Julianne Hough's Hair: Riding the Wave

Her hairstyles on Dancing with the Stars are as diverse as her high-scoring routines -- in a chignon for the quickstep, in a bobbed wig for the tango -- but it turns out that Julianne Hough, 20, a two-time champion on the hit show, prefers that her hair look natural. Well, not entirely natural, as Hough laughingly admits that her hair is "stick-straight and temperamental," but she prefers it in soft, beachy waves. "I always curl it because it's much more versatile that way," she adds.

Luckily Hough, whose self-titled country music album debuted in May and who is now touring with superstar Brad Paisley, relishes her time in the hair-and-makeup chair. "It's therapeutic," she says. "You can just relax or think about what you're going to do onstage. Also, I love hair and makeup!" So comfortable is this former child performer with primping (Hough has been dancing and singing since she was just 3 years old, including a stint in a family musical group called White Lightning) that she's not above grabbing the curling iron and touching up her own waves. On her days off Hough blows-dries her hair and sets it with Velcro rollers for extra volume along the crown.

So how will this dancing dynamo fare onstage with only a band behind her? "I'm not going to break out into a samba while singing a country song but I'll definitely move a little bit," she says. Her fans are counting on it!

Get the Look: Bring out your mane's superstar qualities with these hard-working stylers:

1. Easy Beachy: Sunsilk Waves of Envy Sea Mist, $3.69, gives you a fresh-from-the-sea look. Spritz on damp or dry hair and twirl strands around your fingers, or scrunch from the ends up.

2. Full-Bodied: John Frieda Full Blown Blonde Volumizing Spray, $5.50, paired with a blow-dryer, amps hair's volume. Finish by rolling hair around Velcro Gentle Styler rollers, $3.49.

3. Controlled Curls: A curling iron is a styling must-have, but be sure to use one that protects your locks from heat damage. Try Conair Professional Tourmaline 1-Inch Ceramic Curling Iron, $29.99.

Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal, August 2008.