Beach waves look simple, natural, and relaxed. Named after the waves that can form following a dip in the sea and a prolonged sunbathing session, beach hair is the epitome of California surfer girl cool. Even better? Everyone knows that sea air does amazing things for hair, giving it a healthy boost that lifts it from the roots and gives it incredible texture. Not to mention the natural highlighting effect that a day at the beach can have! It’s this amazing combination of shine, highlight and volume that give beach waves hair its endless allure.
Get the ultimate summer beach look
The art to styling beach waves is to make them seem totally natural. However, contrary to what anyone says, you don’t need to spend a day at the beach to get the sun-kissed look. With our styling tips, you’ll be able to create the perfect beach waves that are as loose or tightly curled as you want.
Beach waves look great on most types of hair but should be adapted according to its length and texture. For instance, waves for short hair should be less defined than those for longer hair, as the effect is amplified when created on smaller amounts of hair. For longer locks, start creating the waves from approximately a third to halfway down the hair so as to get a more controlled and natural effect. If you have naturally curly hair, then the perfect beach waves should incorporate your ringlets with a good amount of definition. Using a volumizing spray like göt2b Volumaniac hairspray at the roots can help to give you some serious lift.
There are a couple of different ways you can get the perfect beach hair. Here we will show you how to create beach waves with a curling iron.
- Part your hair in the middle and blow-dry it. Don’t use a brush but finger comb your hair instead. If you have the time, allow your hair to air-dry.
- Spritz heat protectant throughout your hair before parting it into three sections: one at the temple and one two inches from your neckline. Temporarily hold the hair using a scrunchy or hair clips.
- Start at the lowest section of your hair. Use an about ¾-inch thick curling iron to create the beach wave curls. Keep the curling iron in a vertical position while winding pieces of hair around it away from your face.
- Allow the hair to stay on the curling iron for about five seconds before uncurling.
- Once you are done with the lower part of the hair, curl the middle part in the same fashion but curl the strands toward your face. Finally, curl the top part of your hair away from your face.
- After you have created the curls, run your fingers through your hair while shaking your hair at the same time for a tousled look.
- Rub some hair wax between your fingers before using them to accentuate individual hair ends.
- Use hairspray to keep your beach waves fresh for longer.
Long and gorgeous beach waves hair
If the prospect of digging out the curling iron every morning isn’t encouraging you to leap out of bed with excitement, then there are other avenues you can take. One of the most reliable and long-lasting services available in salons is the so-called ‘beach waves perm’. Before you start jumping to conclusions, this isn’t the same kind of treatment that achieved the famous permed hair of the 80s. Using a much gentler solution, this softer modern take on the perm can give you naturally curling beach waves hair fresh out of the shower every morning. The treatment will generally last about 6 months, meaning that at least you won’t have to make the trip to the salon too often. If you take this route, we recommend using a small amount of anti-frizz solution gently massaged through the ends of your hair after washing and then simply let it air dry.
A word of caution: over processing hair will damage it in the long run, so we only recommend this beach waves method for those with virgin hair or who only alter their natural color to shades slightly lighter or darker and do not regularly use all-over bleach treatments.
Get the scoop from makeup and style blogger Stephanie Ledda about how to style the best beach waves this Summer using Schwarzkopf products