No matter where you look online and in magazines in the summer, you’ll see a mass of inspiration for beachy waves featuring girls with sun-kissed hair glowing because they know their hair has achieved the look we all crave. But how do you get that perfect summer look?
The fundamental first step when considering how to get beach waves is that you need some sort of holding product to give your hair the extra support that the style will need. The two best ways to achieve this extra support are by having to hand either a lightweight but strong mousse or a good quality thickening spray. Either of these will provide you with the base that you need.
You will need to divide your hair into sections of approximately 1.5 to 2 inches. This width is critical as if the sections are too big, your curls will look less ‘beachy’ and more eighties prom night! On the other hand, if they are too small they will have the tendency to become frizzy and stringy. 1.5 to 2 inches is the perfect size.
Clip up the rest of your hair, leaving the groups closest to your ears hanging down freely. If you like, at this point, spray a touch of heat protective or styling spray. Using your curling iron, curl back and away from your face. As soon as you get to the ends, slowly drag your curling iron down in order to create a little straightness at the tips.
Once the frontal area is complete, unclip the section behind and repeat the exact same procedure, including straightening out the tips a little. Remember, it is vital that you stick to the 1.5 to 2-inch width rule, especially in the middle part of the head where the bulk of your hair is.
For the top sections of your hair, the trick to achieving the slightly chaotic yet stylish beach wave look is to start to curl in the opposite direction using the wand. By doing this, you are helping to create a more casual and unpredictable pattern in your hair, one that looks less polished and much more bohemian chic and ‘beachy.’ Remember to keep spritzing your styling spray so that these individual waves stay defined.
Remember to keep alternating the direction of your curling iron and wand with every section that you tackle. This will work to keep your hair uniformly styled but in a casual, carefree looking way. When it comes to achieving the perfect beach waves, it really is a case of the putting in a lot of work at home so that it looks like your waves are completely natural when out and hanging with your friends. The easiest looking styles always take the longest to achieve!
Once you have finished curling each section alternately, the one thing that you do not want to do at any cost is to brush it! Though it may seem tempting, brushing the curls will only do one thing, and that is undo all your hard and work and turn your hair into a ball of frizz. Instead, rub some hair serum into your palms and work through your hair delicately. This will set it and keep it looking fantastic all day long.
Good luck with creating the perfect summer style! Have you tried the curling iron method to create beachy waves or do you do it heat free?