Hair
The Cool-Girl's Guide To Crimping Your Hair In 2025
Here's how to master the modern-day trend.
Back in the early 2000s, all the cool girls crimped their hair. Hilary Duff, Britney Spears, and Beyoncé all did it — and if you were a Millennial with a hot pink flat iron, you probably did it too.
Fast forward two decades, and Y2K is trending — which means that the wavy hairstyle is making a comeback alongside low-rise jeans and the Backstreet Boys. But just like the Millennials who once wore it, the look has grown up. Today’s version swaps butterfly clips for a sleeker, more elevated finish that’s easy to wear and even easier to achieve.
“Nostalgia is powerful, and social media has made it easier to reimagine these trends in fresh, elevated ways,” says Joseph Maine, celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Trademark Beauty. “In 2025, we crave individuality, and these styles all feel expressive without trying too hard. Plus, with updated tools and products, they’re easier to execute and longer-lasting.”
The biggest difference between modern-day crimps and the ones you saw on early naughties red carpets is the size and shape of the bends in the hair. Instead of the tight, zig-zag texture that dominated the MTV airwaves, today’s version leans into looser, wider waves that read more “effortlessly chic” than “TRL.”
Modern-Day Crimping
According to Maine, achieving the latest version of the look actually means using a waver instead of that old-school crimping iron.
These “S”-shaped tools are essentially multi-barreled curling irons. Most have two or three curved cylinders, and instead of wrapping your strands around the iron, you simply clamp the tool onto a section of hair the same way you would a straightening iron (or, yes, an OG crimper). This method creates perfectly uniform, bendy waves that feel fresh and modern — and, as a bonus, is a whole lot easier to master on shorter cuts.
Maine’s go-to waver is this triple-barrel option from Trademark Beauty, but you can opt for any similar tool on the shelves — just note that he suggests sticking with 1-inch barrels as they strike the perfect balance for creating the sleek, modern crimps that define today’s take on the trend.
How To Crimp Your Hair
1. Start With A Heat Protectant
Just like you would with any hot tool, you’ll want to first coat your hair with a heat protectant to defend against damage. Try one like the Dae Agave Dry Heat Protectant Spray ($30), which shields hair from heat while nourishing with conditioning ingredients.
2. Section & Clip
For best results with a waver, Maine recommends starting at the root and working in small sections. The easiest way to do this is by splitting your hair into two layers: clip the top half up, then begin crimping the bottom layer so you don’t miss those hard-to-reach strands underneath.
3. Clamp & Wave
Though wavers are fairly foolproof, content creator Abigail Lin — who is known for her curling and crimping tutorials — has a few pro tips to nail the look:
- Keep it horizontal: Always hold the barrel horizontally (perpendicular to your hair), not vertically.
- Clamp on top: The clamp should always sit on top of your hair, never underneath — which means you’ll need to flip the tool when moving from one side of your head to the other.
- Overlap as you go: As you move down each section, place the barrel closest to your head in the groove created by the one farthest away. This overlap keeps your waves seamless and prevents awkward gaps.
4. Spray & Go
Finish the look with a light-hold hairspray (like this one from Garnier) to ensure it lasts as long as you need it to, sans frizz. Rhinestone accessories and low-rise jeans are optional.
