The $10 secret weapon behind the Olsen twins' beach waves

The Olsen twins are pretty good at keeping a low profile. Despite being insanely successful both with their fashion label The Row and their Elizabeth and James fragrances, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen prefer to shy away from the spotlight – which means we rarely get a glimpse into their beauty routines. And one burning question we’ve been dying to know the answer to is what’s the secret to their signature beach waves, because they have got that look Down. Pat.

That’s why we couldn’t believe our luck when the twins (and their mane man Mark Townsend) shared the very steps they follow to style their wavy lengths in an interview with Byrdie. It turns out just one product will go a long way to helping you replicate their effortless go-to hairstyle.  

Firstly, they like to begin with air-dried hair – the girls prefer this natural, damage-free approach to blow-drying. Townsend then uses R Session Tools Nalu Waver (unfortunately it’s not available here in Australia, but the VS Sassoon Total Curl is similar).

“All I do is grab random chunks of hair here and there and wrap them in a figure-8 shape around the barrel,” he explains, adding that to keep the waves loose, you shouldn’t clamp down for too long and should always gently shake the curl before they set.

But we all know it’s not the actual waves that make the Olsen-waves so iconic – it’s all about that lived-in texture. And for that, you need a can of Dove Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo.

“It gives their hair the best texture,” Townsend says. “It has starch instead of powder, which literally builds layers, creating a piecey look and locks in the volume. Plus, it delivers a matte finish.” To use, spray it from root to tips, rather than simply focussing it at the scalp – like you would normally for a dry shampoo.

Our Review Crew® members actually trialled this Dove Dry Shampoo and shared their reviews – here’s what they thought of it.

For those times when you’ve gone a little spritz-happy and over-dry shampooed your hair, try this nifty hair trick.

Have you ever tried using your dry shampoo as a texturising spray? Are you keen to replicate the Olsens’ signature beach waves with this insider trick?

Main image credit: Getty