famous hairstylist to help you create the look. That said, there are a few things you can do to ensure the best results when you wake up — or just after a couple hours of hanging around the house.
“There’s nothing more I love these days than low-effort hairstyles with major results and zero heat,” Fort Lauderdale-based hairstylist Olivia Smalley tells Allure. She recommends starting off by spraying hair with Joico K-PAK Luster Lock Multi-Perfector Daily Shine & Protect Spray and brushing it through to distribute moisture evenly. “Now add water — I love wetting my hair to solidify the waves for a few days.”
Next comes the braid — or a few, if you’d like. Two tighter ones will do the trick if you’re aiming for Hudson’s ‘do. “If you do a French braid, you’ll have more volume and wave at the roots,” Smalley says. “A normal three-strand braid starting at the ponytail will give a straightened root and wavy bottom. Both look beautiful!”