How to Make Beach Waves in Your Hair- Be Prepared to Look Fabulous This Summer

I really love the free-flowing, carefree look of beach waves hair... We see many celebrities sporting the style, so many women wonder how to achieve this beachy look. The good news? It's pretty easy with the right tools and the correct technique. In my video I demonstrate how to use four different tools for getting the job done: the flat iron technique, the curling iron technique, the wand (or clampless curling iron) technique and the crimper. You can choose which one works best for you depending upon which look you like and the tools you have. Or, you can use a combination of tools to create a less uniform, more natural looking wave to your hair.

My own personal favorites are the flat iron and the wand. My hair doesn't hold curl very well.... I find the flat iron and the wand are the best tools for keeping the waves in for the longest amount of time. Although my hair does have just a little wave to work with, it's not enough to pull off the beach look. Without some help, it just looks like I haven't brushed it....

In my video I'm focusing on using heat to create waves. Rest assured there are ways to achieve the look without using heat, too. If your hair is damaged, you definitely want to consider alternatives. You can braid or french braid your hair while it's wet. You can also twist your hair into little buns and pin curl it. Wavy, damaged hair won't look good no matter what!

Start with towel dried or naturally dried hair first. Utilize whatever natural wave your hair may have. If you need to blow dry for time reasons, then use a diffuser on your dryer. This will help set in any natural wave you may have. Always begin by spraying a heat protectant in your hair, too.

1. Secure the top section of your hair with an elastic and begin with the bottom layer of hair.
2. Grab a small section of hair that's about an inch to an inch and a half across.
3. Wrap the hair around the flat iron and grab the end (or tail) and pull through the iron. Don't go too slowly or it will be too curly. Don't go too quickly or it won't get enough wave. You can adjust the amount of wave/curl you get by the speed you pull the hair through.
4. Let the curl fall naturally and have it rest.
5. Continue the process one layer at a time.
6. If you have short pieces, you won't have a tail to grab. In this case, just continually turn the flat iron.
7. Allow the hair to cool and gently comb it out with your fingers. You don't want to use a brush, you will loose the wave this way.
8. Emulsify some serum in your hands. I use one called Elements by Aveda. Add serum onto the ends first, then gently work into the top of your hair avoiding the scalp area. This will add shine and help weigh down any pieces that look too curly.

1. Follow steps one and two above.
2. Take a small 1 to 1 1/2" section of hair and roll the curling iron around it.
3. Keep rolling the iron around the hair as you slide it through the clamp. You should make sure the clamp is open just a little or it can be painful and damage your hair.
4. Follow steps 4 through 8 above.

This technique will make for the curliest waves... A wand is very efficient at making wavy hair! If you don't want a curly wave, I recommend you use one of the other techniques.

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 above.

2. Wrap your hair around the wand in a spiral manner. See photo to the right (and video above, of course!). I'm using Revlon's Ceramic Tourmaline Cone Styling Iron.

3. Hold for only a few seconds and let hair fall naturally.
4. Follow steps 4 through 8 above.

A crimper is going to give you more of a true wave and less of a curly wave. It's all about choosing the look you prefer.

1. Follow steps 1 and 2.
2. Begin about an inch from your scalp (or less depending upon how high you want the waves) and simply clamp your hair in the three pronged iron. I'm using an inexpensive crimper made by Revlon.
3. Hold for a few seconds and continue clamping down to the ends of the hair.
4. Follow steps 4 through 8.

If you have the tools (and the inclination), try using a couple of different tools to create your waves. It ends up looking less "perfect" and uniform this way... it's just more of a natural look. I normally combine the flat iron with the curling wand for my waves. I use the wand on the top sections of my hair since I like to accentuate the waves around my face.

Alternate the waves back and forth, meaning some should be directed towards the face and others should be directed away from the face. If all the wavy curls are going the same direction, it doesn't look nearly as natural.

The good news? It's pretty hard to mess up this style! Have fun and be creative!