How to Do: Cheryl's X Factor Wave.

I was inundated with requests on how to do Cheryl's soft waves from The X factor filming last week. So here it is, have fun recreating this technique that's a little complicated to begin with, but like learning to ride a bike, once you know how, you no longer fall. Once you have the knack of it, you never forget.

1.)  I always like to blow dry hair haphazardly and upside down to start with to remove excess water and get as much natural root lift as possible.

2.)  Then throw hair back into position and define the part line you like. I gave Cheryl a centre part. With a round brush ease over the hair lengths to smooth the outer surfaces.

3.)  Once the hair is dry, take a straightening iron, I used a 1" blade on Cheryl using the iron with the twist of my wrist to create a circular  movement toward the back, which creates a soft wave movement. I searched hard to find a testimonial video that didn't use mousse and hairspray. It's not necessary if your hair is supple and in good condition. I chose this link from Rebecca Judd for you which explains the technique of creating waves with a straightening iron. Her hair length is similar also to that of Cheryl's. What I want you to observe is the movement of the wrist and wand to create curl... I used no styling products in Cheryl's hair and I prefer it that way as the hair stays supple and will hold the curl better.  Let your hair be well conditioned and free.

Take vertical sections from ear to top part line that look a bit like bike wheel spikes around the head to the centre back. Depending on the thickness of hair 4 to 5 sections on each side will suffice. Too many sections will make the hair too curly.

4.)  If your hair loses shape quickly, clip each section as you go, rewinding it around your fingers in the same backward direction, and let it sit until its cold.

5.)  Once cold, drop the pins and give the hair a little shake and with a rake comb or wide tooth comb allow the hair to fall softly into position. If it's too curly for some reason just use the blow dryer to blast some warm air into the hair ends to soften down the  movement.

This technique can be adapted to not only Cheryl's style but all lengths of hair. Have fun with it and tweet me @ileswendy your results and certainly comment back to me here, your thoughts on the technique I've given you.

My week with Cheryl was a lot of fun. I also really enjoyed the free concert that X Factor gave the crew. I had no idea the talent would be so good! So many great voices, and such a difficult task for judges to choose I'm sure.