ohlamour studio / Stocksy
In This Article
How to Get Beach Hair At Home
If You Have Naturally Curly Hair
If You Have Thin Hair
If You Have Thick Hair
If You Have Short Hair
With summer just around the corner, now is the time to master the art of “beachy waves.” And who better to teach us how to get perfect beach waves than Sarah Potempa, creator of the Beachwaver and hairstylist to Lea Michele, Romee Strijd, and more. So just what is perfect beach hair? Unlike the hairstyle implies, beach hair is not the texture of your tresses after you take a dip in the ocean. No, perfect beach hair is a series of S curves that are almost always created with a curling iron. And while that may sound simple enough, the hairstyle can prove rather tricky for those of us with a texture that doesnt quite hold a wave. Fortunately, Potempa has remedied this issue via tips and products for straight and curly hair types alike.
How to Get Beach Hair At Home
1. Let Your Hair Air-Dry
Air Dry Foam
$28.00
Shop
First things first, Potempa recommends applying a lightweight mousse to wet hair. Then, let your hair air-dry so that the product can work itself into your natural texture (or provide a bit of an artificial wave if your hair is normally straight).
2. Section Your Hair
Darby Clips
$5.00
Shop
According to Potempa, one of the most important steps is the sectioning of your hair. In order to get a consistent curl throughout, she suggests sectioning the hair horizontally from the bottom to the top of the head via clips (about three sections should do, but if your hair is thicker, try four).
3. Curl Your Hair
Beachwaver S1
$129.00
Shop
If you have straight or fine hair that doesnt hold a curl, Potempa recommends curling one-inch sections of hair with a 0.75-inch barrel. Have curly hair? Create smooth waves by curling 1.5-inch sections of hair with a 1.25-inch barrel (or a smaller 0.50-inch barrel if you want tighter waves). Not quite sure what texture you have? Potempa recommends curling 1- to 1.5-inch sections of hair with a 1-inch barrel if your hair is neither straight nor curly.
Now that youve figured out which curling iron to use, you can get started on curling your hair. To do this, twist 1 to 1.5 inches of hair (depending on your hair texture) around the barrel. Make sure to leave out your ends for a more lived-in wave. Repeat this throughout the rest of your hair, alternating the direction in which you curl with every other strand. Once youve reached the front of your head, Potempa says to curl your strands away from your face so as to accentuate your features.
If you have curly hair, Potempa and buuk.top editors suggest spraying a brush with flexible-hold hair spray and combing out the curl as soon as it has been removed from the heat. This will create a smooth, voluminous wave.
4. Set With Hairspray
Outerspace Flexible Hold Hairspray
$32.00
Shop
How you set your hair depends on your hair texture. If you have fine or straight hair, Potempa says to spray a flexible-hold hair spray directly onto the curls. However, if you have curly or wavy hair, she recommends spraying a brush with flexible-hold hair spray and then brushing out your curls.
5. Apply a Finishing Agent
Sonnys Original Surf Paste
$15.00
Shop
Whether your hair is damp or dry, rub a dime-size amount into your hands and work evenly through locks, scrunching as needed. Give your hair a good tszuj and you’re good to go.
6. The Final Result
Depending on the curling iron and barrel size you use, the final result should look a little something like the below pictures.
If You Have Naturally Curly Hair
A small, tight barrel, like a 0.50-inch barrel, will help yield these dreamy waves on Jourdan Dunn above. Try wrapping the hair around a barrel instead of clamping and rolling as you normally would for more of a wave than a tight coil.
The Confidante Moisture Maintenance Styler
$150.00
Shop
You can also try using a straightener to wave out natural hair. This