Few things can match the carefree waves you come home with after a day at the beach.
Few thing can match the frustration some feel when trying to recreate that look at home.
Dealing with curls that fall out in next to no time is no fun. Think maybe it’s your tools or technique?
Yes, despite what you may think you don’t have to live in a beach house to get this fabulously laid back look.
It’s easy. No, really. Tousled locks that look like you came by them effortlessly from a groovy mix of sun, salt and sand can be yours.
Plus we’re going to look at how you can get this undone look with or without heat. [secret code X74RU8MR53DJ]
Let’s start with …
The Lazy Girl’s Five Minute Beach Waves Hair
Rule to Live By: Never fire up the hot styling tools without using something to protect you hair from the heat. No exceptions. CHI makes a good one. Focus that on the ends to protect what is already been abused the most over time anyway. Smoothing any that’s left over on your hands onto the rest of your hair.
Taking your straightener, take a section of hair about an inch wide. Clamp on to the strands with your tool and roll it 360 degrees. Remembering to turn the strand inwards rather than outwards. Repeat this all the way down the chosen section of hair sliding no more than inch to repeat this curling technique.
And continue following this technique for the hair all around your head. You want to curl at least 15 sections of hair like this. Focusing on the outer layers for the most part.
Finally any part that needs a touch up, well, that’s what you want to address now. Just remember you want controlled chaos here. But if there are parts of your hair that lack shape deal with those last.
Again there are no hard and fast rules how to go about this. This is a spontaneous look. Do what you can to maintain that.
Why follow this approach with the curling iron? It gives you rounder, softer, looser waves.
The key, if there is one, is to be totally random as to what sections of hair you are styling with the iron. This beachy wave style doesn’t rest on a foundation of neatness like say a blunt bob. In fact to get the natural, messy, look like you just got back from the beach you want to be anything but – neat.
Surfer girls, or wannabe surfer girls don’t worry about neatness anyway. Their waves just happen from being in the surf and sun. Their hair flows. It’s naturally tousled. Which is why this is a great summer time look.
A styling clay is used to add a bit of volume and texture to your hair to help build in more shape and enhance the tousled look. Just scrunch it into your hair. And don’t worry. There will be nothing the least bit greasy about your style when using a product like this.
There you go. Beachy waves in a matter of minutes even if the closest beach is days away.
But we’re not done yet. Here’s another approach using a curling iron.
Messy Beachy Waves In Seven Steps
- 1) Start with second day hair.
- 2) If you have fine strands, or just want to add to the body overall, apply a dry shampoo or volumizing spray to the hair around the crown to power up some serious volume and lift.
- 3) Spritz in heat protectant.
- 4) Curl all your hair by taking small sections and wrapping them around your conical curling iron then releasing them after maybe 10 to 15 seconds. You want to hold the tool vertically. Alternate the direction you’re wrapping the hair so you get curls that curl both in and out. Keep in mind the smaller the sections the better. And be random. Don’t over think this or worry about getting it just right. You don’t want to the curls to look all uniform or anything.
- 5) Once done curling shake the curls out and finger comb your hair to tousle your hair and loosen them up a little. Maybe tugging a little on the ends to help release the curl so they all blend nicely.
- 6) Put your hair in a bun and apply hair spray.
- 7) Release the bun and spritz with hair spray or light texturizing spray as needed to get the waves to hold. You know your hair best. You know how much spray this is going to take.
Then voila! Super sexy waves galore.
But say you don’t want to use heat to achieve the look? Here’s how to get the voluminous look without heat. Meaning your hair will avoid any damage, stay in great condition and still sport these luscious looking waves.
Prep for Heatless Beach Waves
This will work best if your hair is just damp to the point of being almost dry. Because if it’s too wet it will still be damp when you let you hair free the next morning which will weigh down any resulting waves. You want it just damp enough so it holds the style.
Basically if you start with dry hair, you can spray just a bit of water into it. Or you can get a glass of water, get your hands wet and run your fingers through your hair. That should give you an idea of how damp or not it should be.
If you hair needs it you can put a bit of oil just on the ends to help with any excessive dryness that it may be suffering from. Applying things like argan or coconut oil. Put a bit on your fingers, rub your hand together to emulsify it and run them gently through the lower portion of your strands.
This video takes it the rest of way laying out the six steps in this heatless way to get gorgeous beachy waves.
Amazing Heatless Waves Made So So Simple
- Step 1 Split your mane in two sections.
- Step 2 Take a section of hair on the side and braid it.
- Step 3 Secure things with an elastic when you’ve completed your braid.
- Step 4 Repeat on the other side.
The braids don’t have to be perfect because you’re going to sleep on them. And the next morning
- Step 5 Take the braids out.
- Step 6 Use hair spray to hold in the wave.
If you only need light hold, spray the product onto your hands and scrunch it into your hair. For stronger hold spray your strands directly.
So that’s how you can easily add a bit of interest and long lasting dimension to your hair – with or without heat. And without getting any sand between your toes either. Now you know three different ways to get this perfectly imperfect look. So go with it. Relax and don’t try too hard and you’ll have your very own messy, mermaid inspired look in next to no time.
Leave a Reply