Beach waves are one of the best hairstyles you can have in your styling repertoire. They’re among the most versatile styles and look just as amazing for a beach day as they do a red carpet. There’s also no shortage of ways to get the look. It doesn’t matter whether you’re forgoing hot tools or married to your curling wand; you have multiple options for adding beachy texture to your tresses. You can also adapt beach wave hair tutorials to suit your hair type and length. While this wavy ‘do is often associated with long hair and straight or loosely curled texture, almost anyone can give it a try. Ahead, learn how to do beach waves six different ways.
Step 1: Prepping Your Hair
Before you dive into braiding or reach for a waiver, you’ll want to prep your hair. We recommend starting with clean strands. While second-day hair has a natural texture and grit that can be great for wavy styles, you’ll get more wear out of your beachy waves if your hair isn’t already almost due for a wash. Plus, many heatless styling methods require damp hair.
Once you have a fresh canvas for your waves (i.e., a clean head of hair), you’ll want to get rid of any tangles. Gently comb through your hair, starting at the ends and working your way up to the roots. If you plan to heat style your hair—more on that next—you’ll also want to apply a heat protectant to help prevent damage. The Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In is one of our favorite products for prepping for beach hair because it makes detangling nine times easier and protects against heat damage.
You can also use styling products to help enhance any natural texture in your hair; this will effectively give you a headstart on faking post-swim strands. Mousses, sea salt sprays, and texturizing sprays or pastes are all great options. For instant beachy texture, try spritzing with Redken’s Beach Spray. The lightweight formula offers crunch-free volume and helps create effortless-looking waves.
Step 2: Choose a Styling Method for Your Beach Waves
Ask five people how to get beach waves, and it’s very possible that each and every one suggests a different technique. There are quite a few methods, any of which can produce great waves. Selecting the right method is all about considering your preferences, hair type, and styling skills.
There are two main categories of techniques: heated and heatless. You’ll need to determine which you prefer. Using a heat tool often provides more long-lasting waves and can make for faster styling. Going heatless, on the other hand, is typically less damaging and allows you to experiment with overnight hairstyles. Below, discover six ways to do beach wave curls—three with heat and three without.
Heat styling methods for beach waves
Curling iron or wand
With a curling iron or wand, you can get gorgeous, uniform waves. Choose a barrel size between 1 and 1.5 inches for a natural look. The key is to wrap sections of hair around the barrel, leaving the ends (the last couple of inches) out—this will help you get that undone finish. With each section, alternate which way you create the wave: toward or away from your face. If you curl only in one direction, your waves won’t blend together quite as well.
Hair straightener
Flat irons can do much more than straighten. Switch up your technique, and they can create all sorts of texture, from bouncy curls to messy waves.
Take the straightener and clamp a small section of hair at the root. Then, twist the tool away from your face and slowly glide it downward. Pull away, and you should be left with a wave. Keep in mind, this method tends to take more practice than others. Getting the twist-and-glide motion right isn’t always instantaneous—but the results are so worth it.
Waver or crimper
Hair wavers are one of the easiest options for creating beach curls in hair. This type of hot tool has a triple barrel design you can use to literally press S-shaped waves into your locks. Place a section of your hair between the clamps, starting at the roots. Then, hold for a few seconds before working your way down the strand. Repeat for a full head of nostalgia-inducing waves (the end result can be very ‘90s). The one caveat is that these crimped waves can look more structured than beachy. But that’s nothing you can’t fix with a little tousling and finger combing.
Heatless beach wave methods
Braiding
Braiding is one of our favorite beach wave hairstyling methods because it’s so customizable. A single loose braid gives larger, softer waves, while multiple smaller braids create tighter texture. You can also try different types of braids (traditional, French, Dutch, and so on) to get different effects.
To wake up with perfectly wavy hair, try braiding damp strands before bed and leaving it overnight. Or, if you’re in need of more of a last-minute look, you can speed things up with a diffuser.
Twisting
If you don’t know how to braid or simply want to try something different, give twisting a go. Take sections of damp hair and twist them tightly, then secure with a clip. Do this all over your head and let the twists air dry for soft waves.
Headband or sock curls
Swipe through hairstyling videos on TikTok, and you’ll find that sometimes the sillier a style looks mid-method, the better the results. This is certainly the case with sock curls. Split your hair into two large sections. Then, on either side of your head, wrap your damp hair around a (clean) sock. Secure it in place and wait at least a few hours before unraveling. The result? Romantic beach waves sans damage.
You can also use a stretchy headband for a similar effect. Put it on, then simply wrap your hair around it and wait until your strands have dried to remove.
Step 3: Create Your Beachy Texture
After selecting your method, start styling! Each technique produces waves that look a little different, so you might want to try a few options to find your favorite.
Step 4: Apply the Finishing Touches
Now that you have beautifully beachy waves, it’s time to lock in your look. The right finishing touches can not only make your wavy texture last longer but also add shine, boost definition, and pump up volume.
For more body, use a dry texturizing spray or volumizing powder, like L’Oréal Professionnel’s Techni.Art Super Dust. It’s designed to add volume and texture to messy looks and works great on all hair types.
If your waves could use more definition, gently separate them with your fingers, then use a small amount of hair oil to tame frizz and give your mane a shiny finish. We love completing just about any style with a few drops of Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hydrating Hair Oil, which controls frizz while helping strengthen hair.
The very final step when creating any beach wave style is to spritz with hairspray. This is how you’ll give your look real staying powder. Try the Redken Max Hold Hairspray for 32-hour hold. Plus, it provides humidity protection, so you really can take your beach hair to the beach.
Next Up: Utah Curls Are Taking Over—Here’s How to Get the Look
Header image credits (left to right): @pureology, @matrix
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