Step-by-Step: 4 Day-To-Night Bridal Styles

Sure, there are endless options for wedding hair, but come the wedding day, clients often opt for the simplest and least time-consuming styles—loose waves or a classic updo. Matrix Artistic Director Michael Albor created four day-to-night wedding hairstyles that will bring your client out of her traditional rut and give her two elegant and easy-to-transition looks for the big day. 

Look One | Tousled Texture: 

  1. On damp hair apply Style Link Smooth Setter and then layer Style Link Volume Builder
  2. Blow-dry using a round brush starting at the nape and working up the head. 
  3. Spray Style Link Heat Buffer on individual vertical subsections starting at the nape. Within section, alternate with different size curling irons directing towards center. Allow curls to loosely drop. Repeat through sides.
  4. Create rectangle section at top. To create wave at front, direct curl upward at inner edge of rectangle and then continue directing curl placements downward across section. Repeat on other side of rectangle.
  5. Use Style Link Over Achiever and separate curls with a tail-comb.
  6. On left side, create a narrow two strand rope braid starting behind the side hairline and working back twisting the two strands in the same direction. Deconstruct and interweave underneath and anchor at back. Spray with Style Link Texture Builder and pinch/pull all hair below braid.
  7. On the right side, create a large, loose, three-strand braid adding hair from the front until reaching the ear then include pieces from the surface and pin at back. Spray with Style Link Rough Me Up.

Look Two | Romantic Twist

  1. Transition from look one by undoing braids and brushing through hair. Separate front from back section.
  2. In the back section, on the left side above the ear, create a three-strand braid, including hair from top and bottom. Travel upward until reaching the back center then braid down the length, loosen and secure with elastic. Repeat on right side.
  3. Knot the two braids together at the back and pin in place.
  4. Underneath the knotted braids, at the nape section, start on the right side and braid, adding hair from below. Travel upward and left, deconstruct braid and wrap around braided section above.
  5. At the sides, loosely twist and drape over the ears. Pin in place and spray with Style Link Style Fixer.

Look One | Cascading Curls

  1. Apply Style Link Volume Builder followed by Style Link Blow Out Big Queen on damp hair. Blow-dry with a round brush starting at the nape and working up the head.
  2. Spray Style Link Heat Buffer on individual subsections starting at the nape. Use horizontal subsections and a small barrel curling iron, wrapping hair around barrel while holding the ends. Switch to a larger barrel iron at the top using brick-lay placements. Pin in place.
  3. When cool, release and brush through with cushion brush creating wave formation. Apply Style Link Shape Switcher and stretch out to smooth wave.
  4. Backcomb the front/top section starting at the front and working towards the back. Use a cushion brush to smooth, maintaining volume. Twist and pin at the crown. Spray with Style Link Volume Fixer.

Look Two | Classic Chignon 

  1. Transition from Cascading Curls by brushing through hair with cushion brush. Separate front from back section using a parting across the top of the head and spray sections with Style Link Heat Buffer.
  2. Using all hair in the back section, create three ponytails at the nape with bungee elastics. To conceal elastic, wrap hair from underneath around the band and pin to secure. Spray with Style Link Style Fixer.
  3. Backcomb ponytails. Wrap the left ponytail up, around and over the middle ponytail securing at the base of the right ponytail. Repeat on the right side.
  4. Take remaining lengths from ponytails, tie into a knot and direct up and over. Pin in place.
  5. At the front and side sections, direct back gently into the nape using a small amount of Style Link Over Achiever. Pin at back.

Look One | Beachside Braid

  1. On damp hair, apply Style Link Airy Builder. Blow-dry using a round brush starting at the nape and working up the head. 
  2. At top, blow-dry for volume at scalp area twisting and releasing brush at midlengths and ends.
  3. When complete, spray individual subsections with Style Link Heat Buffer and using a curling iron direct nape section one way and using a smaller iron in section above, curl in opposite direction. At top, curl away from the face for volume.
  4. Part hair from ear to ear below crown and secure top. Create a loose three-strand braid at back while applying Style Link Grip Definer. Secure with elastic band, deconstruct.
  5. In top section, including sides, divide vertically at back. Separate in two, twist away from the face, loosen, secure with elastic band and pin ends under at center. Maintain height at top. Combine organically into top of braided section.
  6. Loop crown section under to reinforce height, pin and spray with Style Link Style Fixer.

Look Two | Swept Away

  1. Transition from Beachside Braid by releasing braid and brushing through with cushion brush. Re-curl if necessary.
  2. Spray Style Link Rough Me Up on dry hair. Separate out top section.
  3. At back section, below round of head, interlock bobby pins starting behind ear and extending horizontally across head combining nape and section below crown.
  4. Pinch and pull strands to reduce length visually. At ends of strands, tie knots, loop and pin.
  5. At top section, twist ends towards center and pin. Spray with Style Link Rough Me Up.

Look One | Sultry Waves

  1. Apply Style Link Blow Out Curvy Queen to damp hair and blow-dry in horizontal subsections with a round brush directing under. Pin in place.
  2. Spray Style Link Heat Buffer on individual sub-sections and starting at the nape, curl hair using a narrow barrel curling iron. When reaching the middle section of the head, switch to a larger barrel iron and pin sections in place. Continue through side sections.
  3. Create a rectangle section at the top of the head. Establish a side part. To create a wave, direct curl upward at inside edge of rectangle and then continue directing curl placements downward across section.
  4. When cool, brush through. Apply Style Link Over Achiever and separate front from back sections. At nape area create a three strand braid and push/pull strands. Tuck hair under and pin.
  5. Create a fingerwave originating from side part and use duckbill clips to reinforce ridges. Spray with Style Link Heat Buffer. Coax all remaining hair throughout back into continuous wave pattern.

Look Two | Retro Rollup 

  1. Transition from Sultry Waves by brushing through hair with cushion brush. At the top section, create a side part and use a large barrel curling iron to establish three large placements directed away from the part.
  2. At the sides, direct two placements away from the face. Continue through crown and back of head.
  3. Using a wide tooth comb, separate front from back section. Create a large barrel curl at the crown.
  4. Next, create a ponytail below the crown placement and another one below the first. Wrap hair around elastics to conceal. Spray with Style Link Volume Fixer.
  5. Direct lower ponytail under and pin in place. Repeat in ponytail above.
  6. Backcomb the top section and direct over upper ponytail. Backcomb the side sections and direct upward. Create a large loop in the top section. Spray with Style Link Style Fixer.

About: MATRIX, a leading professional haircare and hair color company in the United States, is part of L’Oreal USA’s Professional Products Division. Matrix was founded in 1980 by the American husband and wife hairdressing team, Arnie and Sydell Miller. Before he founded Matrix, Mr. Miller was a hairdresser for over 20 years. Now, over two decades later, the Millers’ original ideas still stand strong, and Matrix is committed to the development of the salon professional, offering a wide range of haircare, haircolor and texturizing products.