Nothing says summer to us like wavy, beach hair! No matter how straight or flat our hair looks, we know there are some easy ways to create wavy locks that don't involve getting a perm (eek!). And hair product companies are heeding the call for help with wavy hair - there are more and more products available to help your hair achieve the perfect beach-head texture! Salt spray, beach hair spray and any kind of bed-head spray will make even straight hair bend to the will of the wavy by creating texture and hold for the hair to bend and stay tousled. There are numerous ways that you can achieve wavy hair, it just depends on how much time you have! The easiest of course is to braid your hair in small, loose sections when it's damp the night before and sleep on it. Don't use elastic bands that are too tight and voila - wavy hair when you wake up! Check out our cheat sheet for the perfect tousled summer waves!
Using a curling iron
Kate Hudson
- 1. Wash your hair and apply mousse while it's still damp. This will help your hair with some much needed volume and texture if your hair is naturally straight. If you have slightly wavy hair already, this will just help it hold the new style. Blow dry your hair upside down. Do not use a brush, just your fingers!
- 2. Get your curling iron out - the best size is one that has a 1 and 1/4 inch wide barrel - you don't want the waves to be too small!
- 3. Work from the bottom section of your hair to the top and use a clip to keep hair out of the way while you curl each section.
- 4. Take 2 inch sections of hair and wrap it around the barrel of the curling iron (do NOT open the clamp). Stop twisting the hair about 2 inches from the bottom so the ends aren't curled. Pull downward and release the curls until your entire head is done. Make sure you also don't start the twisting too close to the scalp - you want your hair to look naturally tousled and wavy and not too "done".
- 5. When you're finished, shake your hair out and spray with beach spray and voila!
Pin curls
Miley Cyrus
- 1.This is a retro way to get waves - women used to do this in the 1940s to get wavy hair! You'll need leave-in conditioner, a pack of bobby pins and light hold hairspray
- 2. Wash your hair and lightly mist your hair with leave-in conditioner while it's still damp. Don't dry it completely, if you leave it a bit damp it makes it much easier to do the pin curls.
- 3. Section your hair into 10-15 sections of hair about 2 inches wide. Take each section and wrap it around your fingers and roll it and secure the curl against your head with a bobby pin.
- 4. Let hair air dry overnight and remove the bobby pins. Your hair should have defined waves! Lightly mist with hairspray and run your fingers through them. The best thing about the pin curl method is that they last a long time!
Flat iron
Demi Lovato
- 1. Wash your hair and mist it with thermal heat protectant spray. Completely dry it before you use your flat iron. It is best to use a narrow, smaller iron as it is easier to work with.
- 2. When your hair is totally dry clamp the flat on a 2 inch section of hair close to the scalp. Raise the hair up 90 degrees and then turn the flat iron 180 degrees (or half a turn).
- 3. Without releasing, slide the flat iron down and do the same but turn the flat iron in the opposite direction a half turn.
- 4. Continue until your entire head is done - the section don't all have to be even - it looks better when it's not!
- 5. Finish your hair with some light styling spray or hairspray.
