Wonderful Waves

Connie Britton's Waves

Although she happily accepts the compliments bestowed on her glorious mane, Connie Britton, 39, of NBC's critically acclaimed drama Friday Night Lights, quickly admits that she's "completely inept" at styling her own hair. Britton has figured out, however, that the trick to managing her thick, dry, wavy tresses, especially in the stifling humidity in Austin, Texas, where the show is shot, is to fuss with them as little as possible. On her days off Britton saturates her wet hair with a leave-in conditioner, towels it dry, then scrunches and positions it just so before leaving the house. This "science," as she mockingly calls it, delivers curls that aren't shaggy or frizzy.

But for her role as the coach's no-nonsense wife, Britton and her stylist go for a smoother look. "We blow it straight and put curl back in, which makes it more manageable. Otherwise, it's in my face all the time." (Blowing it out herself is out of the question: "I'm such a dork with the brush!") Ironically, the 2004 movie version of the show had Britton flaunting "big Texas hair. It was like a foot above my head!"

And while Britton still marvels at women whose hair dries straight, she's figured out that waves and curls are just as beautiful -- hers included. "I just love what I have," she says. -- Patricia Reynoso

Get the Look

1. Mist extreme style by VO5 Heat Defense, $3.49, over hair before using any styling tools to lightly condition and protect hair from hot temperatures.
2. Apply Suave Professionals Extreme Strength Daily Leave-In Treatment, $2.49, which contains silk amino acids and proteins that help reduce breakage.
3. Use a squirt of Profound Beauty Desert Sand Creme Gelee, $24, on damp hair to add texture and hold.
4. To control poufy hair, try Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Hairspray, $3.99, a fast-drying formula that locks out moisture. -- Mandy Hendrix

Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal, December 2007.